Long haul return flight at midnight. How to spend the day?

[FrostOnWindows]

Any tips on how best to spend the day before a long flight home that leaves at around midnight? Inquire about late check out hotels so we can have a shower etc before the flight? Or better to spend the day exploring, shopping, getting tired?
The city we are flying from is Hanoi if that makes any difference.
Thanks for any tips or ideas.

You can usually leave your luggage at the hotel (look for luggage storage in the city if not), so I'd check out as normal and make the most of the day.

Sometimes the hotel will let you shower before leaving for the airport, but if not, you could look at booking the lounge at the airport if that has showers. You'll want to be at the airport by 9 pm-ish so obviously need to leave the city before then. Depending on when you like to eat you could have an early dinner in the city or plan to eat at the airport. I'd imagine that Hanoi airport is large, modern and all the amenities so fine to pass the time at?

It's a bonus extra day of holiday, the last one that for most is a write off.
Enjoy it, keep exploring and maximise your time there.

Almost all hotels will have a left luggage area that you can collect from later. Some keep a room for guests to use to shower and change before departing, eg you can book an hour, or is there a gym at the hotel with a shower? If not many airports have facilities for this too. I don't know Hanoi.

Does your hotel have a swimming pool? We've often found that when we have a late flight, our hotel are still happy for us to use the pool after checking out of our room, so we've had a day exploring, come back and had a swim and used the pool showers and then got changed into our travel clothes. Or some hotels have a designated room that they'll let you use to just grab a shower and get changed if you explain to them about the late flight.

I love Hanoi! Enjoy!

This is so helpful! Thank you 😊

We haven't booked a hotel for the last night of the trip yet - that's why I was wondering about the late check out etc..
But you are all right - enjoy the day, do more exploring and hopefully we'll all be tired enough to sleep on the plane, at least for some of it.

At that time of night, I would book a hotel with early check-in / late check-out even if you're paying for a "night" you won't use. There's nothing worse than schlepping about trying to fill too many hours.

In case it's any use to you, we stayed at The Lapis, which was lovely. Nice rooftop pool and spa etc. I don't know how many are in your group, but we chose it because they had family rooms available which were perfect for us and our two teenagers. The reception staff were incredibly helpful and I'm sure if you messaged them they'd be able to confirm if they could help with the late flight etc. I'm not on commission, I promise 😂 Other hotels are available!

shop and get tired, then buy lounge access, shower there and change. Did exactly that couple of weeks ago, was brilliant - all tired, but fresh for the flight.

That sounds like a great idea!

@HeidiLite
the lounge access - was is with the airport itself or with the airline?

Some hotels have a gym with showers that you can use to freshen up and change before heading to the airport. We’ve done this before and left the clothes to change into at the top of our cases. That worked well and meant we could use the last day and not be minging for the flight.

We had a flight for 23:00 a couple of years back.
We were at an Airbnb ( entire property) and we just paid for the extra night. Would probably have cost the same or more to be wandering about aimlessly / at cafes etc and we would have been very tired.
We felt quite rested for our flight. Probably would do the same again in that situation.

I would book the hotel room for the departing night too, much easier.

We have also booked for a whole extra night in this situation, it really changes how I feel about the final day and is well worth it if the hotel isn't too £££.
The last night doesn't feel like the last night and the journey doesn't start until you leave for the airport.

I've always booked an extra night in the hotel if departing the airport any time like yours. By the time you book and pay for the lounge, take a bag with toiletries through + a change of clothes, and so on, I found it much easier just to hang around the hotel and do last minute shopping/wandering, get back to room, do the last bits of packing, get organised, have a shower, and then off I go.

That's a great point, thanks!
Lounge is coming to £85 for all of us to it will be cheaper to just get anohter night at the hotel.

We use Priority Pass, but this only makes sense if you travel a lot. Otherwise most airports nowadays offer paid access to at least some of the lounges. But yes can be bit expensive if you need to pay full price for a whole family.

Our last day is always a pool day as we pick hotels with a beach so we’ll only use the pool on the last day!
We never go shopping on the last day because our cases are packed and we leave only a space for our swimming stuff!

Leave your luggage at the hotel. Have a lovely last day out. If you get hot & seeaty (v likely in Hanoi), go to a lounge (you'll need to buy a ticket to a lounge if you don't have access via a Business ticket or credit card) and have a shower there. If you aren't flying Business they may charge you extra for the showe, I suppose. Eat a heavyish supper in the lounge or the airport (I like a fair bit of protein & carbs as a soporific), and then eye masks & blankets on to sleep as soon as you board.

i love a late flight home!! In the past I’ve booked a night in a cheap airport hotel - one person taken all the luggage over in the morning, waiting for us then the room is ready, then you can have a proper shower etc just before the flight. Only works where airports are near where you want to be though! Otherwise book another night in the hotel.

We flew home from Hanoi on a late evening flight. Our hotel had a pool and they were happy for us to leave luggage there whilst we were out for the day. We then had a swim / shower before leaving for the airport.

The lounge at Hanoi airport is fine but don't recall any showers although there were sleeping pods!

Thank you everyone!
I've contacted a couple of hotels that have a pool to see if we can use it after check out before we leave for the airport.

Honestly I would just book the room for an extra night and check out as late as needed.
you can explore and then shower and pack

Definitely this!

And you can pack properly when you’re ready to go, without faffing around with left luggage, killing time and grabbing showers in random places