I worked for TWA in in the mid 90s and I still have my uniform, coat, TWA suitcase, globes, mini desk airplanes, a few over night kits... I loved my job!
I was a TWA flight attendant from 1976-1991 and based out of JFK-I! This was “my” terminal and I will always remember walking (or running) down that iconic concourse tunnel. Great memories of the glory days of flying.
Preserving the place and turning it into a hotel is a much better idea than demolishing it outright (which they almost did) But no Air Koryo planes since we aren't allowed in the US so they only get one star from us
I remember our family flying TWA to LHR from SFO as a kid. The flight attendant (stewardess) took us kids to see the pilot having him showing us the instruments and handing us wings. When we arrived back to our each of our seats the flight attendant gave each of us a deck of cards.
When Jet Blue starts their JFK-YVR route next year, I’ll definitely have to stay here before my flight home. Hopefully by then, everything will be back to normal. Great video, I think you should do more hotel reviews.
Thanks for a great video and commentary. In the days of TWA, I had many departures and arrivals in this terminal. Time spent in the Ambassador Club lounge or sitting in the headhouse watching the arrival and departure information. (For the people sleeping in the open spaces, that always happened as it was the best room and best view at JFK!) So glad this building was not destroyed but put to a new use.
I FINALLY DID IT! I stayed here on June 18th. It was worth every penny that I paid for the room. I spent about 2 hours just exploring and photographing the place from just about every angle. I love how those flight boards are actually functional and you can hear the loud clacking when they change. Everything about this hotel is awesome and it should be on the bucket list for every avgeek. I love how it's old school everything even the old style rotary phone on the table by the chair.
I stayed there a couple of years ago on a trip to NYC. I had a mid-afternoon flight from the west coast that would get in around 11 or so and didn’t want to commute into the city. The Pan Am is no more expensive than decent city hotels, so I decided to rest up and come into town the next day. Smart choice! We were delayed 3 hours thanks to extreme winds at JFK - it hosed air travel nationwide. I didn’t get to the hotel until 2 AM. I loved staying there. It’s a mid century modern dream. Very quiet. Nice bed. Restaurant is decent for airport fare. If you’re arriving late to JFK or have an overnight layover it’s definitely something any plane or MCM enthusiast should see.
Simply put, an airport hotel done right. Amazing views from the pool, looks like you went on the right day too since you spotted the first Emirates A380 in a while. That view is heaven for aviation geeks. And that Solari board reminds me of the ones at Secaucus Junction, which just like the famous board at Frankfurt, are STILL in use. And Secaucus has multiple of them for each line that stops there. It's pretty cool I wouldn't say it remained shuttered until the hotel opened. It has been open for Open House NYC events, as well as an art gallery exhibition in 2004 (which was supposed to go from October 2004 to January 2005 but was shut down after the first night after the drunk folks at the gala vandalized the place). But glad to see it open all the time now, even as a hotel. You can really feel that 60s vibe, especially with that Eastern Airlines jet at 3:55. It's stepping into a living museum. Shame some of the offerings like the cool Lockheed Constellation plane bar (which turning a plane like that into a bar is a brilliant idea) were closed, but once everything is completely opened up again staying at the hotel will be well worth it
Great review of the hotel -- it was fun to run into you there! It was also my first time staying the night. The beds are more comfortable than I expected. Considering MCR's flagship hotel is something along the lines of a Courtyard, I didn't get my hopes up for this place, but it was fun nonetheless.
Jeb: I actually flew into and out of this terminal many times in the 1960's all the way through the 1990's. In August of 1968 my family flew from Los Angeles to Kennedy Airport aboard TWA arriving at this iconic terminal and this was my first flight. These were the days when we didn't have any security searches like we have today(boy do I miss those days) as both sides of my parent's families greeted us when we arrived and there were like 10 people waiting at our gate for our arrival. One time in the 1990's I flew on TWA from Los Angeles to this terminal on their 747 and sat upstairs and when we arrived at this terminal we were right next to a Concorde jet that was in motion. My experience at this TWA terminal was priceless. I loved the ambiance. I was very sad that no other airline after American Airlines took over TWA decided to move their flights to this terminal. If another airline would of taken over, this terminal would of kept active.
TWA Hotel is so nice and nostalgic. Hotels located directly at airport terminals are nothing new. Vancouver International Airport has a really nice one. The entrance to the hotel is right next to the check-in area and the hotel’s pool, while not on the roof and not having a view of the ramp, does have a nice view of the…check-in area. Still, the TWA terminal hadn’t been used in decades when it was converted into a hotel since TWA is an airline that went bankrupt and doesn’t exist anymore, but the building has a beautiful design and a unique interior that was just collecting dust for some time so I’m glad it’s being used by the public again
My late father-in-law loved that building & was excited to fly out of there once. He could spend hours at JFK & LaGuardia-I guess he was a pioneer plane-spotter! Thanks for this video!
