TWA Hotel Brings Back Lots of Memories

The first time I was in the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport in New York was when I was 11 years old. After years of taking road trips down south or cross country each year, we were taking our first flight. It was to Florida, and we were leaving out of this modern terminal on a jet plane.

It looked just as I remembered when I arrived at the TWA Hotel in the same spot as the old terminal. I had left the Viana Hotel in Westbury to spend  24 hours here before my flight home to Champaign the next day. 

From the moment I wheeled in on my scooter, I was transformed back into the 70s, with music from that period playing throughout the building, as well as photographs, memorabilia, and even cars. All was in bright colors, predominantly the TWA red.

 

Check-in to the TWA hotel was familiar at the counters previously used to check in to your flight. The ones that were not being used for that were spots for quick service food, forming a bit of a food hall with favorite New York comfort food such as Mister Softee Ice Cream and Feltman’s of Coney Island Hot Dogs.

 

I had a Deluxe Accessible Room, which overlooked an actual runway. It was designed to match the period and the airline, with things like a little amenity bag like you used to get on long flights, and a rotary phone. There was also luxurious robes and a very comfortable king bed.

 

I was really hungry and, even though it was cold and rainy, I headed up to the Rooftop Bar. There was a heated pool there from which you could watch the planes take off. I wasn’t that brave, but I stepped inside the bar and café, where I enjoyed a spiked hot chocolate and a delicious turkey sandwich with cranberry and brie.

 

It was time for me to put my feet up and get a little work done for  a few hours. There were blackout shades, and the rooms were very soundproof so the planes taking off did not disturb me.

My cousin, Marissa, who spent time with me in Chelsea, came to meet me for dinner at Paris Café by Jean Georges. It was far from airport food as we feasted on Shaved Broccoli & Kale Salad, Burrata, Tagliatelle Mushroom Bolognese, and Sesame Crusted Salmon, with carrot cake for  dessert.

 

I slept well in the quiet room with the shades down. In the morning, I met one of my oldest--in how long I’ve known her, not age—friends for breakfast at the Paris Café. Donna and I had gotten our journalism degrees and worked on the college newspaper at CW Post, now known as Long Island University, Post Campus.

 

She is now also a travel writer and we try to see each other at least once a year. We had a long overdue catch up and a delicious meal. I had banana pancakes and scrambled eggs, and Donna had an omelet (you can choose what you want in it, including smoked salmon). The coversation and the food was all great. 

There was time before my flight to explore more. I couldn’t help but smile as I made my way through the 70s, including a Sweet ‘N Glow Salon, Twister Room, displays of flight attendant uniforms through the years, and that famous TWA plane, Connie.

 

I opted to take an Uber to the  American Airlines  terminal as I had luggage, and it wasn’t that close. It was too much for me in the scooter. Most  people can walk and/or take the train that runs through JFK. There is also a direct door from the TWA Hotel to the Jet Blue Terminal.

It was a wonderful trip to New York, visiting family and friends, and discovering unfamiliar places. I thank the ILoveNY team for helping me with the latter and look forward to working with them again.

I was hosted for some of this trip, but views are my own.