The Essence Hotel AT JFK

Location: 97-01 Waltham St, Jamaica, New York, 11435, Jamaica, US

Star Rating: 2 Stars

Property Type: Hotels

About this Property

Policies

Check-in: N/A - Anytime

Check-out: N/A

Amenities & Facilities

• Free WiFi
• 24-hour front desk
• Elevator
• Smoke-free property
• Wheelchair accessible parking
• Free reception
• Snack bar/deli
• Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
• Wheelchair-accessible van parking
• Well-lit path to entrance
• Accessible shuttle
• No accessible shuttle

Rooms Available

• Handicap Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Private Bathroom

  1 King Bed

  160 sq feet

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi 25+ Mbps

  Entertainment - Flat-screen TV

  Food & Drink - Coffee/tea maker

  Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, a hair dryer, and towels

  Practical - Iron/ironing board, laptop workspace, and phone

  Comfort - Daily housekeeping and climate-controlled heating and air conditioning

  Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible

  Need to Know - No cribs (infant beds) or rollaway/extra beds available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Hair dryer
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Free Local calls
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Free WiFi
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • No cribs (infant beds)
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace

• Double Room, 2 Double Beds, Non Smoking, Private Bathroom

  2 Double Beds

  179 sq feet

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi 25+ Mbps

  Entertainment - Flat-screen TV

  Food & Drink - Coffee/tea maker

  Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, a hair dryer, and towels

  Practical - Iron/ironing board, laptop workspace, and phone

  Comfort - Daily housekeeping and climate-controlled heating and air conditioning

  Need to Know - No cribs (infant beds) or rollaway/extra beds available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Hair dryer
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Free Local calls
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Free WiFi
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • No cribs (infant beds)
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace

• Single Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Private Bathroom

  1 King Bed

  180 sq feet

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi 25+ Mbps

  Entertainment - Flat-screen TV

  Food & Drink - Mini-fridge and coffee/tea maker

  Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, a hair dryer, and towels

  Practical - Iron/ironing board, laptop workspace, and phone

  Comfort - Daily housekeeping and climate-controlled heating and air conditioning

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Hair dryer
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Free Local calls
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Free WiFi
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace

