A Must Visit for a staycation or Visiting NYC
It's travel Tuesday; I'm introducing you guys to one of the newest Hotels located at the JFK airport. I had the pleasure of staying at the TWA Hotel this past Valentine's day. I first visited this hotel when one of my flights got delayed, and I had three hours to spare. The second time I visited, Dwayne and I had a mini staycation for Valentine Day. WE didn't have the time to go away for Valentine's day, and I was looking for something fun and exciting to do since we had to stay close to home. Then I thought about my first visit to the TWA Hotel and thought it would be a perfect little getaway from our suburban neighborhood. Just a 35-minute drive to the airport. This hotel is a must-visit if you are staying or visiting the hotel for all the fun and fantastic décor. It takes you back to the 1960s.
This is the most extraordinary building in the state of New York. Repurposed from the old TWA terminal, this TWA Hotel Lobby was designed by Eero Saarinen. Inspired by the Sydney Opera House, Eero created this terminal to resemble a bird in flight. Your nostalgia starts when you take the elevator from the JetBlue baggage claim. There are two options when you get in the elevator: Present Day JetBlue and 1960s TWA Hotel. There is an air train that loops around all the Terminals at JFK airport. Get off where it says TWA hotel and walk to the lobby or take Uber or Lyft and be dropped off at the front door. Pressing the TWA Hotel takes you to the second floor, and when there, you are greeted with a mini museum that displays a TWA desk while music from the 60s plays. When you are done looking at the 60's era's fantastic throwback, you go down a long hallway with a red carpet. When you get to the other side, you enter the TWA building. Follow the signs, and that will reach you to check-in.
Check-in is all automated that you do not need to interact with anyone. Slide your credit card into the kiosk that you used to make your reservation, and the computer will assign you a room. Grab a door card from the stack of cards and swipe it to program the room key, and here you go, it's just that simple. Maps of the hotel are there for you to grab—a nostalgic, fun time. The room itself was lovely. Beautifully detailed, clean, and pieces of nostalgia sprinkled the room (old Time magazine from the 60s, rotary phone to call front desk). Our place was terrific on the fourth floor, real swanky. We felt like we were in the movie Catch Me If You Can Movie! Looking for Frank Abagnale junior at every corner!! But The rooms are smallish, but some boast a floor to ceiling runway view. Again, excellent if you like that.
Great for lovers of timeless architecture. Sit down and have a drink or bite of eat in the flight center or the "Connie." If you are laying over or have time in between JFK connections, it is a great stopover. Love the nostalgia that comes with staying at this hotel. There are two bars so you can also grab a drink. Make sure to peak around every corner for hidden seating areas and artifacts from the past. As I stated before, Dwayne and I stayed here back in February for Valentine's day. They had a preset dinner menu at the Connie restaurant. This was an excellent experience for a staycation. We only stayed here one night. But I was able to experience all that the hotel had to offer.
We ate here for lunch at the Paris Café. I order the fish and Chips, and the Hubby order the Parmesan Crusted Organic Chicken Breast. The food was tasty. The photos say it all but come here and experience the space for yourself. So, there is a large plane outside of the hotel called The Connie, formally known as 'The Continental,' an original aircraft from TWA's fleet. The aircraft has been gutted and turned into a bar, with a couple of wait staff dressed in retro outfits. The drink selection is limited due to spacing, but they were nonetheless fabulous. I was impressed with the ambiance; I felt as if I was sitting in a mid century contemporary night club and an airplane all at once. This was a vision of the 1960's first class.
TWA hotel is more than just hot and happening right now. It's a legacy of style and grace. There is a peripheral perception of space that you do not get from photographs. That is why you must visit it in person. Also, another cool area of the hotel is the Sunken Lounge. We went here after dinner. The cocktail was well prepared and was a good gathering of another guest. They have small finger food. We order the Cheese and Fruit board to go along with our fancy drinks. There is an iced skating rink, heated pool, and a massive Twister game available for the inner child in us. A must go, must-see must experience kind of a place. Cool concept and everything in the hotel is themed.