NEW YORK -- Given its rich backstory and famed architecture, the TWA Hotel at Kennedy Airport opened last week as an instant icon -- but one that makes clear it has no need for travel advisors.
Tyler Morse, CEO of MCR Development, the hotel's owner, said the 512-room hotel, the first ever to open at JFK, will not list rooms on OTAs nor offer commissions to travel agents. Reservations can be made solely on the property's website.
"We're taking the perspective that travel agents should do what's best for their customer, and if they think that our hotel is best for their customer, then we hope they book with us," Morse said. "We're not going to pay a commission. They can have their clients stay at the Radisson on the Belt Parkway; they'll pay a commission. But if they want to stay here," he said, clients will have to book direct.
Designed by famed Finnish architect Eero Saarinen and completed in 1962, the hotel's main building once housed the TWA Flight Center, and great lengths have been taken to preserve the airport terminal's famous look.
The space's soaring, wing-shaped ceilings, split-flap display schedule board and chili-pepper-red carpeting have all been restored to their original glory, and one doesn't need to be an architectural historian to appreciate the painstaking attention to detail.
Adding to the time-warp effect is the property's vintage 1958 Lockheed Constellation, an aircraft parked just outside the lobby and retrofitted to serve as the Connie cocktail lounge.
But just as its design approach is unique, the TWA Hotel's contrarian attitude toward travel advisors is extremely rare for a high-profile, upscale property.
Michael Heflin, Travel Leaders Group's senior vice president of hotel relations, said, "It's very rare for any travel product -- physical or distribution based -- to launch with a no-commission policy. The vast majority of high-end travel products not only launch with full commission, they often perform soft openings and site inspections exclusively for travel advisors prior to launch, because they realize the unique value travel advisors provide and their ability to craft incredible experiences for their travelers."
While the long-term success of the TWA's no-commission approach remains to be seen, it's clear that the hotel will be a major attraction for the foreseeable future, especially among architecture buffs and aviation enthusiasts.
At a media preview ahead of the hotel's May 15 opening, the 200,000-square-foot lobby retained its ethereal, cathedral-like feel, even amid the hubbub of last-minute construction and clean-up efforts.
And while the Connie cocktail lounge was still in midconstruction disarray during the media's viewing, playful details like vintage seats and a virtually untouched cockpit offered instant transport back to the Golden Age of air travel.
The lobby and the Connie are definite standouts, but Morse said retro charm is far from the hotel's only draw. He views the property as being well positioned as a prime predeparture stop.
Morse said, "If you have a 6 a.m. flight out of Kennedy and you live in Eastern Long Island; Fairfield County, Conn.; Southern New Jersey; or Westchester County, instead of leaving at 2 in the morning to make your 6 a.m. flight, you can come in, have a nice night, have a meal and then go to your plane with no anxiety in the morning. We're calling it 'a night and a flight.'"
Overnight rates start at around $250.
The hotel is also offering a shorter "day stay" option, which is designed to cater to travelers looking to catch some shut-eye during layovers or even post-arrival before braving traffic on the Van Wyck Expressway.
Day stays are currently available in four four-hour blocks, including 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., noon to 4 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and start at roughly $150 per block.
The day stays are expected to be offered in more flexible blocks in the near future, with guests able to reserve a room for four hours or more at check-in and with a checkout time of their choice.
"Our goal is to sell the room twice a day," Morse said. "That's how we're going to run 200% occupancy in this hotel: the traditional night stay and then a daytime stay as well."
Accommodations are split between two identical wings -- the Saarinen Wing and the Hughes Wing, with the latter named for TWA founder Howard Hughes. The guestrooms feature soundproofed, floor-to-ceiling windows, with each room's bed and desk positioned to look straight out at either the runways, the hotel's main lobby building or JFK's Terminal 5.
While room pricing doesn't vary by view, Morse said that the "tremendous amount of demand" for runway-facing rooms could soon translate into charging a premium for an accommodation's plane-watching potential.
Food and beverage service
Also expected to lure travelers are the hotel's robust food and beverage offerings.
In addition to acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten coming onboard to helm the property's Paris Cafe, the Gerber Group, which is known for managing Manhattan venues such as the Campbell and Mr. Purple, will oversee the hotel's Sunken Lounge lobby bar, the rooftop Pool Bar and Observation Deck and the Connie cocktail lounge.
Additional dining options are set to debut as part of the property's Departures Hall food area, which will include quick-service offerings from New York staples such as the Halal Guys and Empanada Mama.
At the end of the day, however, Morse said he really isn't concerned about persuading people to make the trek to the far reaches of Queens.
"I get asked this question a lot: 'Do you think people will really drive all the way out from Manhattan to come here?'" he said. "No. But around 185,000 people fly out of Kennedy every day, so people are coming here anyway. JFK is the only 24/7 airport in the area, and there are 20 flights that take off at JFK between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. If you've ever walked through Terminal 4 in the middle of the night, there are literally thousands of people just standing around. There are people here all the time."