Hotel Mint JFK Airport

We ended up here after missing a connecting flight because it was the closest option we could find, but it's still a 30-minute Uber to the airport. The whole floor smelled of smoke, and someone had covered the smoke alarm with wet toilet paper. There were lots of bugs on the ceiling. We slept on top of the bed in our clothes because it had just one sheet for a blanket. Homeless people hassled us as we went between the lobby and our Uber. It was hands down the worst hotel experience I've had. Don't stay here.

I got stranded overnight and booked this place on booking.com at midnight. It's nowhere near the airport, about a 30-minute Uber into what I thought was the heart of the ghetto. When I got out of the Uber, there were eight guys being really loud and aggressive, smoking marijuana, with broken glass all around. As I approached the entrance, they stared hard at me. I felt I was about five seconds from being mugged, so I ran back to the Uber and begged the driver to take me away before I got robbed. This place didn't feel safe to me. Don't stay here if you value your life.

It's literally a shoebox. If you're there with a partner and someone passes gas, you'll know who it was. The furniture is glued to the walls. There's no room phone for calling reception, the curtains are filthy, there is no parking garage or amenities, and the ice machine doesn't work. The towels are kid-sized, there's no coffee or tea, and nobody changes the sheets. You have to take your garbage downstairs yourself. Don't expect to watch TV unless you buy a remote for $10. The pillows are yellow, and the whole setup feels like a dormitory. Should you go? That's up to you. I'm just sharing my experience. Would I go back? Oh hell naw.

The room was freshly sanitized smelling, and I didn't see anything gross or signs of bugs, despite what other reviews said. The bedding was worn but clean, fresh-smelling and unstained, and the sparse towels were clean and usable. My room on the second floor was clean-ish, though the furniture and room were run-down and clearly hadn't had much attention in a while. There was a little fridge and a wardrobe with an iron, but no coffee maker or other amenities. My fridge and heater both worked, which other reviews suggest may be a stroke of luck. The smoke detector had tape over it, likely so someone could smoke in the room, but it didn't smell of smoke during my stay. The door safety latch looked kicked in and never repaired, and for some reason there was a velociraptor footprint on the wall. The “Mint” freshness and “JFK” in the name are both a stretch. It's a 45-minute train ride from JFK, in a sketchy, run-down neighborhood. I would hesitate to recommend it to families or women traveling alone. A man on a budget might consider it if the price is right. The hallways and common areas had a faint “NYC Subway” smell, the elevator was slow and weird and stopped wherever it wanted, and the lobby vending machines weren't working. There is a 24-hour bodega across the street by the train station. Lots of homeless and questionable people hang out there, though the hotel is close enough that you don't have to walk far from the station. I wouldn't drive here. Parking nearby is limited, and you could end up far away, hauling your stuff along dubious streets. Take the train, a taxi, or a ride app. As a bonus, they encourage hourly stays, so if you've just met a nice lady and want somewhere to get acquainted, well, they're ready to serve!