Fancy stepping straight back into the 1960s? Well, next time you are in JFK airport, in New York City, the chance to step back into that decade is only an elevator ride away from your terminal. With over 500 rooms, a pool overlooking the airport runway and an airplane bar, the TWA hotel experience is like nothing you have ever seen before in your lifetime, guaranteed.
The TWA hotel opened only six months ago and it’s already drawn high praise from critics around the globe. With an eleven hour layover in New York last month, I thought I’d check out what all the hype was about. Yes, you can get a room for a day rate, for those that don’t fancy eating fast food and lounging on an airport chair for endless hours. And I have to tell you it’s the best money I’ve spent in transforming what would otherwise have been a miserable day.
We arrived into JFK on Jetblue, which is handy as this is the terminal that has direct access to the old TWA terminal, now hotel. It took us fifteen minutes to get from plane to hotel bed. We took a quick look around, which you’ll see in pictures below, and then quickly made our way back to the room, where we debated which of the many eateries would get our money for lunch. At that moment, the weather was beautiful, so it was a toss up between the pool deck bar and one of the swanky restaurants in the main terminal. Of course there was also the opportunity to go into the old TWA plane that’s been transformed into a bar, complete with vintage bar cart service and a look at the cockpit from the old plane. Just grab a cocktail and sit, to discover just how much current airlines are screwing us with leg room. They had it made back in the day!
We settle on the pool deck for lunch. As planes took off and landed right before us, we tucked into burgers and cokes with a view. The pool was overflowing with guests, almost too much so. But, on a nice day, I can understand the appeal. No one seemed to mind that the pool resembled a human soup, so we didn’t either. Pass me another cocktail, bartender!
The man went to the gym, while I took some time to explore more of the historic hotel that afternoon. There’s almost too much to take in here. It’s part museum, part functional hotel, all eye candy. Everywhere you look, the imagination runs wild. They really have captured a history, an era.
I know you came here for the pictures, so I’ll set you free in a moment. For now, I’ll say this stay was worth every penny and I’ll definitely be back again. Whether staying for the day, or for the night, get involved with this incredible piece of history. And please, let this act as an example for what’s possible with abandoned buildings around the world. It is a fantastic idea that’s been realised in perfect form.
Now, the pictures….
For more info visit: https://www.twahotel.com
The Room:
Restaurants & Bar:
Exploring the rest of the terminal:
