Keys to the Pool, Not the Room

When Cadie Carroll and two college friends planned a recent weekend reunion in Sedona, Ariz., they booked a vacation rental to have more space than a hotel room and to be able to cook, something they enjoyed doing together at the University of Texas.

The only thing missing was a swimming pool. For that, they booked a day at L’Auberge de Sedona where, for $100 each, they gained access to the resort pool, complimentary valet parking, lunch and a sound-healing session, part of a roster of daily activities that passholders have access to.

“It felt fancy, like we were getting the five-star treatment,” said Ms. Carroll, 31, a logistics consultant in El Segundo, Calif.

Day passes to resorts can be a thrifty traveler’s splurge or a local’s daycation. While the concept isn’t new, it’s grown rapidly in the wake of the pandemic as hotels, still recovering from the tourism collapse, seek to monetize their underused spaces such as pools, spas and even meeting rooms.

This spring, Hilton announced a partnership with ResortPass, the leading seller of day passes. And while the initial 175 resorts offering passes through the platform are just a few of the hotel company’s more than 7,600 locations, Hilton expects more hotels to enlist.

“Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report found that the number one reason people want to travel is to rest and recharge, and we see our partnership with ResortPass as a great way of delivering this experience for the traveler stopping in a destination for a day or the local visitor wanting a daycation in their neighborhood,” said Jessica Shea, the vice president of wellness, retail and leisure operations in the Americas for Hilton.