The Hoxton, Williamsburg – Hotel Review

The Hoxton is the latest addition to a thriving hotel strip on the Williamsburg waterfront. It feels more considered than some of its flashier neighbours, from the discrete signage to the welcoming lobby with tastefully mismatched furniture inhabited by creatives and locals sipping espresso. The 175-room property is on the site of the former Rosenbach factory that built New York’s iconic wooden water towers. That sense of local design flows through the hotel – subway-style bathroom tiles, book collections in each room curated by Brooklyn-ites and classic Manhattan skyline views from your bed.

The location

The Hoxton is in the heart of the hip Brooklyn neighbourhood of Williamsburg, just one stop from Manhattan on the L train. Nearby Bedford Avenue and its cross streets are packed with bars, cafés, restaurants and cool stores. Within blocks you can drink at Brooklyn Brewery, dance at Brooklyn Bowl and eat your way around Smorgasburg, New York’s hottest outdoor gourmet food market.

The rooms

There’s nothing stuffy or staid about The Hoxton’s rooms, created by Ennismore Design Studio. Even their category names are charming – Cosy; Cosy With A View; Roomy. The look is industrial chic, with raw concrete ceilings, brass fittings and dark wood. Brooklyn locals are featured throughout, from the ceramics to the bed linen (by Dusen Dusen) to the books chosen by participants in the Hox Friends project. The windows in some rooms perfectly frame the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. Oh, and there’s free bottled water and milk in the fridge.

Food and drink

Klein’s (pictured above) is the main restaurant that spills from a chef bar to a dining room to a terrace, and specialises in Americana-style dishes. Try the superb seared King salmon and a strawberry cheesecake sundae. The Backyard is a casual eatery with nachos, chili dogs and ping-pong tables. And at Summerly you can eat New England-inspired seafood such as lobster rolls on the rooftop while gazing at Manhattan. Feel like an on-the-go breakfast in the morning? Hang a paper bag on a hook outside your door at night – in the morning it will be filled with a banana, orange juice and a breakfast pot of steel cut oats and dried fruits.

For business travellers

The Apartment is a meeting and events space with a series of rooms built around a shared pantry kitchen to encourage hanging out with like-minded people. Bookings are open to guests and locals to do business, hold meetings or even have parties.

For wellness travellers

There’s no gym or spa at The Hoxton. The philosophy of the hotel is that they want you to meet up with other guests in the common areas and then get out and about to explore Brooklyn and beyond. With that said, there are four bikes for free use (book early). And if you really need to work out, hotel guests are given use of nearby Chalk Gym with a $15 day pass.

The fab factor

Guests get one hour of free calls from their room phone each day. Yes, including international calls. 

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