Brooklyn bound: The William Vale hotel review

Williamsburg, which sits across the East River from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, is buzzing with cool bars, boutiques and eateries as well as an ever-burgeoning cultural scene – the neighbourhood is considered by many to have one of the best budding art scenes in America. And slap-bang in the middle is The William Vale hotel, a daring example of modernist sculptural architecture and a fitting landmark for New York’s trendiest area

More of a super-stylish ‘urban resort’ than your classic luxury hotel, The William Vale rises from Brooklyn’s bedrock like a cubic spaceship on stilts, its futuristic vibe offset by the truss-like structure on the bottom half of the 22-storey building - a nod to the area’s many bridges and industrial towers.

Designed by Brooklyn architects Albo Liberis, the hotel is the tallest high-rise in these parts and offers panoramic views of NYC. Guest rooms – 183 in total, all located on the 11th floor and above – are on the soft side
of contemporary minimalism and ooze chic urban luxury: imagine crisp white linens, slate-grey soft furnishings, and tastefully curated abstract artworks (all by Brooklyn-based artists). Each room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony, meaning everyone gets a slice of one of the world’s most Instagrammable skylines.

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Manhattan is a 10-minute cab ride away, but there’s every chance you’ll want to hang out at Vale Park, the hotel’s 1,400m2 elevated green ‘promenade’, complete with shiny 1974 Airstream trailer serving gourmet burgers; there’s also the irresistible summertime draw of The William Vale’s 18m pool, the longest of its kind in Brooklyn.

Poolside catering comes from award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini, a man with his own empire of top trattorias, including Tribeca’s Locanda Verde, and a virtuoso when it comes to Southern Italian dishes with a modern twist. Carmellini also heads up the hotel’s main restaurant on the ground floor, Leuca, which has a reputation for opulent pasta dishes and wood-fired pizzas.

Creativity comes with the territory in Williamsburg, so it stands to reason that the hotel runs a busy cultural calendar with many events at the Westlight rooftop bar, including arthouse movie screenings, cabaret shows and pop-up club nights. This summer, don’t miss the new Brooklyn Beer Garden as the Westlight adds local craft brews to its drinks menu. Chow down on a Korean chilli dog and enjoy the view.

Rooms start from $450 per night, plus taxes; thewilliamvale.com