I’ve never been to the hotel, but I did use that terminal beginning in 1974 on many TWA flights. It’s ironic that it was considered so modern and futuristic in the 1970s, while now it’s a quaint relic of a bygone era.
Love the 60's vibe there's something about the architecture and the time I find fascinating. I guess being born in the 60's is why. Great video as usual
I remember using the terminal when it was functioning, even in its later period as a terminal for smaller airlines.. not just American, the flight information display was really striking.
I stayed at the Marriott in Airport hotel in Calgary in 2019 and it was amazing! Watched the sun set behind departing and arriving planes with a glass of wine…. Magical! Also with a 6am international flight to catch it was also super convenient. I’m adding this one to the Bucket List as of now!
Stayed there for a 17 hour layover when I was on my way to Malaysia. That hotel was a game changer. I had to recheck my luggage so I couldn't stay in the inside part of terminal 4. So with nothing around and didn't know I can have a locker for all 3 bags I booked a room. It was great to get rest after almost a night of no sleep. I would definitely stay there again and maybe ill pay some cash to go to the top next time. Anyway love the videos. Keep it up Jeb.
I just flew back to London from JFK with jetBlue, I deliberately arrived far too early just to visit the hotel. It was so much nicer hanging out there rather than terminal 5.
I was just there this morning. I flew in from Ponce, Puerto Rico on JetBlue. It was very easy to get to the main entrance from the baggage claim area where you take a special elevator . Once there you can see a replica of Howard Hughes's office complete with a mid century desk and globe as well as various historically accurate objects. The TWA gift shop is very cool but the best was the " twister " game room and a photo booth.
Jeb, I spent a night there recently en route to Mauritius aboard Emirates (upstairs on the A380 in Business!). I was delighted with the place's vibe as I've always loved and admired the Saarinen building. The retro marketing theme is beautifully executed (I'm a PR man), and the delightful vibe was rather Disney-esque! I thought the price (under $300/night) was more than fair, considering hotel prices in Manhattan, and the convenience of having a hotel on the JFK campus was THE best. (I did feel guilty for using Emirates' complimentary "Chauffeur Drive" for a 5 minute spin over to Terminal 4, but that's the way it is!) My "Runway View" room was fine, although quite tiny; you can't access the bed from the other side. But the truth is, you are not there for the room -- you're there for the experience. Bravo to the folks who had and implemented this vision. I didn't have time to go to "Connie," but I like the idea of bringing in a real vintage Constellation aircraft and setting it up as a bar. Overall, the thing I most admire is the creativity behind it all -- it could have been just another boring chain hotel. I understand they now operate a roller rink around the plaza, and they also have tropical swim parties on the pool deck (which was FREEZING in December, but I tried it out!). I hope they are tremendously successful. Thanks for this report.
Beautiful review. Your articulation and attention to detail is, like this hotel, a skillful demonstration of attentive care and precise execution. Bravo.
What a wonderful tour! I stayed at this hotel before I took my Korean Air flight to Seoul-Incheon (in an A380) back in February 2020, just weeks before the pandemic exploded in the United States.
Was there in May with my son prior to a trip to FL. It was convenient, relaxing, fun... will stay there every time I fly out of Kennedy. Only thing is it would be nice if there were a coffee maker in the rooms! We brought our own food and a gallon of water - which I'd recommend to save a bunch of cash - cheeseburger was about $28.
A great partner destination after staying at this hotel would be to go to Kansas City, to the TWA Museum at the Downtown Airport. That airport was a maintenance hub for TWA at one time. The museum is packed with great exhibits and goes well with Airline History Museum at the same airport.
It still seems a COVID shell of itself now. The 2019 YT reviews show a more vibrant atmosphere. I plan on doing a JFK to Europe jaunt in 2022 and plan to arrive a day early to stay in this hotel and splurge. Runway view room, pool, plane bar happy hour. Thanks for the update.
