Radisson Hotel JFK Airport

This Radisson offers an upgraded take on the typical airport hotel, and though many of the guests who stay here are transit passengers needing a convenient spot to sleep before or after a JFK flight (including plenty of flight crews), it does attract the odd conference group with its ample meeting facilities. From the exterior, the hotel doesn't look like much -- just a salmon-hued edifice with rows of balconied rooms. Inside, however, the hotel has a grander appearance, with a marble lobby, recessed lighting, and a few banks of elevators. 

As the name suggests, this hotel is located right by New York's JFK Airport, on Belt Parkway and about a five-minute drive away with minimal traffic. The location is ideal for accessing the airport and nearby attractions in Queens and even Brooklyn, but it's a bit far for travelers with work or business in Manhattan, which can take well over an hour to reach by car during peak traffic times. It's a couple of minutes' walk to the Jamaica Hillside Avenue bus stop where the Q40 stops. From here, travelers can access the Jamaica station and then transfer to a train to Penn Station. The whole journey takes around 45 minutes to an hour, traffic permitting. 

This Radisson offers a huge range of room types, with smoking and non-smoking units available across categories. Decor is consistent with off-white walls, dark-gray patterned carpets, sleek black furniture, white bedding with brown bedskirts and runners, and simple monochrome-hued wall art. Lighting is soft and nonabrasive, with lamps set on polished glass-top desks and coordinating bedside tables. Standard amenities include safes, coffee- and tea-making facilities, irons and ironing boards, individually controlled air-conditioning units, and flat-screen TVs with cable, along with free Wi-Fi and newspapers. All rooms have either one king-size bed or two double beds. Some add amenities such as video game consoles (in Premium and Business Rooms) and free infant beds or cribs (not available in some of the units geared toward business travelers). Bathrooms are simple, but pleasant, with dark granite countertops, shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and  toiletries. Accessible rooms for people with mobility and hearing requirements are also available. Most rooms have views of the immediate neighborhood (including the highway) and airport in the distance. 

This hotel offers great amenities, particularly for an airport hotel, though most are geared toward business travelers rather than tourists. There's a modern fitness center with lots of Precor treadmills and plenty of weight training machines plus free weights, and it's open 24 hours a day. There's also a good selection of business facilities, including five meeting rooms and a well-equipped business center with computer cubicles and a printer. Wi-Fi is free and fast throughout the hotel. Dining outlets include the Liberty Lounge bar, with regular weekday happy hours, and Cafe 140, where buffet breakfast is served for a fee. Other facilities include free luggage storage, a gift shop with snacks and sundries, valet laundry and dry cleaning services, and an ATM in the lobby. Valet parking services and both short- and long-term parking are available for a fee. Free airport transfers are available around the clock, but past guests have complained that the service is not punctual.