Guest Reviews

• David (8/5): - Good place
• martin (10/5): - It was so close to Jamaica station.
• Michelle (4/5): - The bed was clean but the rest of the room was not. The shampoo and conditioner had been used. The breakfast was a grab and go bag so no opportunity to make any choices. And the contents of the bag were subpar.
• Michael (6/5): - Place was ok for an overnight while waiting for a flight at JFK. But there was a general sense of disrepair and lack of upkeep. Missing lights, broken USB outlets, wobbly fixtures, etc.
• Jose (4/5): - There's no parking at the property. You have to park on the streets. The room was small, and the bathroom smells like urine. The cleaning staff, use the same elevator as the customers, carrying the garage and the cleaning supplies in the same elevator. Terrible.
• Joanne (2/5): - This hotel is in a terrible area. It wasn’t very clean, especially the bathroom. Way overpriced and pretty far from the airport. The reception guy was friendly.
• Joseph (2/5): - There was not place to park my rental car for the weekend so I decided to leave the hotel that night and found another hotel. I was still charged for the full three nights.
• Garreth (6/5): - I am still struggling to deal with folding chairs at the work desk. Not the best for ergonomics.
• Jean Claudel (8/5): - Everything is ok
• Michele (6/5): - The room was very clean. I thought it was closer to the airport, but it was actually out in Queens, which was not ideal. I was a little worried when I checked in, the attendant was surrounded by plexiglass gave us our bottled water through a plexiglass door. It did concern me about the safety of the area.
• Todd (6/5): - We got a king room. Wanted a double, wasn't available when we booked, then became available, but they couldn't change us. The bed and bedding was fine, but little room to move around the room and bed. Had to turn sideways to walk, couldn't open refrigerator at foot of bed, etc...bathroom was clean and fine, a/c worked. Near Jamaica train station, pretty convenient location. Only parking is on the street and very hard to find.
• Joel (10/5): - Clean
• Lawrence D (4/5): - For the price, which was jacked up because of the Ryder Cup, the room was clearly not worth it. There were stains and hair on the walls. The room carpet looked like a dog messed on the floor in one spot. The smells were covered up by way too heavy air fresheners.
• Keisha (2/5): - The place is filthy, it felt like a shelter, their complimentary breakfast is actually to go bags like we are a school files trip. There's no parking in the area. it wasn't a pleasant stay.
• Maria (4/5): - Floor bedroom was dirty and bad smelling. Waited for long time for someone to show up at the check in. Property is very dark outside and the neighborhood doesn't look safe during evening time
• Carlos (10/5): - Great Place!
• Agatha (2/5): - I didn
• Alethea (6/5): - The breakfast offerings were abysmal the items offered for the to go breakfast terrible, I wouldn't give them to kids
• Ada (6/5): - The property is fine as a last resort. The price is way too high for the accommodation. The bathroom was not clean enough. The breakfast bag was not acceptable!!!! Why claim to serve breakfast?!
• Rodney (10/5): - Close to a lot of eating options.
• Nina (10/5): - The overall experience
• Zalayah (4/5): wouldn't stay here again. sorry! - the room had a very weird odor. just sure stale air even with the central air going. there was no number to call down to reception, incase you have a question which I did. the two young employees didn't really have a welcoming presence, and very disengaged. there's also just random stains on the carpet, and the curtains. it makes the room look gross cause they are noticeable. I didn't sleep great there.
• Sarah (2/5): - When I made the reservation I selected the option to pay at the property. The hotel went ahead and tried to charge the card on file the full amount before my arrival and because they were not successful they went ahead and cancelled my reservation without informing me. Then when I got there they wanted me to pay more money for the same room. Also, the hotel smelled like smoke, the walls in the room was dirty and the sheet had stains and hair.
• Jade (6/5): - Staff was nice! We had a great weekend overall!
• David Walter (10/5): - Staff is great. Comfy clean room. Great location.
• Kristen (4/5): - The cons: room had no lamps, they had been removed, so there were two giant holes beside the bed. Carpet was stained. Towels were very scratchy and thin. The pros: the bed itself was clean and comfortable. Bathroom was clean. Overall building was fine & we were on a higher floor so not much noise. Not the worst and it was functional & felt safe so it served its purpose for a short sleep between flights.
• Keith (10/5): - The staff was so nice and accommodating and the area was quiet
• aline (8/5): - Clean Fairly new construction Breakfast isnt your typical "continental breakfast" (a gift bag with a 4pk I
• David Walter (10/5): - The room was comfortable and clean, the staff was super helpful and friendly. It’s a great place.
• Kristin (8/5): - It was good for a quick stop for a short rest and shower.
• Cynthia (10/5): - There is no breakfast in the mornings
• Hani (10/5): - Front desk staff is excellent. Rooms are clean and unassuming. Great food is just one block away.
• Rohan (8/5): - I love the location… everything was in walking distance… train station was literally next to the hotel
• Donovin (8/5): - I only overnighted but I enjoyed the my room, comfortable bed and the bathroom was clean and updated, shower pressure was great . Small fridge which is good for keeping your beer cold. I will definitely stay here again, The area might be a turnoff for some but I had no problems.
• Cynthia (10/5): - Property was clean and the room was nice and cozy
• Keoni (10/5): - Very quiet area and perfect for parking!
• Verified traveler (10/5): EJ D Happy Camper - Stayed at this location several times. Staff very professional, courteous. Rooms clean, comfortable area.
• Ophelia (4/5): - It was ok for a layover
