When I transitted through JFK in November 2020, through the foggy haze of covid, face masks, and far too many layovers, I had a positive experience at JFK’s TWA Hotel. Having now done the same for the airport hotel in Cairo, every part of my being appreciates how easy my experience at the TWA Hotel was. How simple it was, despite having been on a plane for 14 hours.

1. Deplaning in JFK during COVID-19

I landed at JFK from Dubai on an Emirates flight, when New York State had a mandatory 14-day quarantine. I was disappointed in the New Yorkers on my flight, as they rarely wore masks and had zero concept of social distancing. But, I digress.

From no social distancing on the plane to no social distancing at baggage claim. This led me to straight into the arms of National Guardsmen, as I exited customs with my luggage.

Most people were being required to fill out their quarantine form. I told him I was going to the transit hotel in Terminal 5.

“Inside the terminal?” He asked.
“Yes.” (Actually, no. A semi-truth.)

The real truth is, the hotel is actually outside the terminal. As in, you breathe fresh air in order to get to the hotel.

But I really wasn’t going anywhere except for the hotel. And then the following day, straight onto a plane again.

So he released me and I went on my merry way. Next stop, AirTrain.

2. How to get to the TWA Hotel from AirTrain

Ok, next, next, next, next stop. From where I landed in Terminal 4, I needed to go all the way around the AirTrain loop to the next to last stop – Terminal 5.

When you exit the AirTrain, go downstairs to street level. From here, you can see the hotel in the distance. Go into the parking lot and turn left and you’ll see the walkway.

Be careful if it’s a windy winter day – you may get a little fountain spray. Gross, but you’re already showering anyway.

From there, I arrived to my retro destination – the TWA Hotel, a nod to the old Trans World Airlines housed in the old TWA Flight Center. The TWA Flight Center was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen.

Check in took a mere seconds before I was going up the red carpet stairs and down the tubular hallway to my room. In non-covid times, I would’ve been sure to make a reservation for drinks on Connie (the vintage Lockheed Constellation L-1649A). But given the pandemic, not this time.

3. The Room at JFK Airport Hotel

I paid $135 USD (now $252 USD) for a Standard Double Queen room without a view and it was simply that. A room. Without. A view. Well, in technicality, this is New York City. I shouldn’t be surprised that I’m looking out at a construction site and a dump truck. Shades down.

I loved the retro design of the room. Plus, gotta love the vintage travel posters and old rotary phone, which are faves of mine! The room felt cute and fun, but not super kitch. The bar area was nicely designed and finished, but it’s not like there was a bar cart, room service, or a mini-bar to utilize.

The one downside is that there was no kettle or water. And of course, buying water downstairs – it’s New York City plus airport prices. so imagine how much that costs.

But, expert tip:

Tap water in New York City is not only drinkable, it’s actually high quality tap water and is delicious. New York’s Finest, they call it.

4. Elsewhere in the TWA Hotel

Outside of the room, there’s Connie (cocktail lounge) as we mentioned. But also, the Sunken Lounge (with views of Connie), a food hall (where you can get 24 hour coffee and a bagel for breakfast), a Twister room (a room where you play Twister, obvioulsy), the Paris Cafe for food, a photo booth, and all sorts of fun things in a non-pandemic world. For guests looking for the gym, the TWA Hotel’s fitness center is actually the world’s largest hotel gym! Aviation and history buffs can also enjoy the museum inside, expertly curated by the New York Historical Society.

There’s also a rooftop infinity pool, with a view of the JFK runways. Being November, I couldn’t be bothered with a rooftop pool.

I woke up early the next morning, and on my way to the food hall for coffee, did I think that the best thing at 5 am would be a photo booth? Obviously. The best decisions are made on a whim.

Check out was super simple. Everything is pre-paid. Even coffee that you buy at the food court you pay for separately. So, nothing is charged to the room.

Head to the hotel lobby, drop the key in the box and off you go.

5. From the TWA Hotel onward to JFK Airport

There is no free shuttle or other airport shuttle service. However, if you’re flying JetBlue, you don’t even leave the inside of the hotel. You can take the elevator straight to the bridge to Terminal 5.

Roll out of bed and into the airport. It’s super easy.

This is what you want out of an airport hotel.

For me, because I was an international traveler coming in, because my ticket was connected, I should have re-checked my bag as soon as I took it through customs on my way in. But I figured, what was the difference between that, and taking it out for the night and checking it back in in the morning? NONE.

