NEW YORK—The Williamsburg Hotel opens its doors with a warm welcome to guests and locals alike in the heart of Brooklyn’s vibrant neighborhood. Located at the prime corner of Wythe Ave and North 10th St., this eight-story, 150-room Heritage Equity Partners development will open in phases, beginning with its richly tiled-and-textured guestrooms and classy-cozy lobby bar. This winter, the highly anticipated Harvey restaurant by Chef Adam Leonti will make its debut followed by a rooftop pool, water tower bar, and the neighborhood’s first grand ballroom.
The Williamsburg Hotel was designed by Michaelis Boyd (Soho House Berlin, Babington House UK) with a nod to the neighborhood’s industrial past by using brick, glass, and Corten steel in its construction. The dramatic entrance through cascading stairs leads into a soaring bar whose art installation stops you in your tracks. Street artist Eric Rieger has strung thousands of strands of multi-colored yarn which crowns the bar. Other design highlights include custom toile-inspired wallpaper designed by Beastie Boy Mike Diamond featuring quintessential Brooklyn scenes and figures—from a Nathan’s Famous hot dog to a group of Hasidic Jewish men, to the late Notorious B.I.G.
Guestrooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows with Manhattan, Brooklyn, and East River views and design schemes vary from white-washed timber walls to deep grey distressed finishes with bespoke leather, brass, marble, and textured details at every turn. Rooms are thoughtfully designed with elements like a sitting table doubling as a tray for room service and open-windowed showers to create a loft-like space.
With Heritage Equity Partners at the helm, The Williamsburg Hotel comes complete with a true Brooklyn soul. Led by Toby Moskovits and Michael Lichtenstein, the development firm has been a major player in Brooklyn real estate for decades with family roots in the area. “Our goal was to create a hotel that embodies Williamsburg. I grew up here and Brooklyn is in my DNA, so it was important to construct a hotel not only for guests, but also for the neighborhood,” says Toby Moskovits, CEO of Heritage Equity Partners. “We wanted to bring a bit of elegance to Brooklyn, while still being warm and welcoming.”
The Williamsburg Hotel will set a new standard for service (and style) in Brooklyn. Staff is decked-out in custom uniforms by renowned design duo Ovadia & Sons (the first hotel partnership for the two); the property’s elevated, Brooklynized version of Afternoon Tea is led by their in-house Tea Director, and bath amenities are handmade in Brooklyn by the small batch factory, Apotheke. The neighborhood’s first hotel branded tuk tuk is complimentary and available for guests in need of rides around town or drop-off at the nearby L or G subway stops.
Harvey, a grain and vegetable-focused restaurant by Chef Adam Leonti, former chef de cuisine at Vetri in Philadelphia, will open next month on the hotel’s lobby level. Building upon the success of his recent pop-up, Brooklyn Bread Lab, Chef Leonti will focus on freshly milled grains for pastas, breads and pastries. A special daily selection of local meat and fish will continue the agricultural story seeded at the lab. Harvey will also provide room service for guests and Leonti will sell to-go flour and bread from the hotel’s bar.
Later this year, a rooftop pool and three distinct bars, including a private bar for hotel guests, a subterranean lounge, and a replica water tower bar honoring the block’s historic wooden water tower factory, will open. The neighborhood’s first grand ballroom with soaring 30-foot ceilings, will accommodate up to 400 guests for events, galas, and weddings.