I love this building! I have spent so many hours in this airport when I was operational. My Dad worked for TWA while I was growing up and we lived in NYC. Of course, we traveled a lot. I remember loving that building as a kid and would fantasize about being a grown up.woman and "jet setter" walking down those aisles. I have got to book a stay at this hotel! 💖💖💖✈
We visited in November 2019 for a night before our flight out of JFK. It was much more relaxed to come to JFK from Manhattan for a flight a full day ahead,, that's for sure. The Paris restaurant was decent, but the hotel itself was sparsely staffed, even then. The "food court" that's supposed to be in the ticketing area wasn't up and running yet, but it's a great idea for use of the space. One thing to check out is there is a frickin amazing GYM downstairs where the baggage handling/operations area used to be. It's enormous and better equipped than my frou-frou gym I pay monthly for. Also, when open, Connie is a must-visit, but it was a bit of a hot spot, and relatively small, so you have to make a rez. It's so intimate that it's very conducive to talking to other customers, and it even gets kind of boisterous. Kind of like a midday first class cabin on a 747 bound to Vegas! One other note - I think the pool access is free with a stay but costs money for non-hotel guests. Pre-pandemic during the summer it was getting to be kind of a place to see and be seen kind of thing. Hope it all bounces back hard once we become vaccination nation!
I've flown out of that terminal, many times. I lost all of my mileage points, when American took over. I had over 30,000 miles and lost all of it. TWA was my favorite East to West coast way to travel. Especially on the iconic L-1011. I no longer live in NY but when I go visiting family, and friend's, I would love to walk through the TWA Hotel. :D
Omg I was there last month and it was terrific, not only is it a really cool place to stay but the service was really good too! I also happen to live in New York but I would definitely recommend coming!
Wow. I wanna go there so bad, it’s definitely on my bucket list! This was a great hotel, one thing I always think you do well is reviewing every little thing, on a plane, train, or hotel! Keep up the amazing work my man!
I loved this hotel. Jeb. i normally don't do this. But to everyone who want's to see this hotel with everything open. The Luxury Travel Expert has a fantastic video of this hotel from when they went in early 2020.
Thanks for this video Jeb, truly a beautiful hotel from what I’ve seen on RUclips. Would love to stay here some time. Your so right. Catch Me If You Can is such a great movie. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks are so great in a movie together!
I was just there the other day & enjoyed it. Thankfully no alarms but could here the guy talking in the next room. There's room for improvement which hopefully they'll get to. I'm willing to consider them again.
Seeing a plane, apparently a 30 year old 767-300 in 2015 Eastern 'livery' in the video was beyond startling, yet somehow appropriate if one ignores what the plane is being used for, weekly flights to South America by some 'airline' that appears beyond clueless from what I've ready. As to the tour, thanks, I enjoyed it. The terminal is beautiful and of course historic, and I'm a huge fan of Connies.
Jeff: Don’t be surprised if the Hanna-Barbera cartoons “The Jetsons” were inspired by that beautiful TWA airport hotel terminal(looks exactly like the Jetson’s house, including furniture and everything). “The Jetsons” went officially on the air September 23,1962 after the hotel/terminal was officially opened. That amazing TWA terminal and those cartoons were both ahead of their time no doubt. By the way,Jetsons and Dick Tracy were the first one’s doing FaceTime video conferencing to communicate with each other. Science fiction back then, reality today.
Jeb, I appreciate your review… however you didn’t get a complete experience due to COVID. I think the experience now is way better! Hope you got a chance to stay there again even for a night!
there is a cool Pan Am thing you can do in the valley in Los Angeles, its night on the replica plane dinner etc, and there are different clases etc, sounds pretty cool
I'm waiting for things in general to get back to normal before i start spending a lot of money on international travel. If i'm going to pray the price for it I expect the service and amenities.
I plan to spend a night there on my next trip to NYC. I love architectural history -- one of my favorite classes in College. Eero Saarinen is a favorite of mine. BTW, speaking of history, I saw a Kennedy era Lincoln Continental limo, a Rolls Royce, and a VW 21-window bus in your video. Why not a mention? Too focused on the new airplanes?
I stayed there last week, and it was a miserable experience. My flight was delayed for 3 hours. I decided that I would book a hotel while flying from LAX to JFK. Unfortunately, the WIFI didn't work on the darned plane. I arrived at 2AM at the TWA Hotel, and was immediately told I couldn't book a room until after 5AM. Keep in mind, I had been flying all day and was exhausted. So..... I waited. And toured the cool exhibits. Finally at 5AM I got a room! I was only going to get about 6 hours sleep, so I ran to my room. The room was great, except.... For this horrible noise. It sounded like an alarm going off in the room next to me. It was constant and fairly loud. I went into the hallway and learned this noise was going through the hallways. I am certain I fell asleep 2 hours later and woke up to the same horrible noise! Checked out with a blasting headache, and that noise now a constant memory in my brain. Let's just say, when I walked outside, that beautiful balloon song wasn't my fave! 😂😂😂 As I walked to the train bridge, I realized the source of this horrible horrible noise! It was the JFK Port doing an emergency construction project outside of the hotel! Needless to say, I really think things would have been much better without that noise. I want to try this hotel again in the near future. It is expensive, but I really want to experience it.
