Destination: TWA Hotel and Paris Café by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at JFK airport

ellen bowen April 19, 2023

Looking for a unique staycation or an overnight in NYC before an early morning or late night flight? Then the iconic Eero Saarinen designed TWA terminal and TWA Hotel at John F Kennedy Airport offers visitors a trip (before the trip) down memory lane back to the 1960’s, to when the TWA flight center first opened in 1962.

TWA filed final bankruptcy and the TWA terminal closed in 2001. The building remained empty until Morse Developers along with MCR Hospitality purchased the building and added 500 rooms in two hotel towers and reopened as the TWA Hotel in 2019.

Trans World Airlines or TWA was owned until the 1960’s by reclusive billionaire, Howard Hughes, who gave celebrated architect, Saarinen free rein on the design and no budgetary constraints.

What was designed and built in 3 years is a modern architecturally significant building designated on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 and LEED certified in 2020, featuring curving walls, staircases and ceilings, recessed lighting, long tube like hallways, all enhanced with carpeting, seating and accessories in the TWA signature red called “Chili Pepper Red”.

An overnight stay includes access to the rooftop infinity heated pool and Après Ski styled Pool Bar and Café. Plush robes are in every room and the pool is open year round untill10:30 pm and is a fun experience overlooking the runways as you sit in the “poolcuzzi” sipping a cocktail and watching the planes take off or land.

The actual hotel rooms are small, with limited amenities, mostly overlooking the terminals, but in the vintage 60’s style including a rotary dial phone and a famous Saarinen womb chair, but it is the hotel and its hidden alcoves (like the Pope’s Room and Ambassador Club) that make the TWA Hotel not your typical hotel stay.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Original entrance and original Solari Flight Board
Sunken Lounge and Bar
The “Connie” Bar- an original Lockheed Constellation plane that was taken out of its retirement in Maine and transported by trailer to the TWA site. Read the story of “Connie” in the hallway to Saarinen Wing.
The Pope’s Room- Where the pontiffs, who only flew TWA waited for their flights. They referred to TWA as “Traveling With Angels”.
Gallery of uniforms featuring designs from 1944-1955 by Howard Greer to Valentino in1971-1975 to the final design by Ralph Lauren 1978-2001.
Rooftop pool and Pool Bar
Lobby Intelligentsia Coffee Bar and Food Hall featuring light fare and Mr. Softee Ice Cream

The Paris Café by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is located in its original location up the curving staircase on the mezzanine level. The open kitchen and cozy banquet seating makes this a casual yet elevated dining experience. Cocktails are well curated including a Ginger Margarita with Cointreau, ginger and lime, Raspberry Lychee Bellini and Black Cardamom Boulevardier with bourbon and Campari. Wine is available by the bottle or the glass.

The dinner menu is well designed to appeal to both the casual traveler or the destination food lover.

Our dinner for six gave us the opportunity to select from the menu something for everyone. The knowledgeable server and General Manager shared that this was the first night of the new Spring menu, and it did not disappoint.

We started sharing a classic Caesar Salad, Crispy Calamari with a light salsa verde, and Meatballs in a chili tomato ragu topped with parmesan cheese and accompanied by grilled artisan bread.

Crispy salmon sushi with a soy glaze and Yellowfin tuna Tartare and half roasted Cauliflower in a turmeric tahini were also offered.

Entrees we selected included a Hake Fish and Chips, which was lightly battered and served with thick sidewinder chips and tartar sauce.

A thick and juicy Cheddar Cheeseburger came with lettuce, tomato, yuzu pickles and frizzled onions.

And came with an order of fries.

Our favorites were the Parmesan crusted organic chicken which was over artichoke hearts in a light lemon basil butter and pea sprouts. The Poppyseed crusted Salmon, came with glazed carrots in a coconut carrot sauce and white quinoa. Both of these dishes were delicious and perfectly prepared.

A side order of grilled asparagus and spring peas in smoked butter and mint completed the dining experience.

Desserts included Bittersweet Chocolate pudding, Warm Chocolate Cake, Passion Fruit Sundae and a homemade warm Rhubarb Tart Almond Cake.

While Paris Café is a dining experience that can stand on its own, if you choose to spend the night, an après dinner swim and nightcap in the Pool Bar can make for a really special 24 hours.

TWA Hotel

1 Idlewild Dr

Terminal 5

JFK Airport,

Queens, NY 11430