• Dante (8/5): NY Carnival - Stayed for NY Carnival. However not sure how close I was to parade because i didnt attended. I was close to airport and fetes though. Was in king room 506. No cold water in the sink, and cable tv wasn't good quality. Small room but was fine for one person.
• Dadlanie (8/5): - My stay was great. I gave 4 stars because no breakfast is offered as advertised. Don’t advertise something if it’s not offered.
• Satvir (10/5): - Everything was good they need to work on breakfast ...as weekend the booking rate is high.
• Kessler Herradura (6/5): - Hotel customers were noisy at night. Old towels but clean.
• Janitza (4/5): - No parking and had to pay $25 per car to be park in safe area
• Thomas (10/5): - The facility was safe and clean. Nice location close to the airtrain. I wish I had time for breakfast before leaving. I wasn't sure if the property had a gym or fitness room but would be nice to use. There was a nice Portuguese restaurant not far down the road. Overall I had a good nights sleep.
• Maria (10/5): - Very clean
• Ashawnna (8/5): - It’s an ok place. Lots of construction around the property
• pamela (4/5): - It’s just not in the greatest neighborhood
• Wendy (6/5): - This hotel has hourly rates that are frequently used. Otherwise it is in an convenient location, just two short blocks from Jamaica station. Pluses and minuses.
• Pedro (8/5): - The property was clean and nice, but around the propertity was poor and possibly danger area at nights.
• Ro endry (10/5): - For 1 night was good
• Maurie (6/5): - Dirty neighborhood, tiny room, smelled of smoke
• Steve M (10/5): - Front desk guy was cool
• Terri (8/5): - A lot going on in the area
• Stephanie (2/5): - Very bad also the cleaning is bad too
• Nixzaliz (6/5): - No parking
• joy (8/5): - great place
• Cyrilla (8/5): - Property was great...bed was confortable. The carb they recoment was not reliable. Had to walk to train.
• Isabel (10/5): - Great location
• Clair (8/5): - I would most definitely recommend the use of this hotel to others
• Gabriel (4/5): - Didn’t really intend to visit New York to begin with and I got about what I expected.
• Alan (6/5): - A bit tatty. Hot water slow
• Stephanie (4/5): - They dont clean the room very good , the personal is very bad with the comunication!
• RICHARD (2/5): - Nothing
• Danielle (4/5): - Location was easy to get to walkable from jfk airtrain. Check in was super easy and fast. Staff friendly. Room was dirty toilet wasn’t flushed toilet paper had stuff on it. Bed was comfy we had our own blankets and just needed the room to sleep for a few hours due to a canceled flight.
• Laurie (2/5): - Omg, it was a total dive and the little deodorant looked new but has a previous patron’s pube on it! And towels stained. Who knew of anything had been cleaned. Front desk was not helpful.
• Misty (4/5): - Had no parking. Paid $25 to park in front of a dumpster and another guest had already for that same spot
• Adam (4/5): Wet Carpets - No Breakfast - We arrived to find that the carpets in the room were soaked. When we asked the front desk for a different - dry - room they said all the rooms were wet like that due to some kind of carpet cleaning. Why rent a room that is wet like that? The room was musty and unhealthy the entire time were there. Also, there is no breakfast despite it being included in the listing. Overall, we give this one a big pass - stay somewhere else if you have options.
• Johann (10/5): - Convenience
• Danny (2/5): - Unable to amend wrong booking
• Scott (6/5): - Nobody at front desk to check in, had to wait. No trash can in the entire room.
• michael (10/5): - Good value
• Jonathan (8/5): - Thankful
• Eric (4/5): - Check in process filling a form when you already have my credit card information - sheets on bed dirty - not enough clean towels in room. Lastly the parking is bad - nowhere to park ?? Not staying here again !!!
• Carlos (6/5): - No parking area at and at the surrounding. Hard to find parking
• Jessica (8/5): - Good place to stay especially for the price.
• Emilie (6/5): - It was good for what it was: somewhere to crash after an exhausting international flight with 19 hour layover. Everything was old/outdated. The outlet next to my bed didnt work, but the one next to it did. Carpets were old/dirty and had to kill 2 bugs on the ground. Everything was just old. Pros: hot water for the shower with good water pressure, nice little to go breakfast bag with snacks/juice at checkout, and conveniently located by AirTrain to get back to the Airport. Overall ok experience. Wasn't delighted, but had low expectations for the price for a hotel in New York. If you just need somewhere cheap to lay your head for the night, this place is the right choice. Staff were friendly and personable.
• Claire (6/5): - Staff were great, but hotel is very basic. Fine for one night. Shower had hot water the night I arrived but no hot water the morning I left. The elevator also broke but was fixed quickly so I didn’t have to take luggage down 8 flights of stairs. Also no light switch next to the bed or lamp so inconvenient having to get up and down to turn on/off the light
• Evelyn (10/5): Great night's sleep!! - Very quiet, room not fancy but i slept fantastically! Nice TV Staff nice and gave me a delicious go breakfast! Would stay again, felt very safe!
• Mark (2/5): Avoid if You Value Comfort or Safety - I stayed at this hotel for one night and couldn’t wait to leave. The room had a strong, unpleasant odor and was clearly run down — chipped furniture, peeling paint, and an overall sense of neglect. Noise from outside and the nearby elevator shaft made it difficult to sleep. Several basic amenities were either broken or barely functional. The elevator didn’t work at all in the morning, forcing guests to carry luggage down the stairs. The in-room phone was dead, making it impossible to reach the front desk without going in person. There was no hot water for a shower. The included “breakfast” was a packaged muffin and a juice — hardly enough to qualify as a real offering. Most concerning of all, the area around the hotel didn’t feel safe, especially after dark. This property needs major improvements before it should be considered a reliable option. I would not stay here again
