Private tours of new cities are a great way to kill time during long layovers

Getting around an unfamiliar town can be tough to do on your own. If you're away for business and you have nothing to do for an afternoon, you may simply choose to nap or watch television in your hotel room rather than explore the city.

Jill Becker, a travel writer for CNN, was once told by a colleague that she should hire a private tour guide whenever she visits a new city. She explained that she first envisioned "a perfect stranger robotically rattling off a bunch of boring facts on things about which [she] didn't even care," but soon realized that it actually a fine way to take advantage of luxury transportation.

Her first experience with a private driver was one of her favorite parts of that trip, she writes. Becker said that with a glass of champagne in her hand, she watched the sunset from the London Eye. Becker is just one of many travelers who are utilizing the concierge services of lavish transportation providers like Hermes Worldwide.

Lauren Fairbanks, a partner at a marketing firm, told CNN that she is on the road for a week to 10 days every month, and has found that being guided around cities by chauffeured transportation is a perfect way to kill time.

"The biggest pro is that it's on your time schedule, so you have full control, which is especially good when you're trying to maximize a long layover," Fairbanks told the media outlet. "I'm actually a fan of checking things out on my own, but only having a few hours in a city and not knowing your way around is a good formula for getting lost and missing your flight."

She added that there's more to it than just riding around in a town car. She was actually able to visit sites that were tailored to her interests, which she said she may have not been able to see had she gone on a traditional group tour.

Private tours of new cities are a great way to kill time during long layovers