I was a child going on my very first flight when I stepped into the TWA Airlines terminal at JFK Airport. I remember being mesmerized by the modern curves of the building as I prepared to enter a plane with my family. Those feelings came back to me as I entered that same building, which has been reimagined into a hotel. While at first glimpse the hotel looks exactly as the terminal of the now-defunct airline’s terminal did, after 24 hours of staying, eating, and exploring, I found it to be a unique experience you can’t possibly equal anywhere else.
The layout
If you are getting dropped off or driving to the TWA Hotel (valet parking is available), you will get out of your car in the front just as you would at any terminal, only you will be at the main entrance of a hotel.
The first thing you will see when you walk in is the bright red everywhere, a signature of TWA. The 1960s and 70s music matches the time period. At the entrance is a large flight tracker that lists departures and arrivals the airline had at the time. To the right and left are the areas where they were set up for flight check-in. They look the same but are now used for hotel registration.
Memorabilia is everywhere, including photos from the original terminal, outfits worn by airline pilots and fights attendants, and pieces of history at the time.
Not Airport Food
Although the back of the hotel registration areas have turned into a coffee shop on one side and a food court on the other, you’ll find the rest of the food offerings at the TWA hotel to be more unusual.
The star dining attraction is the Paris Café by Jean Georges. While the title may sound a bit elaborate, the restaurant is not. It is on the second floor and overlooks the entrance, sharing its bright and casual atmosphere. The menu changes with the season and is definitely worth a visit. When I ate there, a dinner with Burrata, Tagliatelle with Mushroom Bolognese, and Carrot Cake was excellent.
I also had a delicious lunch and cocktails at the Rooftop Pool, where you can watch the planes take off from the airport’s longest runway as you relax in the heated water.
Unique Experiences
The entire hotel is filled with opportunities to check out areas that are definitely camera worthy. Start in the lobby where you can see the history of the airline in pictures, thanks to a partnership with the New York Historical Society.
Then head to the Twister Room, where you can play a lifestyle version of this popular game. Stop in the Sweet’N Glow Salon, a nod to the favorite pink sweetener of the 70s. You won’t be able to actually get your hair done, but you will get great photos.
Take a walk out the back door and you will see Connie, the 707 plane TWA owner Howard Hughes commissioned for fast and comfortable airline travel. The plane has been refurbished and now serves as one of the hotel’s cocktail lounges. On the weekend, you can also find live music and a curling rink outside of the airplane.
Staying Over
The rooms are as retro as the rest of the hotel. They have rotary phones (with unlimited local and international calls) and toiletry kits with TWA logos, but don’t worry, the rooms are also modern with USB ports, HDTV, motorized window shades, and Wi-Fi.
There is total of 512 rooms that range from the standard with two queens to the Howard Hughes Presidential Suite with sweeping views of the runway. The hotel also offers day rates for those with long layovers.
The TWA Hotel has two ballrooms and 45 event rooms for conventions, meetings, and even weddings.
Terminal Travel
It’s easy to get to the TWA Hotel before or after your flight. It is directly connected to Jet Blue’s Terminal 5. If you are flying through a different terminal, just take the Air Train to the Terminal 5 stop. There are signs to lead you to the hotel through Level 3.