Hotel Review: Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel – Elizabeth, NJ

by joeheg

I’ve already shared the story of how I was able to fly to New Jersey for the night so I could attend my elementary school reunion. I also shared how I ended up picking a hotel so I could use the free night from Sharon’s Marriott Business credit card.

How was the hotel I booked with my free night certificate and would the room have been worth the $300 price they were charging for a night when I was staying there?

Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel
1000 Spring Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07201

The Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel would have cost $300 or 25,000 Marriott Rewards points for a one night stay. I used my free night certificate from the Marriott Business credit card, which costs $99 a year.

The hotel is located across Highways 1&9 from Newark Airport. There’s a shuttle to the airport but since I needed to rent a car for my stay, I chose to park at the hotel, which cost me $16 for the night. It was a 5-10 minute drive but I’d suggest using a map application as the roads around Newark can be confusing to those not accustomed to New Jersey traffic signs.

Check In

I arrived quite early, around noon. Upon getting to the hotel, I was told my room was not ready as the hotel was fully booked the night before. I asked the front desk if I could store some items in their refrigerator until my room was ready. Part of the reason of the trip was so I could bring some some pierogi and pizza from New Jersey. They had no problem with this request.

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I returned after having lunch with my uncle at Jose Tejas, one of the restaurants Sharon and I will purposely travel to so we can eat there, and checked into my room. Since Sharon’s a Marriott Platinum, I received a room on the top floor, right next to the club lounge.

The Room

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The room was located on the 10th floor, around the corner from the elevators and across the hall from the club lounge. Since I was only staying for the night, it was sufficient for my needs.

The room had a hallway entry with a closet and the bathroom along the right side.

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The bathroom was a decent size, with a pedestal sink, toilet and a bath/shower combination with the highest shower head I’ve ever seen.

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I mean I understand some people are tall but I’m six feet tall and this thing was way over my head.

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The king size bed was plenty big for just me and I was glad I had a nightstand regardless of which side of the bed I decided to sleep on.

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The room had a comfortable desk and chair, something missing from many hotels nowadays. I was able to get work done with no problems, using the premium Wi-Fi. I can’t comment on the TV as I almost never turn it on when away from the house.

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A good part of the cabinet space in the room was taken up by the in-room safe. I know how unsafe these safes are, so I kept my computer with me for the entire stay.

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Final Thoughts

The Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel was nice. All of the hotel staff I dealt with were polite (a rarity for New Jersey) and the room was clean and quiet considering it was across the street from the airport. Since my room only cost $99 plus $16 for parking, it was a great value. If I were paying for the room, I’d consider one of the other hotels in the area.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

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