For those who love aviation and its history, especially if you are a fan of the legacy airline TWA (Trans World Airlines), you cannot miss the TWA Hotel located at JFK airport in New York. As it is located at the airport itself and accessible free of charge by Air Train, you can even make a quick visit to see the maximum of saudade in a few hours between flights. Of course, you can stay one night (or more) in one of their comfortable rooms.
A bit of hotel history…
In 1962, the TWA Hotel formed part of the TWA Flight Center, which became known as the “Grand Central of the Jet Age”, despite being designed by architect Eero Saarinen specifically for the Lockheed Constellation (“Connie”). The TWA Flight Center opened on May 28, 1962 after 3 years of construction which saw the arrival of the Jet Age and the Connie being retired as Air Force One as it was no longer the best plane in the sky. Flight Center, having been designed around the Connie, was too small for jets and was functionally obsolete as a major airline terminal on the day it opened. Flight Center was registered as a trademark in 1962.
About any visit…
From either terminal, you’ll take the Air Train to Terminal 5 and then you’ll have two ways to get to the hotel. My favorite (and slightly faster) way is to take the elevator down to the ground floor and follow the signs to the walkway outside the hotel. As you walk to the front of the hotel you will be greeted with 1960s music. During bad weather, take the escalator up one floor and enter Terminal 5 via an interior walkway and follow signs for the TWA Hotel. You will enter the hotel through one of the “TWA tubes” and essentially enter the hotel from the back in the Saarinen wing.
Upon arrival, you will be taken back to the 1960’s with its ambiance and decor. In front of the hotel, there are several vehicles from that era, along with a large oval-shaped flight information screen, with old-fashioned “inverted” letters and numbers. Please do not search for your flight on the screen as the flights listed are not real. Upon entering the hotel from the front, the check-in area is on your left and there is a food court on your right. I will warn you that the food is expensive and not very good, but it’s better than nothing.
Up the short flight of stairs to the front and you’ll find a pleasant lounge (closed most of the time in my experience) with red carpeting and a wall of windows overlooking a makeshift runway, home to a 1958 Lockheed L-1649A Constellation (“Connie”) and certain associated ground equipment. During the night, you can hop aboard the Connie for a drink and a luxurious trip back in time. Up the stairs to the left, you’ll find a small museum of pieces of crew uniforms (mostly flight attendant uniforms) throughout the years of TWA history, along with some luggage. Back in the day, fashion designers were used for uniform designs, believe it or not. On the opposite side of this level there is a nice lounge where you can also enjoy your favorite drink.
Go down the stairs on either side and you will find the “TWA Tubes” that lead to Terminal 5 (JetBlue terminal). These are the iconic period paths at JFK Airport, also the one you saw Leonardo DiCaprio walk in the movie “Catch Me If You Can”. The left tube (Saarinen Wing) leads to the hotel rooms on that side and back to Terminal 5. The right tube (Hughes Wing) leads to the hotel rooms on that side and the rooftop pool and bar area. Also, at the end of this tube are some more historical exhibits.
The good and bad of the rooms…
If you decide to stay, you’ll be in the 1960’s for one night, at least in decor. The beds are comfortable and you have more space than many NYC hotel rooms, plus some modern amenities. The mini-bar is good and very stylish for the times, but no coffee maker is available. While there are hangars for your clothes (usually just 3) there is no closet so it can be tricky hanging multiple items at times. Lastly, there is no trash can in the main area, only in the bathroom. Instead, they have mats for recyclables and regular trash. If you prefer a “cleaner” approach, you should take your rubbish to the bathroom to put it in a container. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer good views, and there are electric screens that slide down via a wall switch for privacy. Overall, my stays at this hotel were very good, despite some minor inconveniences.
TWA Hotel Summary…
If you have a long enough layover at New York JFK Airport, take the time to stop by the TWA Hotel and see some aviation history. If you’ve planned a single night in New York before heading abroad or to another destination, this hotel is well worth it. Longer stays, or if you prefer to go out late at night, then you should book a Manhattan hotel and be where the “action” is.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, if you’ve had the chance to visit the TWA Hotel, feel free to leave a comment below.
(More photos of the TWA Hotel)…