• Kevin (2/5): - Only disliked, i never stay in any hotel that does not have parking for customers, i had to find street parking, and the street surrounded the hotel unsafe and last of you can say night people stand around waiting for something, you know what i mean. Will never stayed there again.
• James (2/5): - We refused to stay! Well, it was certainly “unique”! Bulletproof enclosure for attendant, filthy, a sign that elevator not working, no air conditioning in room . The room had a hodge ironing board against the wall, and barely had space for the bed. Chipped paint everywhere. I was asked if I wanted “a date” on the stairway. Dangerous area. No restaurants available. Too far from the airport. Please return the payment immediately !!!
• BARBARA Lynne (2/5): - This place fell short on everything. The room was hot and humid, even with AC. The room and bedding smelled like dirty feet. The pillows gave no support. There was no clock nor box of tissues in the room. The room was short on towels and they also smelled bad. There wasn't even a towel for the bathroom floor. The tiny round soap kept falling thru the metal grate soap "dish". The only bright spot was the bag of going away gifts. The bullet proof high security around the desk clerk speaks volumes about how bad the neighborhood must be.
• Summer (6/5): - Only staid for an overnight layover. Would probably not have stayed for anything else.
• Jessicalina (4/5): - Expire
• Andrew (6/5): - Remote didn’t work smart tv. Only basic cable, couldn’t connect to our own subscriptions even tho the option was there. Grainy tv too. Hair in bathroom. Chipped tile, holes in towels/bath mat. Could hear elevator door every time it opened/closed
• MILAGROS (2/5): - The room smels and I told them to change me to another room because the air conditioner wasn't working properly either. He said that there where no more room. Wich was not truth I called the first guy who checked us in and he finally change us to another room that also smells but the air conditioner was working. Not other choice that stayed because was late to go to another hotel
• Ann (2/5): - The person at the front desk was friendly and super helpful. The pictures of the property are very misleading. Just overall weird - holes where the bedside lamps should have been…icky stuff on the bathroom sink. The bed was comfy, though…so that’s good.
• EILEEN (2/5): - Dingy,dated, dangerous area. To make matters worse the front desk guy is the worse!!
• Jacqueline Guzman (10/5): - Love this place
• David (2/5): - I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent stay at The Essence Hotel at JFK from June 20, 2025 to June 22, 2025. Unfortunately, my experience did not meet the standards I expected, particularly in terms of customer service and cleanliness. Upon arrival, I was met with unhelpful and dismissive staff, with conflicting information, at the front desk who provided minimal assistance during check-in. Throughout my stay, my concerns were either ignored or handled unprofessionally, which left me feeling undervalued as a guest. Furthermore, the condition of the room was unacceptable. I encountered several cleanliness issues, oncluding worn out anddirty linens, unsatisfactory bathroom, and an unpleasant odor. Despite raising these concerns with the staff, no meaningful action was taken to address them. This level of service and cleanliness is not only disappointing but unacceptable for a hotel that claims to provide a comfortable and welcoming experience. I trust that this feedback will be taken seriously and addressed promptly. I request a formal response to this complaint, along with appropriate compensation or corrective action. I hope future guests receive better treatment than I did. Sincerely, David Belk 2118 Camp Creek Rd Lancaster SC 29720
• Ashley (4/5): - Receptionists was unfriendly and didn’t make eye contact with us, sheets were damp, floor was sticky, bed was over a sewer.
• Stephen (4/5): - The location was perfect for travel between NYC, JFK and Long Island. Period. The "Breakfast" room was never set up for breakfast, no coffee, a moldy juice dispensing machine, and nothing to eat. The front desk reluctantly / begridgingly provided, upon request, a few of those plastic encased sickly sweet indestructible baked items ubiquitous in convenience stores, all of which were past their sell-by-dates. My room initially had no closet rail or hangers (had to request both) ditto a stopper for the tub. The cracked sink was repaired with a blob of silicone sealant, the only chair was a dented brown metal folding chair, the TV's resolution was about 150 dpi, and the remote could not access most of the features. The bed was quite comfortable, pillows rather less so! In a weak moment, I was tempted to inspect the bed and bath linen but decided it best not to do so, as nothing bears close, or in this case, ANY scrutiny. The faint-hearted may find the neighborhood rather sketchy, but it is certainly colorful! Finally, on several occasions at various times of the day, that no one at the front desk had me wondering how often nonguests wander into the building.
• Kanchan (2/5): - We left the property in ten minutes of being a completely smoky facility in a smoke free facility There was blood on the sheets container papers and disgustingly dirty in every way . We disputed this charge …. I don’t think anyone can or should stay here
• Saliyah (6/5): - Loved the simple design but disliked the lack of access to communication via room phone
• Christopher (10/5): - Very great room very clean very organized comfortable
• DAE YOUNG (8/5): - there is a restroom smell
• Abdurahman (8/5): - it was alright they didn’t even have the tv remote in the room😂
• Danyelle (6/5): - Wasn’t horrible but was a little sketchy. Love that it was close to the air train
• Richard (8/5): - Great place fi stay
• Diace (2/5): - I never recieve my deposit

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