I got to throw all my random Dubai shopping into my luggage and be light as a bird on the flight the following day. Perfection.

6. Parting thoughts on my stay at the JFK Airport Hotel

Airport hotels are meant to be functional and convenient. But with the TWA Hotel, they’ve added a bit of fun to your average airport hotel.

My room, which $135 USD per night, was fine for a New York City hotel price. Although there wasn’t a view, who really needed it? (The 2023 updated cost of $252 USD per night is also cheaper than your average New York City hotel price…)

The point was, I was exhausted from traveling, and the TWA Hotel gave me a fun airport hotel experience, that was simple and easy going. And it comes highly recommended for any overnight layovers you may have through JFK!

But, just remember that it is New York City. I found the room to be a reasonable rate, considering. But take into consideration, everything is NYC prices – from the coffee, to your morning bagel, to the late night snack that you want.

If you’re not flying, what about taking a safe COVID-19 road trip?

Looking for ideas for your foodie adventures in New York City?

• Become a bagel expert on your New York Bagel Tour of Bryant Park;
• Explore the food and immigrant histories of Hell’s Kitchen on a walking tour;
• Take a walking food tour through Greenwich Village / Little Italy;
• Love sandwiches? Join a sandwich tour of the East Village;
• Join a home chef at home in Brooklyn for a seasonal Japanese inspired seafood tasting menu;
• Stave off the summer heat with the East Village ice cream crawl;
• Marvel at all the brownstones in Brooklyn on this Neighborhood Eats tour.

7. Information on your stay at the JFK Airport Hotel

TWA Hotel
One Idlewild Drive
John F. Kennedy International Airport
Queens, NY 11430-1962

Average Price for rooms: approximately $250 USD at the time of posting. Check their website for current rates.

The TWA Hotel also offers rooms for the day – from 6 AM to 8 PM EST, with a 4 hour minimum stay. The same Standard Queen Room for 4 hours, at 2023 prices, is $149 USD. Depending on the time of day, this day rate may also include access to the rooftop pool.

While the TWA Hotel is the only airport hotel on the airport premises, other JFK airport hotels are available, which require a shuttle or taxi to reach:

• Hilton New York JFK Airport
• Hampton Inn
• Crown Plaza
• Holiday Inn JFK / Holiday Inn Express Jamaica

I cannot recommend or suggest any of these, as I haven’t stayed there. But, maybe they’re more your jam, so far be it for me to deny you. Until next time, everyone stay healthy and safe!

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

As a solo traveler, I am usually the only single person wherever I go.  Saying that I need a “table for 1” does not bring me much discomfort. Not as much as the person on the receiving end of that statement.  There’s usually this “Oh” look.  Being the only solo traveler at the Park Hyatt Maldives, a luxurious five-star resort, just put a spotlight on my singleness and being self-partnered.  

My sister reminded me that I tend to choose honeymoon destinations to vacation in… Fiji, the Cook Islands, Hawaii?  Hmm.. she wasn’t wrong…  maybe it was me.  This isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy myself, I definitely did.  It was everything that I wanted.  So without further ado, here is everything on my trip, from costs to food to activities. Enjoy!

1. Costs

1.1 Flight to Male

The Park Hyatt Maldives was a reward to myself for completing my first year contract in a conflict zone.  It was luxurious, extravagant, and everything that I wanted my reward trip to be.  I remember buying my plane tickets to Male (the capital of the Maldives).  During the first bad week I had in Afghanistan, there was a flight sale from Abu Dhabi to Male.  I jumped on it. For $625 USD on Etihad, I had a flight for one day after my contract ended.  November 2.  

1.2 Park Hyatt Maldives

A few months later, Hyatt announced it was reevaluating their points. I hurried up and booked the Park Villa at the Park Hyatt Maldives at 25,000 points a night.  It is now 30,000 points a night for a Category 7 hotel.  Since I had points from both my Chase Sapphire card (which has a 1-to-1 transfer to World of Hyatt points) and my Hyatt card, it was easy for me to book 5 nights with points only.   I promised to always be transparent about my costs. So, here is what I spent on six nights in the Park Villa and two nights in the Overwater Sunset Villa.