I've flown in and out of this terminal in 1999 on a TWA Maddog! And one of my math teachers father either helped in the design of the St. Louis Arch or helped build it (its been so long ago I cant remember the exact details.)
I hope they manage to roll things back to how it was when it opened. We had a fabulous stay there, the Paris Cafe was excellent, and the room had a lot more nicknacks and keepsakes, plus the TWA store which appears to also be closed. Doesn't seem quite the same with so much closed off, would absolutely hate to see the project fail though as it is such an amazingly unique space for avgeeks and lovers of period architecture, decor, and atmosphere.
I did NOT know about this hotel, and I must have been to JFK around 100 times over the years, usually just to get to the next flight while on Budiness. In fact, JFK is one of my 3 LEAST liked big Airports in the world (the others being LAX and Heathrow) so the next time I go, I will make a point of a longer layover to check-in to TWA!!! ...on the subject; do you know if there is a PanAm relic(!) like this in the world too?
I do believe you do bot have to be flying into JFK to stay there. You can also order pizza or take out that will deliver to the hotel. My question is what do they charge for parking?
Even as a hotel guest, you still had to pay a fee to get on the Pool/O-Deck? When I was there in 2018 (I think), it was free as long as you had a room key.
Great video Jeb. How much was the room? As I live on Long Island, I have no need to use this hotel but I may stay here for a night just to get away for a day.
I'm glad to see at least one historic building saved at JFK. We have a propensity to tear down virtually everything old instead of preserving the best of it.
Seems kind of tacky for them to charge hotel guests additional fees just to access the pool (I can somewhat understand the reservation at least). Shouldn't have to pay another $25 just to access your hotel pools, especially since the hotel isn't exactly cheap to stay in when you look at their rates. Funny how the more expensive the hotel is, the more you have to pay out of pocket for basic things like breakfast, pools, gyms, etc.
I’m guessing that they figure: Well, if they are willing to shell out that kind of money for what would be considered a subpar hotel room if it was located anywhere else, they do have the $25. And they won’t mind spending it, even after spending $17 on a wrap.
Yeah. I stayed there in a few months after it opened and I refused the offer. Was already paying 300+ a night plus( as expected) over priced food costs. I passed on the the pool fee. But it's NYC so I wasn't shocked by it but that was my um no moment.
I worked for TWA in in the mid 90s and I still have my uniform, coat, TWA suitcase, globes, mini desk airplanes, a few over night kits... I loved my job!
WOW !😃👍
Can you make a video showing off your collection?
Awesome 😎
Remember July 17th 1996?
@@PemnaGaming hell yea flight 800 got blew out the sky by the army by accident
I was a TWA flight attendant from 1976-1991 and based out of JFK-I! This was “my” terminal and I will always remember walking (or running) down that iconic concourse tunnel. Great memories of the glory days of flying.
out of JFK. that's really cool. reminds me of an infamous accident i think we all know about.
Pool with a view of planes taking off and a bar inside a Constellation. Perfect.
Preserving the place and turning it into a hotel is a much better idea than demolishing it outright (which they almost did)
But no Air Koryo planes since we aren't allowed in the US so they only get one star from us
I remember our family flying TWA to LHR from SFO as a kid. The flight attendant (stewardess) took us kids to see the pilot having him showing us the instruments and handing us wings. When we arrived back to our each of our seats the flight attendant gave each of us a deck of cards.
When Jet Blue starts their JFK-YVR route next year, I’ll definitely have to stay here before my flight home. Hopefully by then, everything will be back to normal. Great video, I think you should do more hotel reviews.
Thanks for a great video and commentary. In the days of TWA, I had many departures and arrivals in this terminal. Time spent in the Ambassador Club lounge or sitting in the headhouse watching the arrival and departure information. (For the people sleeping in the open spaces, that always happened as it was the best room and best view at JFK!) So glad this building was not destroyed but put to a new use.
Been in that terminal countless times when it actually serving TWA from late '60s till its closing in the early '2000s
I loved TWA my dad worked there for 11 years so it’s near and dear to my heart❤️
I FINALLY DID IT!
I stayed here on June 18th. It was worth every penny that I paid for the room. I spent about 2 hours just exploring and photographing the place from just about every angle.
I love how those flight boards are actually functional and you can hear the loud clacking when they change.
Everything about this hotel is awesome and it should be on the bucket list for every avgeek.
I love how it's old school everything even the old style rotary phone on the table by the chair.
When I was 10 years old I flew on a TWA 747 from JFK to Paris. That trip is something I will never forget. I would love to visit the TWA Hotel!
