Checking In to the Williamsburg Hotel in Brooklyn

With the same design team responsible for Soho House Berlin and Babington House in the UK, The Williamsburg Hotel is one of the chicest new hotels in New York City. The hotel has become a hot spot for the neighbourhood with a local bar, restaurant, rooftop pool and incredible views toward Manhattan.

Checking In: The Williamsburg Hotel

Checking in to The Williamsburg Hotel has been on my list since it opened in January 2017, now approaching its second year of operation in one of New York’s trendiest neighbourhoods. Aptly named after the neighbourhood in which it resides, The Williamsburg Hotel pays tribute to the industrious history of the neighbourhood while bringing a 1920’s Gatsby flair to their interior design (think playful teals mixed with rich burnt oranges, textures on overdrive and endless hints of brass).

The hotel houses 150 rooms over 8 floors and for the best room views you’re going to want to be on the 6th floor or higher with a room facing Manhattan. Many of the rooms have a private balcony to take in the views, so be sure to pick the right room!

The Williamsburg Hotel Room Review

For our stay we checked in to a Queen Terrace room with a view towards Manhattan. The rooms are extremely small so be sure to consider a larger room if you have lots of bags (as we did!) or prefer a bit more space. Visiting during October the weather can be pretty hot and cold, so if you strike out on luck and get a streak of bad weather then you may be spending more time indoors than planned!

The interior design is undeniably the standout feature of the rooms, with teal subway tiling in the bathroom, brass finishings, textured walls and luxe linens. The hotel also has some great additions for guests, including free rental bikes to explore the neighbourhood, a free tuk-tuk chauffeur service drop-off in the area and daily coffee + newspapers at the lobby for guests.

Around the Hotel

If you love the look of the hotel and want to visit without staying, there are a few public spaces you can enjoy during the day and into the evening. The hotel’s central bar is an instagram snap waiting to happen, while the restaurant offers a low-key dinner vibe with live jazz in the evenings. The hotel also has a rooftop pool that opened recently, complete with views toward Manhattan.

The Neighbourhood: Highlights of Williamsburg

One of the biggest draw-cards to this hotel is its’ location in Williamsburg, one of NYC’s most happening neighbourhoods. There are oodles of restaurants, bars, boutiques and viewpoints to be discovered in Williamsburg, with the below highlights not to be missed:

Lilia

If we could pick just one must visit restaurant in the neighbourhood, this would be it. The food is delicious, service is fast and friendly and the space is the kind of place you could spend a few hours with a date or group of friends in a relaxed setting.

567 Union Avenue

Joe’s Pizza

If you’re after something way (WAY) more relaxed, drop in to Joe’s Pizza on Bedford Ave for what we’d say is the best pizza in Williamsburg.

216 Bedford Ave

Sweatshop

This little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop is where you’ll get the best brew in town. Australian baristas are all too ready to make your double shot latte and if you can’t grab a seat (there are only a few), grab it to go and take a walk around the neighbourhood.

232 Metropolitan Ave

Sunday in Brooklyn

As the name suggests, Sunday in Brooklyn is the perfect place to perch yourself for a brunch in Brooklyn.

348 Wythe Ave

Butler Baker Shop

Not only do Butler have a range of baked goodies ready to indulge in or grab-and-go, they also do a pretty mean coffee, too.

95 S 5th Street

The Williamsburg Bridge 

Making your way over to Manhattan during your stay? Consider ditching the metro for at least one of your journeys and making the trek over the Williamsburg Bridge for some of the best views of Manhattan from across the river.

DUMBO

Don’t forget to take the chance to visit DUMBO! This neighbourhood is full of great eateries, boutiques, and of course, is home to that instagram photo spot looking toward the Brooklyn Bridge.

A very warm thank you to The Williamsburg Hotel for welcoming me for this short stay!