Sticker shock: TWA Hotel has $50 per person fee, plus tax, to use that famous rooftop pool this summer
A night at the TWA Hotel — one of TPG's favorite spots for planespotting — getting more expensive, at least if you want to use the pool.
The JFK airport hotel will now charge guests up to $50 per person to make a reservation at its famous rooftop pool and observation deck, one of the signature attractions of the hotel.
The TWA Hotel tells TPG they first added a fee for paying guests to use the pool last summer, after adding a fee for non-guests the summer prior.
Reservations cost $25 per adult Mondays through Thursdays, according to a list of rates on the hotel's website, and $50 per adult Friday through Sunday. Children ages 5-12 cost $20 every day, while a reservation does not appear to be required for children 4 and under. The hotel also adds sales tax.
And it's also on top of the so-called facility fee (plus taxes) of $17.94 per night per room.
There are more taxes and fees added onto your bill for the use of the pool.
A reservation gets you a window of just one hour and 45 minutes at the pool, and does not guarantee a poolside lounger, which are first-come-first-serve — that means you might end up at a table with an obstructed view of the airfield.
The reservation also does not include the price of food or drinks from the pool bar, which can get pricey quickly: cocktails start at $15, and most food options are $15 to $17. The bar also adds a 10% "COVID-19 Recovery Charge" to each bill.
The infinity pool and roof deck at the TWA Hotel offer stunning panoramic views of runway 4L/22R at JFK making it a stunning hangout for AvGeeks and plane-spotters.
From now until May 30, reservations are required to visit the roof from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays, and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. Starting May 31, reservations will be required every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Non-guests are no longer allowed at the pool.
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That means that a family of four staying at the hotel and visiting the pool for lunch, dinner, or just an afternoon swim on the weekend would have to pay $140 — or $1.33 per minute of pool time — before even thinking about getting something to eat or drink.
Reservations are not required from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. daily, so your best bet to see the runway without paying extra on top of your room rate would be to head up early and hope there's space available.