• Park Villa – 125,000 points (5 nights @ 25,000 points per night)
• Park Villa – $760 USD (1 night)
• Overwater Sunset Villa – $2,945 (2 nights @ $1,472.50 USD per night)
• plus taxes.

1.3 Domestic Flight

On top of these costs is $520 USD transfer fee, per person.  This includes a domestic flight on Maldivian Airlines from Male to Koodhoo, and a speedboat transfer from Koodhoo to the resort on Hadahaa.  

1.4 Conclusion on Costs

Yes, this is extremely extravagant.  I’m fully aware, but my first year in a conflict zone was something worth celebrating.  I doubt my second year anniversary trip will be nearly as extravagant, and significantly less to celebrate.

Just a final thought on the costs – when you receive the bill at the end, it will be a surprise (22% service and taxes is a shock), as it was to the American couple I shared the trip back with.  But know that you’ve committed to spending money on this holiday and don’t be crass and sit there with a calculator and the bill, adding up everything one by one.  Mistakes can be made, but also remember, with service and tax, that’s already adds 22% to everything.  If you’ve committed to this holiday, then embrace it. There’s nothing worse than ending a holiday on a sour note.

2. Arrival to Male

The day of travel, I left Abu Dhabi in the morning and arrived in Male around 2 pm.  It was easy enough getting through immigration and customs.  Because the Maldives is a Muslim country, there is a prohibition of alcohol, which makes it only accessible on the resort islands.  As a traveler, you cannot even bring alcohol into the country.  (And thank goodness I didn’t buy that duty free whisky I was eyeing to save on drink costs…)

An attendant from Park Hyatt met me at the Male airport, and immediately identified me and waved to me as I walked out of customs.  “How did you know who I was?” I asked.  He said I was the only single woman deplaning and it had to have been me.  That was blunt.  But also, likely accurate.  

He escorted me to the Maldivian Airlines counter, where I dropped off my luggage and received my boarding pass in return.  He then brought me up to the lounge, which was comfortable, but not particularly exciting.  The buffet began serving food at 3 pm, which consisted of simple sandwiches and little cakes.  I promptly ate about 5 tuna sandwiches, knowing that I would arrive at the hotel very late.

3. Welcome to the Park Hyatt Maldives

Fast forward a domestic flight (with one stop in the middle), and a speedboat ride entirely in darkness, we arrived at the Park Hyatt Maldives around 9 pm.  Yes.  I had been traveling all day by then.  

Something to note – the time zone on the resort islands is one hour ahead of Male (the capital).  They said it had something to do with more sunlight during the day.  This, by the way, made it extremely confusing.  For some reason, I found it difficult to adjust my apple products.  When you turn off the “set automatically” time setting, it asks you for a time zone.  I couldn’t find a time zone that aligned with one hour ahead of Male.  (Further east, you have India and Sri Lanka, who have an extra 1/2 hour, just like Kabul).  Anyway, it’s possible, but in the end, my watch and iPad were at the correct time, but I could never get my phone right.  

Sunny, my host for the week, greeted me and whisked me away in a golf cart directly to my villa.  She explained everything on the island and gave me a quick overview of the resort.  She was absolutely wonderful and would help me with everything all week long.  I regret not taking a photo with her in the end.  Whichever host you end up with, you’ll be in great hands!  That, I am entirely sure of.  

4. My typical day at the Park Hyatt Maldives

4.1 Breakfast

For those staying in the Overwater Villa (or for Globalists in the World of Hyatt program, which I am not), breakfast is included.  Breakfast comprises of two hot plates for order and anything in the buffet, which had breads, croissants, a variety of tropical fruits and yogurts, and meats and cheeses.  For those who have to pay for breakfast, you can either order ala cart or the breakfast buffet (described previously) at $38 USD.  Hyatt adds service (10%) and tax (12%) on top of that, so breakfast usually runs $46 USD.  After a few days, they knew my usual, which was a coconut quinoa porridge, and some egg dish, with a side of pork bacon and French baguette.  I would drink a soy latte with my meal and a double espresso after my meal.  The servers were always great.  

Usually at breakfast, Sunny would come over to say hi.  So would Stavros, the new General Manager, who just arrived the day before me.  Stavros always checked in on me regularly, which I appreciated.  

After breakfast, I would go for a swim in the pool (there were two pools – one next to the Dining Room, where we had breakfast, and one next to the Spa.  I’d typically choose the spa, being a little further away from people.). I’d take breaks from swimming and go back to reading.  

