The street-level store marquee located in Bedford Avenue in the northern part of the hip Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., relayed a sentiment which would appear unimaginable on the other side of the East River:
"Relax. We're open."
Brooklyn provides somehow a slower pace and smaller scale for visitors both familiar to and escaping from the warp speed of Manhattan. As a result, hotel development in the past few years reflects what is becoming more of a prime destination.
In Williamsburg, the McCarren Hotel & Pool opened across the street from McCarren Park in 2011, while the modern and towering William Vale hotel debuted last month, which is located one block west.
Visiting to the McCarren will make people experience the laid-back vibe of the area. The 64-room hotel change its name in 2013 and was recently part of local hotelier Ed Scheetz's Chelsea Hotels group. The façade of the hotel is glass and splashy and it softens its atmosphere upon entry to its green, funky lobby.
On a sunny day, the vibe becomes downright Vegas-like, with a multilevel pool area emphasized by blues, yellows and a healthy dose of salmon hues. However, on a Friday afternoon, it's certainly an absolute scene.
Built in 1901 as a textile factory, Wythe Hotel is more cosmopolitan now. It was redeveloped into a 70-room hotel in 2012 with an industrial-chic design motif that has since been adopted by various boutique hotels and a few chains.
The well-known restaurant Reynard features rooms with 15-foot-high ceilings, beds made of reclaimed wood and poured-concrete floors. According to Travel Weekly, the place offer views of the Manhattan skyline, while guests in lower-level rooms can check out the vintage signs painted on the side of the brick building next door.
Other newer hotels mirror a borough that is playing catch-up to Manhattan in terms of hotel development. While Manhattan has around as many hotels in its area, 70, as were opened during the past two years, Brooklyn's pipeline of 29 hotels is more than three times the eight that have opened in that borough since 2014, as told by NYC & Company which is the city's tourism bureau.
Watch the video below to witness how Williamsburg, Brooklyn New York continue to prove how it has the hottest hotels in the world:
