Channeling Howard Hughes: TWA Hotel at JFK

Departing New York City bound for Bangkok, Thailand, I treated myself to an overnight stay in the TWA Hotel in JFK International Airport.

In the late 50s, early sixties, prior to changing its name to John F Kennedy International Airport, Idlewild Airport was expanding and remodeling. TWA, Trans World Airline, Howard Hughes' world renown airline, opened a futuristic pavilion as their terminal building. When construction began on the TWA terminal building, Lockheed's four engine, propeller driven Constellation was the world's premier passenger aircraft. By 1962 when the terminal was complete, Boeing had introduced jet engine aircraft making the Constellation, and the TWA terminal building, obsolete. The TWA terminal building, however, was a remarkable achievement in futuristic architecture rivaling theme parks and World's Fair exhibits. The TWA terminal building became a New York City icon.

TWA went out of business in 2002. More recently The TWA terminal building has been renovated and reopened as a nineteen-sixties theme hotel. In this video I show you around the hotel. With prices beginning at $375.00 per night, it is not cheap. The hotel is clean and comfortable. While small, the room was nicely appointed with sixties decor. The check-in clerk was friendly and efficient. But I felt the hotel lacked some amenities of an expensive hotel such as a doorman and baggage handler. The exhibit, however, was fabulous. I guess you are paying for the location and theme park/museum.