Quality Inn JFK Airport Rockaway Blvd

We arrived at JFK around 9:00 am on Saturday, January 31, after a snowstorm. It was our first time in New York, and freezing cold. We followed the instructions to call for the free airport shuttle, but no one answered, so we took an Uber. At the front desk, the woman didn’t seem very interested in helping us, and the place looked nothing like the photos. It seemed like construction was going on, and there wasn’t much hospitality. Around 10:00 am New York time, I asked the receptionist, behind a big glass window, whether we could check in early. She said no. The atmosphere felt bad and the place looked run down, so I asked if we could cancel. She said there’d be no charge, and confirmed that again by phone after we took an Uber to the wonderful HAMPTON. We were charged anyway. I don’t recommend this place and would strongly advise against staying here. The Hampton by the airport had much better service. Be careful with HOTELS.COM, which is owned by EXPEDIA. They didn’t believe us when we said the receptionist had told us there’d be no charge. I don’t usually like writing bad reviews, but I wanted to warn people about the QUALITY INN JFK and HOTELS.COM/EXPEDIA. Your money can be spent better elsewhere.

I’ve worked in hotels for 10 years with Marriott and Hilton, and booked this non-refundable room through Priceline because I needed a shuttle to JFK after taking the train into NYC. I only read the earlier reviews after booking, and was pleasantly surprised. I stayed one night near JFK, checking in on 2/13/26. As of that date, the hotel was in the middle of a major renovation. I don’t know if there are new owners or managers, but work is underway. The staff were friendly, and it was fine for a quick overnight. The shuttle was useful. It runs hourly from 4:00am, and you’re meant to be in the lobby 10 minutes before the hour. The driver was friendly, despite what earlier reviews said, and gave me the local advice I wanted about when to head to the airport. The ride to Federal Circle, where you catch the AirTrain, takes about 7-8 minutes. The room was clean, smelled nice, and had a reasonable temperature. It looked almost like the photos, with a comfortable bed that was firm but had some give. The linens seemed brand new, though the sheets still had a few loose threads. The blinds had clearly been replaced since earlier reviews, and the small room was arranged so it was easy to move around. There was a gated patio with tables and chairs instead of another parking spot beside the lobby. Much of it had been shoveled and cleared after the big snowstorm. The lobby setup is a little odd. You enter at ground level, then go down about 8-9 steps to the breakfast area, with the first-floor rooms just beyond. There’s a wheelchair elevator, and a couple of luggage carts in the breakfast area. Construction supplies were near the snacks, and the front desk agent and computer had been temporarily moved while lights were being wired. My room wasn’t ready when I arrived. The desk agent was polite, friendly, and seemed genuinely apologetic. I went to 7-Eleven, and when I returned they were waiting for towels to finish the room. She apologized again and checked it herself because the housekeeping supervisor was busy. That kind of check isn’t unheard of, though usually two agents are working. At a hotel or motel with a brand affiliation, someone should check the housekeeper’s work. Saturday breakfast ran from 6:00-9:00. It was simple, similar to other select-service hotels: coffee, OJ, tea, make-your-own waffles, bread, a toaster, croissants that looked previously frozen, three cereals, a couple of yogurts, jam, jelly, and butter. There were some things that could be better. The door let hallway sound and light through, and could use a sweep along the bottom and thin insulation strips on the sides. An old bedside wall light had left a hole in the wall that hadn’t been patched. Some bathroom wallpaper was missing, and there was visible debris behind the bathroom door where housekeeping hadn’t swept. Only about 8 or 9 TV channels worked. The hot water didn’t last long, even though I showered at 6:00am on Saturday, when I doubt many people were using it. No one was waiting for the 6:00am airport shuttle either.

UPDATE: The hotel did not address the problems. Its reply here again showed that it was ignoring customers’ questions. It responded to my Google review as though it had dealt with the concerns, but it did nothing. Don’t consider staying here unless you want a nightmare. This was the worst hotel I’ve stayed in. They kept our security deposit for more than a week without reason and hung up when customers called to ask them to process it. They damaged our belongings while moving the luggage, then never answered calls or emails. The front desk kept sending the issues to the manager, who was never there and never followed up. Based on what others have said, I’m very sure they treated customers this way intentionally. They repeatedly dodge problems, betting that people will give up because it takes too much time to keep contacting the hotel. Choice.com was useless in dealing with these problems too. They contacted the hotel but didn’t follow up or take legal action if it wouldn’t cooperate, and didn’t follow up with customers either. I honestly think it’s a shame that they keep such a terrible hotel listed on Choice.com. Do not stay here. If your deposit isn’t returned on time or you need the manager to address an issue, don’t expect anything from them. Take legal action.

I had a confirmed reservation for May 16, but when I arrived to check in, the female receptionist was rude and spoke with her mouth full of food. First she told me my booking had been canceled. I showed her the confirmation number and asked her to check again, then she said there were no rooms available. After all that nonsense, she had the nerve to tell me to cancel everything because she didn’t care. It was the worst hotel experience I’ve had. The place looked like a dumpster and was dirty. Homeless people were staying near the parking area, and the area where Quality Inn JFK is located is known as very unsafe. I’d never book this hotel or recommend it to anyone. Horrendous customer service from the female employee that afternoon.