The TWA Hotel at JFK - bring on those flight delays !

More than once, over the last couple of months, I’ve reflected on my decision to voluntarily spend a night at a JFK International Airport hotel as being a little rash. Airports the world over are not noted for their hotels being anything other than a small crumb of comfort before a very early morning flight or an enforced overnighter because of weather or mechanical issues.

At JFK this maxim no longer applies, in fact you’ll be positively demanding you are offloaded from your flight if it means you can spend a little time at the new TWA Hotel in the magnificently restored, Eero Saarinen designed Trans World Airlines Flight Centre at Terminal 5.

If only they had replaced the cars with era appropriate models !

The hotel opened on Wednesday after a spend of approx. 265 million USD and the creation of two new wings which contain the hotel rooms. If you are approaching on foot from the Jet Blue terminal there is a nice little touch inside the elevator.

It’s an amusing touch but in reality this is exactly how the experience feels.

The terminal opened in 1962 and when those elevator doors open you really have been transported to the ‘jet age’ and the era of Kennedy.

You’ll walk past the original desk of Jack Frye the President of TWA from 1934 - 1947.

The whisky isn’t real - I tried.

Nothing prepares you for the uncluttered, perfectly formed vastness of the main hall.

The Paris Café - Jean-Georges Vongericheten’s restaurant is on the top right.

The periodic whirring of the departure board reminds you of an easier, analogue age.

Yes that is a Lockheed Constellation "Connie" L-1649A - more about her later.

My room rate was 329 USD and I checked in at 345pm just before the 4pm official time, you check in using a self-check in terminal and ‘cut’ your own key. I was pleased to get my room on time but this bit of automation felt a little at odds with the faithful reproduction of retro everywhere else, including staff.

Everyone looked the part and to be honest, we could do with a lot more of this in 2019.

My hotel was located in the Hughes Wing - they have built two new wings to accommodate the hotel rooms and these are connected to the main hall via those iconic tubes.

A very Stanley Kubrick like journey - Space Odyssey meets The Shining !

You quickly begin to notice the detailing, everywhere - this is the floor of the elevator.

TWA red leads the way along the bedroom corridors.

Room 361

There are three room types - standard, iconic building view and runway. I wanted to avoid the distraction of modern jetliners and immerse myself in the architecture so chose the iconic view - the glass in the rooms is seemingly second only to that used in the new US Embassy in London. And the rooms are whisper quiet with floor to ceiling electric shades.

I got my view.

Details, details, details.

With so much to see outside the room not entirely sure when this will be worn.

A working rotary dial phone and a vintage copy of Life.

Overall the room is spacious, bright and well equipped - great water temp and pressure - hairdryer and steamer - I had no closets which felt odd, just pegs and hangers. With every conceivable snack and liquor you could possibly need - along with cans of TAB ! But that’s enough of the room - time to venture out.

Is that a plane I spy ?

On final approach for a cocktail

Let boarding commence

I’ll have a window and an aisle seat please

I’ve always wanted to remove the over-wing emergency door.

Cheers

A perfect cocktail and friendly service. This is the sort of ‘Buy On Board’ I can get behind

Think I broke the ‘bottle to throttle’ rule !

Over served, under carriage

No end of fun getting this close to a propeller

Vintage props but also today’s essentials available and a lot of classy TWA merchandise - you have been warned.

You can make a call without annoying everyone around you - the novelty !

A little late night cheese and wine in The Sunken Lounge

With fewer people the architecture becomes even more beguilling

It feels like a movie set but one anyone can act in

Without question this hotel is a work of art. Four days since opening and not everything is yet in place but it would be nitpicking to dwell on that. This property deserves to succeed. Encouragingly there were a lot of native New Yorkers visiting for a drink and that’s vital. For this to work it can’t just rely upon flyers alone - it needs to be a destination in its own right.

It’s a proven fact that you’ll never get a New Yorker to an airport unless they are flying themselves - they will send a car to collect you but they’ll wait for you in the city. The TWA Hotel stands a very good chance of changing that behavior.

Seeing a piece of architecture restored to its original glory and serving a purpose is a sight to behold. This is a fun, adult place to visit, linger and stay,

I’ve never wanted a flight to be cancelled more.

PS - I’ve never slept in a quieter hotel room in all my years of travel. As silent as the crypt - that glazing and the deep corridor carpet eliminate noise.

PPS - This was a self-funded and organised stay and not part of any media visit.

About the Author

The author is a brand consultant and founder of Mission Critical, a highly focused and curated weekly briefing for time poor and information hungry decision makers