I had to spend an overnight at Newark Airport recently in between NYC and Atlanta trips. I’m not a big fan of airport hotels, so I just searched for what seemed like the best value. I chose the Renaissance because it was the least expensive of the close Marriott options…and I was pleasantly surprised.
Renaissance Newark Airport Bottom Line Review
Bottom line: I’m not a big fan of airport hotels, I simply look for what seems like good value. The Renaissance fits the bill and more. It offers good runway views, an incredible fitness room (one of the more important things for me at the airport), a decent breakfast, comfortable rooms and a nice club lounge…when it’s open. All this plus quick and efficient transport to and from the airport make it one of the more appealing Marriott options near EWR.
- Points Price: Category 3, 15-20K points per night (until full-on dynamic pricing)
- Cash Price: For the night I stayed, the cash member price was $128, right at the Reasonable Redemption Value of .66 cents/per point.
- Points Value: Good (again, before dynamic). Cash rates are amost always $130+ and the peak price is 20K Marriott points, so even at peak pricing it’s usually above the Reasonable Redemption Value of .66 cents/per point.
- Resort Fee: None
- Parking: $19 per night with in & out privileges. They also have very competitive park and ride rates.
- Housekeeping: Daily
- Internet: Excellent, able to cast and do zoom meetings throughout the hotel and in my room on the 10th floor.
- Airport Shuttle – Runs 24 hours a day. Picks up at P4 and drops off at each terminal. Airport is a 5-10 minute drive to from hotel.
- Dining
- Breakfast: OK. The 10th floor airport-facing club lounge is closed, so they’ve added a temporary lounge next to the main floor restaurant. Breakfast is a buffet that is included for Platinum Elites and above. A decent, but fairly standard, variety of cold and hot dishes.
- Lunch & Dinner: Ironbound Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6:30am-11pm.
- Fitness Room: Terrific. One of the best-equipped non-resort gyms I’ve seen in awhile. 20+ cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical, stationary bikes, stairclimber, rowing), full array of free weights and machines as well as straps, balls, etc. Better equipped than some small town gyms I’ve been to. Very pleasant surprise.
- Marriott Elite Benefits:
- Suite Upgrade: I was upgraded to a 10th floor corner “Club” room before arriving. Suites were sold out. It was a nice-sized room that was, unfortunately, on the non-runway side of the hotel. Nice bedding and a full loveseat.
- Club Lounge: Closed, but has a marvelous view of the runways at EWR.
- Free Breakfast: Ok, buffet style and no cost for Platinum and above.
- Late Checkout: Requested 1pm at check-in, no issues.
- Free Parking: No
- Would I stay again? Absolutely. For an overnight, pre- or post-flight stay, it’s a very good value.
- Renaissance EWR Pros:
- Good location about 10 minutes from EWR.
- Facilities are in reasonable condition.
- Exceptional runway views from Club Lounge and high-floor airport-facing rooms.
- Good sound-proofing.
- Incredible fitness area.
- Renaissance EWR Cons:
- Club lounge currently closed. Replacement on main floor lacking.
- Elite recognition at check-in was marginal; had to ask about benefits and where/how to use them.
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Great review I was worried to stay there but now I’m not!
Tim – my last two experiences with airport hotels, and in particular the shuttles to the airport, have been very frustrating. One was Aloft LGA and the other was Hilton Newark airport. Both times, we’ve had early morning flights, and with my family (2 adults and 2 kids) and all our luggage you’re basically waiting in line for a shuttle to return. They have scheduled departure times, but the buses are either too small or they don’t have enough capacity for peak times. At Aloft, some of the pilots and flight attendants who were waiting with us gave up and decided to walk (we had luggage and were going to terminal A / Marine air terminal, so that wasn’t really walkable). To me, until they make the shuttle situation better, I’ll always view these hotels skeptically and just a necessary evil.
three years ago, my flight was cancelled at EWR and I called the hotel to ask some questions. They were VERY helpful, so I booked on the Bonvoy App – then did online checkin – advised my Ambassador status…called the hotel to confirm the reservationand took the shuttle over. Was upgraded to a nice corner suite overlooking runway (I asked!) and couldn’t be happier with the hotel. Great service (before Covid) and nice lounge.
I like this! I feel like there should be more of these individual hotels reviewed in such detail.