I stayed there a couple of years ago on a trip to NYC. I had a mid-afternoon flight from the west coast that would get in around 11 or so and didn’t want to commute into the city. The Pan Am is no more expensive than decent city hotels, so I decided to rest up and come into town the next day.
Smart choice! We were delayed 3 hours thanks to extreme winds at JFK - it hosed air travel nationwide. I didn’t get to the hotel until 2 AM.
I loved staying there. It’s a mid century modern dream. Very quiet. Nice bed. Restaurant is decent for airport fare. If you’re arriving late to JFK or have an overnight layover it’s definitely something any plane or MCM enthusiast should see.
Simply put, an airport hotel done right. Amazing views from the pool, looks like you went on the right day too since you spotted the first Emirates A380 in a while. That view is heaven for aviation geeks. And that Solari board reminds me of the ones at Secaucus Junction, which just like the famous board at Frankfurt, are STILL in use. And Secaucus has multiple of them for each line that stops there. It's pretty cool
I wouldn't say it remained shuttered until the hotel opened. It has been open for Open House NYC events, as well as an art gallery exhibition in 2004 (which was supposed to go from October 2004 to January 2005 but was shut down after the first night after the drunk folks at the gala vandalized the place). But glad to see it open all the time now, even as a hotel. You can really feel that 60s vibe, especially with that Eastern Airlines jet at 3:55. It's stepping into a living museum. Shame some of the offerings like the cool Lockheed Constellation plane bar (which turning a plane like that into a bar is a brilliant idea) were closed, but once everything is completely opened up again staying at the hotel will be well worth it
Why are you everywhere?
I visited this hotel in 2019 and it was otherworldly. With its jet-age architecture you can't take a bad picture.
Great review of the hotel -- it was fun to run into you there! It was also my first time staying the night. The beds are more comfortable than I expected. Considering MCR's flagship hotel is something along the lines of a Courtyard, I didn't get my hopes up for this place, but it was fun nonetheless.
Thanks for saying hi!
Stayed there multiple times over the 2020 winter season. Beautiful hotel full of nostalgic memories of a bygone era. Definitely a bucket list item.
Jeb: I actually flew into and out of this terminal many times in the 1960's all the way through the 1990's.
In August of 1968 my family flew from Los Angeles to Kennedy Airport aboard TWA arriving at this iconic terminal and this was my first flight. These were the days when we didn't have any security searches like we have today(boy do I miss those days)
as both sides of my parent's families greeted us when we arrived and there were like 10 people waiting at our gate for our arrival.
One time in the 1990's I flew on TWA from Los Angeles to this terminal on their 747 and sat upstairs and
when we arrived at this terminal we were right next to a Concorde jet that was in motion.
My experience at this TWA terminal was priceless.
I loved the ambiance.
I was very sad that no other airline after American Airlines took over TWA decided to move their flights to this terminal.
If another airline would of taken over, this terminal would of kept active.
I was actually there a couple of days after it reopened! Loved it! Did not get to in the lounge on the Lockheed Constellation.
3:55 awesome look at Eastern airlines I’m happy it’s back all we need now is pan am
TWA Hotel is so nice and nostalgic. Hotels located directly at airport terminals are nothing new. Vancouver International Airport has a really nice one. The entrance to the hotel is right next to the check-in area and the hotel’s pool, while not on the roof and not having a view of the ramp, does have a nice view of the…check-in area. Still, the TWA terminal hadn’t been used in decades when it was converted into a hotel since TWA is an airline that went bankrupt and doesn’t exist anymore, but the building has a beautiful design and a unique interior that was just collecting dust for some time so I’m glad it’s being used by the public again
I was today years old when I found out about this hotel. Crazy, because my uncle flew for TWA in the 80’s and 90’s.
My late father-in-law loved that building & was excited to fly out of there once. He could spend hours at JFK & LaGuardia-I guess he was a pioneer plane-spotter! Thanks for this video!
I’ve never been to the hotel, but I did use that terminal beginning in 1974 on many TWA flights. It’s ironic that it was considered so modern and futuristic in the 1970s, while now it’s a quaint relic of a bygone era.
Great review, I'd love to visit 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Just 5 days ago I was there and I found out where we were going on a surprise trip on the sunken lounge! I go there for every trip!
Love the 60's vibe there's something about the architecture and the time I find fascinating. I guess being born in the 60's is why. Great video as usual
Many moons ago, I used that building as a passenger to fly TWA!
I remember using the terminal when it was functioning, even in its later period as a terminal for smaller airlines.. not just American, the flight information display was really striking.
i love watching your videos! you do such a good job at bringing positivity and a true love for aviation!
