Visit New York - TWA Hotel

I had a long layover at JFK in New York and researched my options since I knew I would be tired following the 10 plus hour flight from Honolulu. It looked like my best option was to book a room at the TWA Hotel. The hotel is directly connected to Terminal 5 and accessible via the JFK AirTrain so I wouldn't have to leave the airport. The hotel has a cafe, restaurant, lounge, gym, and rooftop pool.

Daytripper stays are available at an hourly rate from 6am to 8pm for a minimum of four hours and a maximum of 12 hours. When I arrived at the hotel my room was not ready, but they got me in as soon as they could and adjusted my rate. Due to availability, I received an upgrade to the Executive King Suite with Runway view. The room was spacious and after a shower, I slept like a baby for five hours. I would definitely recommend if you need a convenient place to stay during a long layover.

The hotel was once an abandoned terminal.

Executive King Suite with Runway view

Sitting area with floor to ceiling windows

Bar area

Sunken Lounge - Part of the original 1962 design.

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A Stay at the Recently Refreshed Best Western The Plaza Hotel

Earlier this year I had a chance to take a peek at the refreshed Best Western The Plaza Hotel, and I was quite impressed with the renovations.  A few weekends ago our family actually had a chance to experience a weekend staycation at the 274-room hotel!

We stayed in connecting King + 2 Double Bed Rooms.





The spacious rooms offer warm and inviting decor, and include a microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, and desk.  The TV is a little on the smaller side, but offered is a bunch of new HD channels.

I love that there were plenty of outlets so we could charge our tech!

The bathrooms were nicely-sized, with lots of vanity space!

Conveniently located near the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, the Best Western The Plaza Hotel offers rooms with views of the runway, which my kids absolutely loved.

We also had a view of Diamond Head!

On site is a pool, a business station, fitness center, sundry store, and the Plaza Cafe restaurant, where we had a great breakfast.

The hotel is also pet-friendly!

The Best Western The Plaza Hotel also offers free Wi-Fi and free shuttle service to the airport!

The central location of the airport makes it easy to get to either side of the island.  I thought it was great that it took us only 20 minutes to get to Waikiki.  

For a nominal fee, you can self-park you car (no need to pay crazy valet prices as you will with many hotels in Waikiki).

The Best Western The Plaza Hotel - with friendly service, refreshed rooms, and a number of amenities, is a great option for those who want to stay away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki!

Best Western The Plaza Hotel
3253 N Nimitz Hwy

Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 836-3636

Mahalo to the Best Western The Plaza Hotel for hosting our stay.  Gratuities were paid on our own.

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A Peek Inside the Refreshed Best Western The Plaza Hotel

I have never stayed at the Best Western The Plaza Hotel, which is very close to Honolulu International Airport, but I am quite familiar with the property.

I used to work for the airlines, and we'd often go to lunch at the Plaza Cafe to enjoy the popular oxtail soup, and we also used to frequently hold meetings, orientations, or training sessions at the hotel.

I do, however, know many people who have stayed at the hotel, as often times we'd arrange for potential employees, trainers, and even our own employees to stay there.

Back then (about a decade ago), unfortunately, the feedback we'd get from those who stayed at the Best Western The Plaza Hotel were not that great, as they'd mention just how outdated and in poor shape the property was.

Thankfully, just a few months ago, the pet-friendly hotel completed a multi-million dollar renovation, which included a complete upgrade of each of the 274 guest rooms.

I took a quick tour of a couple of the rooms, and all I could say was "Wow!" - the refreshed rooms sure looked fab! The decor is warm and inviting, and each nicely-sized room comes with a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker.

There is no resort fee, and guests have access to a complimentary airport shuttle, a fitness center, swimming pool, mini pet park, and sundry store.

Fitness Center

Sundry Store

Pet Park

Pool

The meetings rooms are still available (4 rooms totaling 2,210 square feet), and the Plaza Cafe is still there, but it no longer serves lunch (nor the oxtail soup!).

The Plaza Cafe

My former colleagues will be amazed when they see how great the newly-renovated Best Western The Plaza Hotel looks!

For information on rates, click here.

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