The Marriott Newark Airport is convenient and clean, serving as a pricey yet welcome crash pad after a late evening arrival into EWR with an early departure the following morning.
Marriott Newark Airport Review
Booking
My SAS flight arrived at 9:00 pm, too late to make a same-day connection home from Newark to Los Angeles. I chose the Marriott because it is the only on-site hotel at Newark Liberty International Airport and because I had an expiring award credit with Marriott (up to 40,000 points) that was only good for another two weeks. While that was perfect timing, I probably would have chosen this hotel anyway considering I had an early morning flight to Los Angeles.
The nightly rate was $339 so it was certainly not a great use of points, but it was also nice to save the $339 (plus taxes) out-of-pocket.
Shuttle + Walking From Terminal To Hotel
The hotel has a shuttle, but as I proceeded out of Terminal B, I saw the hotel in the distance and just walked over. I had to cross a few barricades and a couple streets in the process, but within five minutes I was standing in line waiting to check-in.
Check-in lines were two parties deep and the lobby was packed, but 10 minutes later I had my room key and was on my way upstairs to my room, 1003.
I do not stay in many Marriott hotels and it seems that every time I do, they are like this one: drab but clean and efficient. My room included a queen-size bed, end tables with plugs on each side, an L-shaped couch, a desk, a TV, and a closet without a door.
From my room, I could look out at the airport control tower.
The small bathroom included a single sink, toilet in the middle of the room, and small shower. Bath products were in large bottles secured to the wall.
I logged into the internet and was surprised to see that guests who are not Marriott Convoy members are charged $12.95/day for basic internet (my “enhanced” internet was free due to my Platinum status).
Speaking of that, I was not offered any sort of room upgrade on account of my Platinum status and did not even ask…I just wanted to sleep.
And sleep I did (though I unplugged the phone first, just in case). I went right to sleep and slept well, but woke up quite early so that I could exercise and eat breakfast before the flight.
Fitness Center
Awakening before dawn, I trudged down to the fitness center, which was quite crowded considering the early hour, and managed to workout for about 45 minutes. The gym was limited in terms of resistance equipment, but in a sense I welcomed that since it forced me to do more “manual” exercises like push-ups and planks that I should be doing more often anyway.
After my workout I headed over the Elite Club Lounge for breakfast.
Elite Lounge
Located through a door in the restaurant on the ground floor, I just waltzed right into the unstaffed club lounge for breakfast (my Platinum status included access).
There was a sign-in sheet at the front desk (I have to wonder if that is ever actually checked), but no staff member.
But the breakfast spread was admittedly quite decent, with a buffet including fresh fruit (even berries), hardboiled eggs, cereal, yogurt, bagels, muffins, croissants, pastries, toasting bread, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and potatoes.
I walked away from breakfast satisfied and ready for a productive flight ahead.
The coffee wasn’t great, though (far too weak)…but I drank it anyway. Tea and juice were also available.
The dining room was quite large, through mostly empty for the 20 minutes I was there.
Aviation Grill
For guests without lounge access, breakfast is served at Aviation Grill, which also serves lunch and dinner (open from 6:00 am to midnight) and also is home to the hotel bar.
The Lobby Shop
For those just looking for something quick, The Lobby Shop is also located on the lobby level (as the name implies…) and sells light snacks and Starbucks Coffee. It appeared to be open 24/7.
I also noticed complimentary apple cider and water outside the Lobby Shop in the morning, which is a nice touch (though coffee would have been nice).
Business Center
I rarely use them, but sometimes they come in so handy…the lobby level also includes a business center with desktop computers and complimentary printing, faxing, scanning, and copying.
Walk Back To EWR
Again, rather than wait for a shuttle back to the terminal, I just walked through the parking lot and was shortly back at the terminal (seven minutes). Again, I had to hop over a few barricades with my carry-on bag, but it was no big deal.
CONCLUSION
I needed a convenient hotel close to the airport and that is exactly what the Marriott Newark Airport is. It’s pricey for what you receive, but in this case it is about the location, location, location and in a similar circumstance I would not hesitate to return here again.
Drab is a compliment for most of Newark and it’s hotels.
Walked? Wow. I do not miss the three years of EWR being my home airport. I’m sure it’s better now with the new terminals but still.
The Newark Airport Interchange is a massive interchange of Interstate 78, Interstate 95, U.S. Routes 1&9, U.S. Routes 1&9 Trucks only, U.S. Route 22, and New Jersey Route 21, at the northern edge of Newark Liberty International.
I guess it doesn’t look that bad from an aerial perspective but it was not fun on the ground.
Pre-GPS my parents drove around this spaghetti junction maze for an hour trying to figure out how to get out lol so you were lucky to be able to walk back without issue
https://i.postimg.cc/Y9rKs4qM/09-F9-CABE-6012-44-E1-99-E8-BFB6-DDFA7-A98.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/gjr9GfZ7/7-FD2-B601-6-B6-B-4612-8-F0-A-DB42-B12-ED3-BF.jpg
Convoy members (Freudian slip?) Hahaha
CW McCall cover band.
340 dollars per night for a midscale airport hotel? That makes Stockholm look positively bargainous!
No kidding. It’s why I used a cert. Could not bear to pay so much for an airport Marriott.
Have you checked out the new terminal A?
Nope. I will once the UA Club opens.
It’s nice looking and all, yet they of course totally botched the efficiency of it (15 min walk to AirTrain, long main pier with no moving walkway, C transfer point at one end vs more logical middle, etc).
Charging for wifi, particularly at an airport hotel, seems like a money-grabbing dick move for a hotel costing several hundred dollars a night.
It costs them nothing to provide and these days is almost a regular utility like water or electricity.
Do people really pay 13 bucks for that?
Also, I applaud you walking to the hotel. Crossing streets isn’t so bad (assuming there’s lights) but climbing over barriers sounds like it might be a bit of a dangerous route. I’d like more pedestrian friendly infrastructure around airports.
Here end my rants for the day.
I walk too. Dragging my bags over the barrier is a small pain but better than waiting for the van.
Like so many hotel fitness centers, they removed weight machines and put in a couple plastic balls and some kettle bells and call it improved. The pool has disappeared too.
Where was the pool?
I’ve crashed at the hotel many times and regardless of the time, day or night, there’s always a line of people checking in. I tried to walk to the hotel but I had too much luggage and turned around at the first barricade and waited for the shuttle bus.
That price is ridiculous indeed, but it looks a lot better than the EWR DoubleTree I stayed at a few months ago during my overnight layover, it was really snowing a lot of wear and tear, I feel like Hilton doesn’t do a very good job taking care of it’s properties.
It is nice being connected to the airport and being able to walk, the shuttles suck, I usually end up just calling an Uber even if I’m only a 5min shuttle away.
Personally I usually avoid airport hotels. In most cities with a decent metro/local rail system which is connected to the airport it’s quicker and easier to take that for 2-3-4 stops and stay next to the metro/train in the suburbs and/or trade fair area than look for the shuttle pick up point and wait half an hour before it turns up. Most stations have lifts nowadays so luggage isn’t much of an issue either. Of course the convenience factor is different when there is a hotel inside or across the road from the terminal, but these usually are super expensive so I can’t justify the prices they’re asking.
I think the slight extra time to use the Renaissance EWR is worth the cost savings. Both times I have had a forced overnight (once IRROPS, once a well planned award trip from Europe) the Ren was 1/2 the price of the Marriott on points. AirTrain to P4 and the shuttles run every 15 minutes, return shuttle drops you off at the door.