Bell desks are wonderful things when you need them. The business travelers in the crowd know all too well the feeling of a looming hotel check-out time, the reality of a late-evening meeting, and the relief of dropping one's bag in a hotel storeroom for a few hours.

But what if you don't have that luxury? For those exploring a city during a long layover, or for those who aren't planning to return to the area where their hotel is situated after a day on the town, storing luggage can get tricky. We've compiled a few options below that'll prevent you from having to wheel your carry-on all across creation when you've got a few hours in a foreign locale.

New York City's Vertoe

If you're exploring New York City, Vertoe is ready and waiting to keep tabs on your luggage. Essentially, verified partners that have extra space are listed on the site, searchable by location. You find a nearby storage house, make a reservation, and drop your bag off. Pricing varies by partner, but it'll generally run you between $7 and $12 per bag per day. There's a $1,000 guarantee as well, though that may actually not cover bags with loads of camera or computer equipment.

San Francisco's Pier 39

Looking to venture out to winding Lombard Street but aren't interested in wheeling around pounds of old laundry along with you? The California Welcome Center at Pier 39 will securely store your luggage while you're scouting the place out, but be aware that it's only open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

LAX Storage

Long layovers are fairly common at LAX. You fly in early, and then you wait all day for a redeye. Enter LAX Storage, which will actually meet you at the curb, grab and escort your luggage, and then return it back curbside when you call. Pricing ranges from $7 to $15 per day depending on the size of your bags.

Ken's Baggage & Frozen Food Storage, Seattle

It doesn't get more Pacific Northwest than this: Tucked on the baggage claim level at SeaTac is Ken's Baggage & Frozen Food Storage. Not only will these folks securely store your bag, but they also offer "frozen storage and refrigerated storage services." You know, for all that fresh fish you just purchased at Pike Place Market.

MakeSpace

Available in NYC, Chicago, D.C., and Los Angeles, MakeSpace will pick up your luggage, store it, and return it to you on demand. It's engineered to store stuff that's cluttering up your home, but it's a decent option for business travelers that frequent the same city on a regular basis.

NannyBag

Ah, Paris. Such a lovely place... when you're not rolling a carry-on down a cobblestone street. NannyBag offers easy, secure storage for your bags (in English!) to tourists that are looking to poke around the city for a brief time. Prices here are based on time, with 4 hours costing €4 (about US$4.50), and a full 24 hours demanding €12 (about US$13.50).