This is as predictable as Thanksgiving turkey: Sometime before the New Year, someone will miss a flight and have to spend the night at an airport hotel. And they will metaphorically kiss the hotel's fugly carpet in thanks for the convenience of a decent place to sleep near the runway.

Truth to tell, business travelers aren't particularly fond of airport hotels. Unlike a lavish resort that can occasionally seduce us or a big-city hostelry that wows our senses, airport hotels simply can't overcome the geography. No matter how good they may be, airport hotels are at the airport, and no business traveler ever wants to spend more time at the airport.

Still, when we need them, airport hotels are lifesavers on the road. We use them for fly-in meetings when hooking up at the airport makes more sense than trudging into the city. Early-morning departures or late-night arrivals are a lot more palatable when you can put your head on a bed near the runway. And don't forget the flight disruptions that cause an unexpected layover or those weather-related nightmares.

Airport hotels now come in a variety of sizes and styles. There are the classic "grand" hotels that actually have their most elaborate manifestations overseas. (The Kempinski at Munich Airport or the Langham Place at Beijing's Capital Airport are as good as airport hostelries get.) The access roads leading to U.S. airports are surrounded with every stripe of chain lodging currently on offer. Intriguing new concepts like the Citizen M at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport represent a hipper take on runway residences. And airport-focused chains such as Yotel or Minute Suites allow travelers to rent naps and showers by the hour.

Far too many stays at far too many airport hotels over far too many years has helped me compile a list of things I most want from rest stops near the runway. I don't know any hotel at any airport in the world that fulfills every one of my wishes, but my guidelines may help you clarify your own thinking:

• Does the hotel offer weatherproof access to the airports terminals? Free shuttle service to nearby hotels is nice, of course, but I'd rather be able to walk or train it to a hotel that allows me to ignore the weather and airport access roads.
• How many 24/7 services does the hotel offer? Airport hotels that don't offer around-the-clock room service aren't doing the best by their road-warrior guests. But a good airport hotel will also offer 24/7 health-club access, a nonstop restaurant, and other time-insensitive services.
• Can I take a meeting—small or large—at the hotel? Sometimes, flying into a city and meeting with clients or prospects at the airport is a gigantic time saver for business travelers.
• How's the access to the city? I'm a big fan of public-transit options, and the more convenient an airport hotel is to a fast rail or shuttle connection to the city center, the better I like it. Alternately, does the hotel offer a reliable, reasonably priced car service or limo option?

Which airport hotels in the United States earn a passing grade? Here's my personal short list. Your mileage will certainly vary based on your personal needs and foibles, but these will serve most travelers well.

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