One day, I had an amazing massage at the spa.  (I received an email before I arrived saying if I pre-booked my spa appointment, I would get 10% off.  I did, but I don’t think the systems are connected. The Spa never actually received my appointment.  They gave me the 10% off regardless.). Sometimes, I would be at the cabana reading, depending on the location of the sun.  By afternoon, when the cabana no longer offered any shade, I would retreat to my villa.  The sun in the Maldives is no joke, considering how close it is to the equator.  

I typically only had two meals a day while there, either breakfast and lunch or breakfast and dinner.  This was because breakfast was already enormous, with two entrees.  And generally, I didn’t do much besides find a spot, lay there, and read.  

4.2 Activities

There are a variety of things to do during the day at the Park Hyatt Maldives… if you are in a couple.  Most of the activities on the island require a minimum of 2 persons to do.  The full list of activities is here.  This is obviously understandable. However, I stuck to mostly the solo activities, being unwilling to pay double or be the third wheel on a honeymoon.  There is a sunrise and sunset yoga offered on different days.  

You can borrow snorkeling gear at any time and keep it through the duration of your trip.  And the snorkeling in the area is amazing!  I wish my underwater camera worked so I could show you guys…(there was an error message with the SIM card).  But the schools of fish in neon blue and yellow were everywhere and would just swim around you, feeding on the coral below.  I didn’t know, but the Park Hyatt had just hired a marine biologist at the resort to help with coral conservation.  Apparently all the resorts are doing that nowadays, which is pretty great to hear.  Much of the Maldives is expected to be underwater by 2100…

Disclosure: Please note that the above products in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I share these product links because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

I had gone to register interest in visiting a local island, knowing that I would have to be a third wheel on someone else’s trip.  The next day, Stavros came to visit me at breakfast and said he had arranged for them to take me on my own.  That was exceedingly kind, especially knowing that the cost of the speedboat to take us to the local island, as well as the 4 staff on the boat itself and the guide himself… all of that must have added up.  But for $200 (plus service and tax), they were willing to take me.  (To see my photo journal of a local, Maldivian island, click here!)

Before dinner, I would always go out and shoot the sunset, which almost every night was a different color and absolutely stunning.  The two jetties on the island provided a good subject for my photos and therefore almost every sunset photo has the jetties in it.  

4.3 Dinner

For dinner at the Park Hyatt Maldives, you can either choose the Dining Room or the Island Grill.  There are also themed dinners, either at the Island Grill or out on the beach.  I attended the Maldivian local feast night, where I filled my plate to the brim with tuna, dosa, and random curries.  The Island Grill is built on sand itself, which was unfortunate as this was the only meal I wore shoes to. 

The majority of my dinners were at the Dining Room.  Toward the end, I discovered you could have really delicious ice cream for dessert at $4 a scoop.  Their coconut ice cream was absolutely amazing!

On my last night there, there was a cocktail reception on the beach.  They have these once a week, where they serve cocktails and small bites.  There are Maldivian drummers and dancers there to perform as the sun sets.  

5. Parting Thoughts

And that was how I spent 7 days in paradise at the Park Hyatt Maldives.  It wasn’t as isolated as I thought it would feel, for being near the edge of the known world.  Every where you go on the island, you are always connected to WiFi.  I was never out of contact with my friends and family in different parts of the world and different time zones.  Someone was always awake.  Secondly, the staff are very friendly and are always there for a nice chat.  

And the people watching was also something to look forward to on a daily basis.  

• There was a famous Croatian singer and her husband/partner, who did elaborate photo shoots that I found on Instagram.  
• There was a Korean woman and her husband/partner, who were in full gear, black body suits and head covers so that no sun would touch their bare skin, save for their feet.  They looked like they were going scuba diving, but actually were not.  They wore these into the pool, as well as the ocean.  
• There was the American family and their teenage daughter, who played a strange card game at dinner, and despite their best efforts, never got the gist of the game.  The night before, they couldn’t finish their soup, and asked the staff to save it for later. They couldn’t finish it because it had too much “spice”, specifically ginger.  When the server said they tossed it at lunch, they lamented over what a shame that was, and it was a perfectly good soup, if only there were less ginger.  Surprise, surprise, they got a free soup, with less ginger.  (I never knew that you could ask hotels to save something for later.  I always assumed it was a “eat it now or it will be lost” scenario.  And I think between the two of us, I am perhaps right.)

