550 Route 1 South, Newark, New Jersey, United States | (618) 248-8274
Three miles from Newark Airport with free 24-hour shuttle service
Rooms and lobby renovated in 2015
Rooms include flat-screen TVs and free bottled water
On-site restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
24-hour grab-and-go snack stand and convenience store
Seasonal outdoor pool and small fitness center
Business center equipped with several desktop computers, printers, and fax machine
10,000 square feet of meeting space
Free parking and Wi-Fi
Uncomfortable mattresses
Signs of wear and tear throughout the hotel, despite renovations
Slow Wi-Fi
Restaurant’s food is mediocre
Bland chain hotel decor
About three miles from Newark Airport, the 349-room Wyndham Garden Hotel Newark Airport is an average sleep-and-fly kind of place with a few nice amenities. Updated in 2015, the rooms and lobby look refreshed, but still feature chain-like decor with little personality. There are a seasonal outdoor pool, a small gym, a business center, and an on-site convenience store. The mid-range hotel offers a free 24-hour shuttle to Newark Airport. For those looking for something a little more filling than muffins and yogurt, the on-site Starlight Restaurant and Lounge serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the food is mediocre at best. Check rates at the comparable Ramada Plaza Newark Liberty International Airport, with many of the same features plus Keurig coffeemakers in the rooms.
Scene
A busy airport hotel
Just across the highway from Newark Airport, the Wyndham sees the typical comings and goings of an airport hotel. Guests are constantly getting picked up and dropped off by the hotel’s free airport shuttle, and it seems as though there’s a constant stream of luggage being wheeled across the lobby’s tiled floor. Renovated in 2015, the lobby has an updated feel, with clean lines and gray hues. Seating is provided at tall communal tables with high-back chairs. The many travelers arriving at odd hours will likely appreciate the 24-hour snack stand, which sells items like pre-packaged sandwiches, muffins, granola bars, and an assortment of coffee products.
Location
On a busy highway, across from Newark Airport
Located on Route 1 South just across the highway from Newark Airport, it can take anywhere from five to 10 minutes to drive from the hotel to the terminals. Besides the airport, there aren’t any attractions in the immediate area. Downtown Newark is about a 15-minute drive, while Midtown Manhattan is about a 25- to 30-minute drive.
Rooms
Renovated in 2015, but still bland and chain-like
Renovated in early 2015, rooms at the Wyndham Garden Hotel feel refreshed, with updated bedding and warm golden tones. Despite the renovations, beds in all of the rooms remain terribly uncomfortable. Generic black-and-white photographs of New York City hang on the walls, and the furniture is rather chain-like and bland. Each room has ample desk space, with multiple outlets and ergonomic desk chairs -- a nice touch for business travelers. Amenities, such as flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, free bottled water, and safes are standard in all rooms. Guests looking to upgrade to a suite will have separate living and sleeping areas. Bathrooms are typically small, with standard shower/tub combos and white tile. Most rooms overlook the parking lot or the airport runway, but some overlook the pool and interior courtyard. Despite the renovations, there are still signs of wear and tear throughout the rooms, like leaky air conditioners and doors that don’t open and close properly.
Features
Free airport shuttle, seasonal outdoor pool, and Starlight Restaurant and Lounge
Like most airport hotels in the area, the Wyndham Garden Hotel offers a free 24-hour shuttle to and from the airport. Unlike most other hotels in the area, the Wyndham has an outdoor pool and an on-site restaurant. The seasonal outdoor pool, while not large, is atypical for the area, and is a nice perk for anyone stuck in New Jersey during one of its terribly humid summers. The on-site restaurant, Starlight Restaurant and Lounge, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the food is mediocre at best. Guests looking for lighter fare can stop by the lobby’s 24-hour grab-and-go snack stand or pop into the hotel’s on-site convenience store that also doubles as a gift shop. There’s a small gym with a few treadmills, bikes, and free weights, as well as a business center equipped with desktop computers (both Macs and personal computers), printers, and a fax machine. The Wyndham has over 10,000 square feet of meeting space, including a ballroom that can accommodate 150 people. There are free parking in the hotel’s front lot and free Wi-Fi, but it can be dreadfully slow.