I stayed at the Marriott in Airport hotel in Calgary in 2019 and it was amazing! Watched the sun set behind departing and arriving planes with a glass of wine…. Magical! Also with a 6am international flight to catch it was also super convenient. I’m adding this one to the Bucket List as of now!
Felt great to have stayed here in June ‘19 shortly after they opened. Plane spotting was just as great as advertised.
This is my got to hotel NYC when I have to go formwork. The rooftop bar area is the best.
MY TRANS WORLD AIRLINES FLYING FROM JFK TO BOMBAY INDIA BEEING SO PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE BUNCH
Stayed there for a 17 hour layover when I was on my way to Malaysia. That hotel was a game changer. I had to recheck my luggage so I couldn't stay in the inside part of terminal 4. So with nothing around and didn't know I can have a locker for all 3 bags I booked a room. It was great to get rest after almost a night of no sleep. I would definitely stay there again and maybe ill pay some cash to go to the top next time. Anyway love the videos. Keep it up Jeb.
I just flew back to London from JFK with jetBlue, I deliberately arrived far too early just to visit the hotel. It was so much nicer hanging out there rather than terminal 5.
I was just there this morning. I flew in from Ponce, Puerto Rico on JetBlue. It was very easy to get to the main entrance from the baggage claim area where you take a special elevator . Once there you can see a replica of Howard Hughes's office complete with a mid century desk and globe as well as various historically accurate objects. The TWA gift shop is very cool but the best was the " twister " game room and a photo booth.
I was just there in May. We loved it
Jeb, I spent a night there recently en route to Mauritius aboard Emirates (upstairs on the A380 in Business!). I was delighted with the place's vibe as I've always loved and admired the Saarinen building. The retro marketing theme is beautifully executed (I'm a PR man), and the delightful vibe was rather Disney-esque! I thought the price (under $300/night) was more than fair, considering hotel prices in Manhattan, and the convenience of having a hotel on the JFK campus was THE best. (I did feel guilty for using Emirates' complimentary "Chauffeur Drive" for a 5 minute spin over to Terminal 4, but that's the way it is!) My "Runway View" room was fine, although quite tiny; you can't access the bed from the other side. But the truth is, you are not there for the room -- you're there for the experience. Bravo to the folks who had and implemented this vision. I didn't have time to go to "Connie," but I like the idea of bringing in a real vintage Constellation aircraft and setting it up as a bar. Overall, the thing I most admire is the creativity behind it all -- it could have been just another boring chain hotel. I understand they now operate a roller rink around the plaza, and they also have tropical swim parties on the pool deck (which was FREEZING in December, but I tried it out!). I hope they are tremendously successful. Thanks for this report.
I really miss TWA!
When my wife asks what I want for Christmas or my birthday, I’ll say it will be a trip to spend a day here!
Beautiful review. Your articulation and attention to detail is, like this hotel, a skillful demonstration of attentive care and precise execution. Bravo.
What a wonderful tour! I stayed at this hotel before I took my Korean Air flight to Seoul-Incheon (in an A380) back in February 2020, just weeks before the pandemic exploded in the United States.
Just booked a Deluxe king room with a runway view for the night before my early morning flight next month! Excited!
I've been in TWA also in 2021 because my mom flew over to NY to meet us :)
Was there in May with my son prior to a trip to FL. It was convenient, relaxing, fun... will stay there every time I fly out of Kennedy. Only thing is it would be nice if there were a coffee maker in the rooms! We brought our own food and a gallon of water - which I'd recommend to save a bunch of cash - cheeseburger was about $28.
A great partner destination after staying at this hotel would be to go to Kansas City, to the TWA Museum at the Downtown Airport. That airport was a maintenance hub for TWA at one time. The museum is packed with great exhibits and goes well with Airline History Museum at the same airport.
As a kid we would take TWA from Kansas City to destinations in California to see family. 😢😊
Great review of this iconic, Mid-Century Modern symbol of the Jet Age!
It still seems a COVID shell of itself now. The 2019 YT reviews show a more vibrant atmosphere. I plan on doing a JFK to Europe jaunt in 2022 and plan to arrive a day early to stay in this hotel and splurge. Runway view room, pool, plane bar happy hour. Thanks for the update.
