The TWA Hotel
We all know from flying that we are to put on your own oxygen mask before attempting to assist others. So, in applying that to vacay season, especially after the past year, Allan and I decided that, before venturing out with the whole family, and before returning to our far and wide family travels, we would personally refresh near home - just the two of us. So, we recently enjoyed a quick staycation at the TWA Hotel, here in NYC! Sometimes we just need a change of scenery! Prior to this hotel visit, Allan had repeatedly said for months that he’s felt the need for a change of scenery. Well, although it’s not yet the beach and didn’t require a flight or a ship, this was a nice refresher.
Check out this tour on IGTV in less than 7 minutes.
With the hotel being literally on the premises of JFK International Airport, and for a number of other reasons, if I weren’t a New Yorker, I think this would be my “go to” hotel when visiting NYC.
Here are some additional reasons I say this:
1) The hotel is at the airport, right by Terminal 5, so it doesn’t require any special transportation, airport shuttle or otherwise, to get there.
2) The airtrain that runs between JFK International Airport and a few major NYC transportation hubs, including Jamaica Station which connects to the Long Island RailRoad and the subway, makes for a fairly easy commute into Manhattan and throughout the city.
3) As a lover of travel and airplanes since my childhood, features like Connie the airplane, and the fact that this hotel is the actual old iconic TWA terminal that has been etched in my memory since I was traveling through JFK as a child, makes this hotel one-of-a-kind to me.
4) The way that this hotel captures decades of travel, including the rotary phones throughout the hotel and the arrival and departure boards of old is truly special, and again, a really neat one-of-a-kind feature.
5) The rooftop pool, providing a clear view of airplanes taking off and landing is another sweet treat.
6) The runway view guest rooms are perfect for aviation fans, as you get to see airplanes takeoff and land, without hearing any of the noise. I appreciated that view to go to sleep and wake up to.
7) During our quick stay there, our room and the hotel’s public areas appeared to be clean, very well kept and maintained. Service from all staff-members we encountered, from check-in, to the room attendant, to the Food Court staff was great!
It should be noted that the standard guest rooms are rather small, which was fine for our quick staycation. Plus, who are we kidding? We love to cruise, so we can make smaller spaces work well! However, families traveling a longer distance and staying a longer time, should consider booking a larger room as there are a variety of room options.
Here’s a peek into our runway view room.