Marriott New York JFK Airport [In-Depth Hotel Review]

Marriott New York JFK Airport is a relatively new airport hotel near New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). It’s a modern hotel that offers a clean, convenient stay before a flight and a regular shuttle service to the airport.

I had a chance to stay at this property as part of a larger itinerary to Honolulu. I live in Washington, D.C., and wanted to try out Delta’s nonstop flight from New York JFK to Honolulu. This flight departs around 11:00 a.m. Not wanting to risk an early morning connection and potentially having a delay, I took the train up to New York City the night before, then the Long Island Rail Road to Jamaica, Queens, and finally the AirTrain to the airport.

Booking

I booked my stay at the Marriott New York JFK Airport using a 35,000-point certificate I received from the Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card. One of the cool things about Marriott Free Night Awards is that you can top them off with up to 15,000 extra Marriott Bonvoy points for nights of up to 50,000 points. The Marriott New York JFK Airport was running around 48,000 points per night when I booked, so I added 13,000 extra points to book it.

This hotel can run very expensive with cash. On my dates in early February 2024, cash rates were around $300 per night, which is common for JFK airport hotels. That’s a very steep price for a quick overnight, so I was very glad to use my free night certificate.

Location

Marriott New York JFK Airport is located just off the airport property. There aren’t any on-airport hotels other than the TWA Hotel (which is highly overpriced and gets very mixed reviews). The New York JFK Airport is one of the closest hotels, though you’ll still need a shuttle to take you there.

The shuttle stops at all terminals. When I arrived, I called the shuttle using the main hotel number (718-848-2552), and it pulled up within about 10 minutes, which I thought was very quick considering the business of JFK.

Hot Tip:

When you shuttle to the airport, be sure to leave plenty of time and take an earlier ride than you think you need to. If the shuttle is busy with many passengers, it will likely stop at all terminals, which will add significant time before you may be dropped off.

The shuttle is complimentary and runs 24 hours a day, so this hotel is good for both late-night arrivals and early-morning departures.

Checking In

The check-in experience was painless, and fortunately, there wasn’t any wait. Unfortunately, the hotel was sold out for the evening, so there wasn’t any upgrade beyond the normal king room that I had booked.

As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member, I was given access to the M Club lounge, where evening appetizers are normally served, though I arrived after the service had ended.

I was also offered a welcome gift of 1,000 points or a $10 food and beverage credit, and I chose the $10 credit as I hadn’t eaten that night and wanted to grab a sandwich in the hotel’s restaurant.

Within a few minutes, I was on my way to my room.

Elite Benefits

As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member, I was afforded these benefits:

• Room upgrade, based on availability
• Access to the M Club lounge, offering evening appetizers and morning breakfast
• Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi
• Welcome gift of 1,000 points or $10 food and beverage credit

Amenities

This hotel offers several amenities for guests, including a lounge, fitness center, and gift shop.

M Club

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members or higher can access the M Club lounge on the top floor. I accessed the lounge by swiping my keycard at the entrance.

This was one of the most aesthetically pleasing lounges I’ve seen. A buffet area to the left of the entrance served an evening spread of light bites and then a continental breakfast in the morning.

To the right was a nonalcoholic beverage station with coffee, juice, milk, and sodas.

Beyond the food area was a fully-staffed bar, something unique to a club lounge in the U.S. Although nothing at the bar was complimentary, I thought it was extremely upscale that this type of offering was even available. When I visited later in the evening, there was 1 patron and the bartender.

Beyond the bar was a corridor of seating, leading into another section of the lounge with more individual and couch seating, televisions, and sweeping views of the nearby neighborhoods and airport in the distance. This lounge was brand new, so the furniture, tables, and decor were all top-notch, something you’d typically find in an international lounge.

Fitness Center

The fitness center was on the bottom level of the hotel and was open 24/7. Though the hotel didn’t have a pool, this fitness center was a large, expansive space with cardio and weight machines.

Gift Shop

Right next to the front desk was a small shop with basic sundries, bottled beverages, and snacks. I could use my $10 Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite food and beverage credit here.

Pets

Pets weren’t allowed at this hotel, except for service animals.

Parking

Parking at this hotel was valet-only and steep, at $55 per night. Since the cost was so high, you likely wouldn’t want to use this option to park and then fly out. The lot is directly next to the hotel, and the bell stand is right at the front entrance.

The Room

I was assigned a standard king room for my stay since there were no further upgrades available.

Entering the room, it was a traditionally-shaped hotel room with a bathroom immediately to the left and then the bedroom straight ahead.

A small couch and a dining/work table were located next to the bathroom.

Next to the couch was a king-sized bed featuring nightstands on both sides and plenty of power outlets. Each side had 2 power outlets and 2 USB-A sockets.

Opposite the bed was an exposed closet, complete with an ironing board, iron, hangers, and other room essentials. There was a luggage storage area, but I didn’t utilize this since I brought a larger checked-bag-size trunk on this trip that wouldn’t fit in this area.

Next to the closet was a large flat-screen television and a large work desk. Below the desk was a miniature refrigerator, which I used to store several water bottles. Fortunately, this refrigerator was an actual refrigerator (and not one that just cools things, which some hotels have), so I stored some leftover snacks from the lounge in there. There were several power outlets along the wall.

Bathroom

The bathroom was nicely sized, featuring a single vanity, toilet, and shower.

The stand-up shower had wall-mounted MALIN+GOETZ body wash, conditioner, and shampoo. It was a normal size, and there was both a showerhead option and a handheld wand on the wall.

Bottom Line:

Overall, the room was modern, very clean, and did the trick for a 1-night stay.

Food and Beverage

This hotel features 2 dining establishments, The Quimby Restaurant and Q-Lounge.

The Quimby Restaurant

The Quimby Restaurant is the hotel’s main restaurant, a somewhat upscale affair located behind the bar area on the lobby level. It didn’t seem incredibly busy when I stopped by. A friendly hostess offered to seat me, though I declined in favor of something a bit more casual. This restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Q-Lounge

The Q-Lounge, the bar area, is open for lunch and dinner. There’s bar seating and a large seating area just beyond.

Wanting to get to bed early, I stopped at the bar to order a sandwich using my food and beverage credit. A short while later, it was handed to me, packaged to go.

Service

Since I was at this hotel for only a night, there weren’t many opportunities to take full advantage of the service, but I found the hotel’s staff to be friendly and didn’t encounter any issues.

The host at the hotel’s restaurant proactively offered to make any food items I ordered to go, which was appreciative since I think she could tell I wasn’t too keen on having a full sit-down meal. She was really the only staff person I interacted with for more than a few minutes, and she went out of her way to assist me.

Final Thoughts

Depending on the price, I would definitely return back to the Marriott New York JFK Airport, as it was a clean, modern option with a very efficient shuttle service to the airport. While I would have appreciated a hotel within walking or terminal train distance of the airport, the Marriott New York JFK Airport is probably the next best option. Rates at this hotel can be quite expensive, so consider using points or certificates to help lower the cost.