I love this building! I have spent so many hours in this airport when I was operational. My Dad worked for TWA while I was growing up and we lived in NYC. Of course, we traveled a lot. I remember loving that building as a kid and would fantasize about being a grown up.woman and "jet setter" walking down those aisles. I have got to book a stay at this hotel! 💖💖💖✈
We visited in November 2019 for a night before our flight out of JFK. It was much more relaxed to come to JFK from Manhattan for a flight a full day ahead,, that's for sure. The Paris restaurant was decent, but the hotel itself was sparsely staffed, even then. The "food court" that's supposed to be in the ticketing area wasn't up and running yet, but it's a great idea for use of the space. One thing to check out is there is a frickin amazing GYM downstairs where the baggage handling/operations area used to be. It's enormous and better equipped than my frou-frou gym I pay monthly for. Also, when open, Connie is a must-visit, but it was a bit of a hot spot, and relatively small, so you have to make a rez. It's so intimate that it's very conducive to talking to other customers, and it even gets kind of boisterous. Kind of like a midday first class cabin on a 747 bound to Vegas! One other note - I think the pool access is free with a stay but costs money for non-hotel guests. Pre-pandemic during the summer it was getting to be kind of a place to see and be seen kind of thing. Hope it all bounces back hard once we become vaccination nation!
I've flown out of that terminal, many times. I lost all of my mileage points, when American took over. I had over 30,000 miles and lost all of it. TWA was my favorite East to West coast way to travel. Especially on the iconic L-1011. I no longer live in NY but when I go visiting family, and friend's, I would love to walk through the TWA Hotel. :D
Your vlogs helped me lot for my ielts exam 😍😍😍
Omg I was there last month and it was terrific, not only is it a really cool place to stay but the service was really good too! I also happen to live in New York but I would definitely recommend coming!
Wow. I wanna go there so bad, it’s definitely on my bucket list! This was a great hotel, one thing I always think you do well is reviewing every little thing, on a plane, train, or hotel! Keep up the amazing work my man!
I loved this hotel. Jeb. i normally don't do this. But to everyone who want's to see this hotel with everything open. The Luxury Travel Expert has a fantastic video of this hotel from when they went in early 2020.
Thanks for this video Jeb, truly a beautiful hotel from what I’ve seen on RUclips. Would love to stay here some time. Your so right. Catch Me If You Can is such a great movie. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks are so great in a movie together!
I was just there the other day & enjoyed it. Thankfully no alarms but could here the guy talking in the next room. There's room for improvement which hopefully they'll get to. I'm willing to consider them again.
Nice video. I visited this hotel a few months ago and got GoPro video of it. Worth the visit, just haven’t stayed overnight yet.
Seeing a plane, apparently a 30 year old 767-300 in 2015 Eastern 'livery' in the video was beyond startling, yet somehow appropriate if one ignores what the plane is being used for, weekly flights to South America by some 'airline' that appears beyond clueless from what I've ready. As to the tour, thanks, I enjoyed it. The terminal is beautiful and of course historic, and I'm a huge fan of Connies.
Nice video - from the outside it looks like a B-2 or possibly the mythical flying wing from the Raider of the Lost Ark movie.
This may be a bit random, but could you maybe one day do a watch collection video? You have some beautiful timepieces!
That is going to be my first stop when I get back to JFK
That's on my bucket list. Now if only Australia allows me to leave the country!
Jeff: Don’t be surprised if the Hanna-Barbera cartoons “The Jetsons” were inspired by that beautiful TWA airport hotel terminal(looks exactly like the Jetson’s house, including furniture and everything).
“The Jetsons” went officially on the air September 23,1962 after the hotel/terminal was officially opened.
That amazing TWA terminal and those cartoons were both ahead of their time no doubt.
By the way,Jetsons and Dick Tracy were the first one’s doing FaceTime video conferencing to communicate with each other.
Science fiction back then, reality today.
Little fun fact, multiple scenes from AJR's music video for 'Way Less Sad" were filmed there!
Jeb, I appreciate your review… however you didn’t get a complete experience due to COVID. I think the experience now is way better! Hope you got a chance to stay there again even for a night!
there is a cool Pan Am thing you can do in the valley in Los Angeles, its night on the replica plane dinner etc, and there are different clases etc, sounds pretty cool
Stayed there just a couple weeks ago - it’s gorgeous, expensive & incomplete.
I'm waiting for things in general to get back to normal before i start spending a lot of money on international travel. If i'm going to pray the price for it I expect the service and amenities.
Jeb I am pretty sure you stayed in the same room I stayed with my wife in December 2019... insane!
Reminds me of the terminal in St. Louis
hey what camera was used in the making of this video? I love the quality, and i was just there today and am in need of a new camera
I plan to spend a night there on my next trip to NYC. I love architectural history -- one of my favorite classes in College. Eero Saarinen is a favorite of mine.
BTW, speaking of history, I saw a Kennedy era Lincoln Continental limo, a Rolls Royce, and a VW 21-window bus in your video. Why not a mention? Too focused on the new airplanes?
