Hotel is New York cool
Barry Divola finds The Hoxton, in the heart of Brooklyn, strikes the balance between style and unpretentiousness.
The Hoxton, Williamsburg. This first US outpost of the English Hoxton brand opened in September 2018, smack-bang in the middle of the hottest hotel row in Brooklyn, on Wythe St in hip Williamsburg. With stellar views across the East River of the Manhattan skyline, it’s a short walk to the Bedford Ave stop of the L train, which is just one stop from the city. Chances are you’ll be going against traffic if you leave, as Williamsburg has become one of New York’s most desirable go-to neighbourhoods for bars, cafes, restaurants and boutiques. Everything about The Hoxton speaks to its Brooklyn surrounds. The signage is unobtrusive. The style is industrial chic but welcoming rather than austere. The lobby is a designer’s dream of expertly mismatched furnishings, populated by creatives, cool things and locals who drop in to hang out, browse the free newspapers, tap on laptops and sip espresso and nibble snacks from the on-site cafe. Off the reception area is the Apartment, a meeting and events space with a series of rooms built around a shared kitchen.
Take your choice of Cosy, Cosy with a View, or Roomy. All feature king-size beds, raw concrete ceilings and brass fittings. Everything is proudly Brooklyn – the ceramics; the bed linen (by Dusan Dusan); even the book selections in each room are selected by local group, Hox Friends. There’s free milk and bottled water in the fridge and, if you hang a paper bag on a hook outside your room at night, in the morning it will be filled with an onthe-go breakfast of banana, orange juice and a breakfast pot of steel cut oats and dried fruits. Food is a major focus of The Hoxton due to Brightside Hospitality, a union between Brooklyn restaurateurs Jud Mongell of Five Leaves and Zeb Stewart of Cafe Colette and Union Pool. Klein’s is the main restaurant that spills from a chef bar to a dining room to a terrace, specialising in Americana-style dishes. I ate superb seared king salmon and a strawberry cheesecake sundae. The Backyard is a casual eatery with nachos, chilli dogs and ping-pong tables. At Summerly, you can eat New England-inspired seafood, such as lobster rolls, on the rooftop while gazing at Manhattan. You’re in the heart of the most happening neighbourhood in New York. Literally around the corner, you can drink great beer at Brooklyn Brewery, knock down ten pins and dance your heart out at Brooklyn Bowl, shop for sounds at Rough Trade, and eat your way around the hottest outdoor food market in New York at Smorgasburg. On Bedford Ave and most of its cross streets you can bar-hop, dine, shop and hipster-watch, or wander further north to Greenpoint, a mix of old Polish neighbourhood and young, cool New York.
What’s not to love? The Hoxton is a breath of fresh air that is in a perfect position, the staff are welcoming and helpful, and the place hits just the right balance between style and unpretentiousness.
97 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, New York. From
US$149 ($220) plus taxes. See thehoxton.com. Guests get one hour of free calls from their room phone each day. Yes, including international calls. Gym junkies and spa lovers are out of luck, as The Hoxton has neither. But there are four bikes for free use and if you simply have to work out, the hotel has partnered with nearby Chalk Gym to offer an all-day pass. And hey, you’re in New York. Walk, already!
The writer was a guest of the Hoxton and Brand USA.