Tl;dr – This month, Marriott will open the doors to the Westin Flushing LaGuardia Airport, providing a solid (points) option for stays in the food-friendly Queens neighborhood.
This week, the Westin Flushing LaGuardia Airport will debut, providing a slightly more upscale option for exploring all of Flushing’s culinary delicacies – regardless of whether you’re simply positioning for a flight or if NY is the trip. Only 11 minutes from the terminal, the hotel will presumably provide a regular shuttle service to get you to and from the airport, although I didn’t see it mentioned on the site. While LaGuardia Airport (LGA) only services a small handful of international destinations—the Bahamas, Aruba, and a few cities in Canada —the airport connects NYC to over 80 US cities. Thus, if you’ve ever faced the into-LGA-out-of-JFK dilemma when positioning for an international departure, the Westin might help steer the decision when figuring out where to stay.
There are 246 guest rooms, only 5 of which are suites, so chances are you aren’t getting that complimentary elite upgrade. (A nightly upgrade award, if timed well, might do the trick.) Expect basic yet modern amenities, including an indoor pool and a fitness center.
Rates for the property go as low as $237 in late fall-early winter and as high as the mid-$300s during the summer months. Points rates are relatively flat throughout the year, ranging from 30,000-40,000 points per night.
Given the imminent opening of this property, I was a bit surprised to see that we’re still working off of renderings. Still, as it is New York, I’d imagine many a traveler will publish ‘on-the-ground’ photos in short order.
Given its strategic location and the fact that there seem to be some rather large ballrooms, I’m not going out on a limb when I say this will be an incredibly popular place for weddings.
My Take
Flushing, NY, is (and has long been) a destination in its own right. I grew up about 30 minutes away from Flushing, NY, and have spent a considerable amount of time there over the years. It’s a hub for some of the best Asian food you’ll find in the US. You’ll find restaurants serving Cantonese, Hunan, Sichuan, Shanghainese, and even less common regional Chinese specialties. There’s superb Taiwanese food, stellar Korean standouts, and plenty of Japanese options as well. What I especially love about it all is that Flushing is so versatile. Citi Field is right there if you’re hoping to catch a game. Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the Queens Museum, Queens Botanical Gardens, and the New York Hall of Science (don’t sleep) are all close by. If you’ve ‘done NY’ several times before and don’t want to bother going into Manhattan, you can have a great experience just walking down (and eating on) Roosevelt Avenue, Prince Street, Main Street, or Northern Boulevard. When you covet the ‘big city adventures, ‘ the 7 train is right there waiting for you. Coming back from Europe a few years ago, I stayed at the Hyatt Place Flushing, a straightforward hotel that exceeded expectations. I received excellent service at that hotel, though if there was anything that could have enhanced my stay, it would have been a more premium room and amenities. I have high hopes that the Westin Flushing LaGuardia Airport can fill this niche.