Jeb!! Meteorite Pepsi then an aquanaut!! Ur killing me!
looks amazing want to go there so bad
Was just here last month! Loved it just as much as you! Thank you Jeb for once again releasing an amazing video :)
I stayed there last week, and it was a miserable experience. My flight was delayed for 3 hours. I decided that I would book a hotel while flying from LAX to JFK. Unfortunately, the WIFI didn't work on the darned plane. I arrived at 2AM at the TWA Hotel, and was immediately told I couldn't book a room until after 5AM. Keep in mind, I had been flying all day and was exhausted. So..... I waited. And toured the cool exhibits.
Finally at 5AM I got a room! I was only going to get about 6 hours sleep, so I ran to my room. The room was great, except.... For this horrible noise. It sounded like an alarm going off in the room next to me. It was constant and fairly loud. I went into the hallway and learned this noise was going through the hallways.
I am certain I fell asleep 2 hours later and woke up to the same horrible noise! Checked out with a blasting headache, and that noise now a constant memory in my brain. Let's just say, when I walked outside, that beautiful balloon song wasn't my fave! 😂😂😂
As I walked to the train bridge, I realized the source of this horrible horrible noise! It was the JFK Port doing an emergency construction project outside of the hotel!
Needless to say, I really think things would have been much better without that noise. I want to try this hotel again in the near future. It is expensive, but I really want to experience it.
Paul Lucas reviewed that it a 5 star museum with a 3 star hotel attached, no coffee, no garbage bins, no decent food and super expensive
I've flown in and out of this terminal in 1999 on a TWA Maddog! And one of my math teachers father either helped in the design of the St. Louis Arch or helped build it (its been so long ago I cant remember the exact details.)
I hope they manage to roll things back to how it was when it opened. We had a fabulous stay there, the Paris Cafe was excellent, and the room had a lot more nicknacks and keepsakes, plus the TWA store which appears to also be closed. Doesn't seem quite the same with so much closed off, would absolutely hate to see the project fail though as it is such an amazingly unique space for avgeeks and lovers of period architecture, decor, and atmosphere.
Oh nice! I’ve never been to JFK only LaGuardia
Looking forward to staying there next Wednesday! Thanks for doing this.
I remember this place from when it was a terminal in 1970 :)
Flew to Milan, Italy from that terminal on a 747-200 many years ago.
Stunning... Just stunning.
I did NOT know about this hotel, and I must have been to JFK around 100 times over the years, usually just to get to the next flight while on Budiness. In fact, JFK is one of my 3 LEAST liked big Airports in the world (the others being LAX and Heathrow) so the next time I go, I will make a point of a longer layover to check-in to TWA!!! ...on the subject; do you know if there is a PanAm relic(!) like this in the world too?
I really love your videos! Very informative and entertaining! Mabuhay!
I do believe you do bot have to be flying into JFK to stay there. You can also order pizza or take out that will deliver to the hotel.
My question is what do they charge for parking?
Even as a hotel guest, you still had to pay a fee to get on the Pool/O-Deck? When I was there in 2018 (I think), it was free as long as you had a room key.
Great vid Jeb! Keep it coming!!!
A tripod with a smooth swivel would be nice for the plane shots!
Outstanding report, @JebBrooks!
Good review of the hotel... I have been there once before.
Wonderful memories. Many years ago flew TWA on my first trip to Europe out of this iconic terminal. Loved this vlog!
Did I just see Eastern Airlines? 😳 My fav! When did they return?
I had no idea this existed! Excellent video. Thanks!
Great video Jeb. How much was the room? As I live on Long Island, I have no need to use this hotel but I may stay here for a night just to get away for a day.
I was just there today for the first time, it was absolutely amazing!! The pool up top was beyond amazing as well, with the view right over T5.
Very interesting! Thanks👏👏
I'm glad to see at least one historic building saved at JFK. We have a propensity to tear down virtually everything old instead of preserving the best of it.
Seems kind of tacky for them to charge hotel guests additional fees just to access the pool (I can somewhat understand the reservation at least). Shouldn't have to pay another $25 just to access your hotel pools, especially since the hotel isn't exactly cheap to stay in when you look at their rates.
Funny how the more expensive the hotel is, the more you have to pay out of pocket for basic things like breakfast, pools, gyms, etc.
I’m guessing that they figure: Well, if they are willing to shell out that kind of money for what would be considered a subpar hotel room if it was located anywhere else, they do have the $25. And they won’t mind spending it, even after spending $17 on a wrap.
Yeah. I stayed there in a few months after it opened and I refused the offer. Was already paying 300+ a night plus( as expected) over priced food costs. I passed on the the pool fee. But it's NYC so I wasn't shocked by it but that was my um no moment.
I stayed over one night and didn't have to pay to go to the pool deck, which is the best place at the hotel.
The Head House reminds me of the Jetsons.