The Park Hyatt Maldives gives all guests a free voucher for a photo shoot and one free, printed 5×7. Knowing that the shots will be gorgeous, people obviously buy them.  So yes.  I did a photo shoot, and the shots were absolutely gorgeous.  And yes.  Of course, I bought some, in addition to my printed 5×7.  I rarely have photos taken of myself, so this was a great way to commemorate this trip.  

All in all, I had a wonderful time at the Park Hyatt Maldives, and for me, I knew what I was getting myself into, in terms of a) an expensive, but luxurious trip, and b) and isolated solo, yet kinda wonderful experience.  

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

1. Arriving at the Hyatt Regency Cologne

The Hyatt Regency Cologne is located on the banks of the Rhine River, on the other end of the Hohenzollernbrucke (Hohenzollern Bridge).  In theory, it’s possible to walk from the Köln Hauptbahnof (main train station) to the Hyatt Regency.  You just need to walk about 20 minutes from the train station, across the bridge, which will take you directly to the Hyatt’s front door.  Me, I was carrying a ton of stuff for school and travel after.  The option I took was a quick taxi ride.

Lately, I’ve been trying to boost my Hyatt Points, having recently earned one anniversary night for free (and getting close to earning another night free).  So for 160 EUR a night, and a great proximity to the cathedral, the Hyatt Regency Cologne was the one for me.

Watch this video on YouTube.

2. Slight sign of trouble

When I first arrived in my room, I noticed that there were some spots on the bathroom floor.  I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but then I noticed more…

Suspicious right???  I called and asked to change rooms, and they were very apologetic about it and agreed to change to the room next door.  When we arrived next door, I inspected the floor and it was the same!  I was livid!  They called the head of housekeeping down and she explained that these dark spots were embedded in the stone – it wasn’t on top of it.  She even took out a cleaning cloth and tried rubbing one away … and it’s true.  The dark stains are not on the surface. 

BUT LOOK AT THE PHOTOS.  IT LOOKS SO REAL…

3. Kind gesture after a misunderstanding

I ended up staying in the second room – what was I to do?  Continue arguing?  no no…  A few hours later when I returned to the room, they had given me a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket with a nice note.  Thank you!  That was kind… 

4. Room Service

It went great with my room service dinner, which was this amazing burrata, heirloom tomato salad and grilled salmon on wild rice.

I didn’t eat the rice … or the delicious looking garlic bread it came with.  Yes, I am trying to be a keto-friendly while traveling, which is not easy and not without effort. 

Right now, I’m currently drinking an iced tea with lemon sorbet in it.  Why?  Because I thought I had ordered a regular ice tea.  Some things get lost in translation, I suppose..

5. Keto friendly breakfast

But back to a side tangent of being keto friendly on the road… the Hyatt Regency makes it easy for me to eat keto friendly.  I had two breakfasts there – one where I ordered eggs and bacon, with a side of avocado, and one where I ate the breakfast buffet.  Both were delicious and exactly what I needed at that moment in time.  Remember though, it is the Hyatt Regency – so expect to pay upwards of 20 EUR for breakfast.

6. Sunset photos!

But back to the original reason for staying at the Hyatt Regency – amazing, super easy access to the riverfront area for sunset and sunrise photos!  There is a great riverfront area less than 2 minutes walking from the front door, with places for people to sit along the river.  The sun sets dierctly across the river and is busy around sunset.

And voila!  Sunset!

Parting Thoughts

All in all, it was a very comfortable stay at the Hyatt Regency Cologne. I’d stay there again!  It was touching that they gave a bottle of champagne for a misunderstanding.  And maybe, maybe I can see how those were the patterns in the stone.  But not all patterns in stone are obvious and look like patterns!  Some… just look like dirty spots…  But if they try to clean it in front of you and it still stays, maybe they’re telling the truth.  Thank you, Hyatt Regency Cologne for being so professional about this and not taking offense!  

Hotel Information:

Hyatt Regency Cologne
Kennedy-Ufer 2A, Cologne, Germany, 50679
Phone: +49 221 828 1234
Average King Room nightly rates: 149 EUR | $170 USD
World of Hyatt points: 15,000 per night
Category 4 Hotel

Sign up for a World of Hyatt Credit Card and receive up to 50,000 bonus points

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/