Getting to your terminal

A stay only makes sense for some terminals. Here is what the journey takes from the hotel to check-in at each one.

Terminal	How you get there	Hotel to check-in	Cost
Best forTerminal 1	Inside the terminalNothing to book	3 min	A$0
Terminals 2 and 3	Free Terminal Transfer BusAbout every 15 min, roughly 05:30 to 22:30	25 min	A$0

Our view

Who it suits: Layovers, long waits between flights, and departures so early that any transfer is a worry.
Why we would choose it: It sits inside Terminal 1, a few steps from check-in. In the daytime it sells rooms by the hour, so you can rest for part of a day without booking a night.
The compromise: Rooms are small, 9 to 11 square metres for a double, and suit one or two people. It is outside the secure area, so on a connection you must clear passport control and customs, and hold a visa for Australia if you need one. Domestic flights need the Terminal Transfer Bus or the train.
Worth paying more?: You pay for the location. Six hours by the hour cost about the same as a night here, so look for the day-use offer first. For a few hours of rest with no transfer, it is still the simplest choice.

The practical details that matter for one night before or after a flight.

Where it is: Ground level at Arrivals B in Terminal 1, outside the secure area. You reach it after passport control and customs, one floor below check-in.
Getting in late: The entrance inside the arrivals hall is open from 02:30 to 23:00. Outside those hours, enter from outside the terminal, opposite the taxi rank, and ring the bell.
Rooms: Solo Plus rooms with a single bed and Double Plus rooms of 9 to 11 square metres, each with its own bathroom.
Booking by the hour: Sold by the hour in the daytime as well as overnight. When we checked, 3 hours cost $237 and 6 hours cost $396 for two adults, and a cheaper day-use offer appeared on some dates. Evening hourly slots were not offered, so expect to pay the overnight rate for a night.
Parking: No on-site parking. The hotel is inside the International terminal; parking is close by in the airport's car parks.