Greenwashing is far too common these days. Shallow attempts at being eco-conscious are expected of just about every business now, and not all of them rise above the bare minimum.
I’m cynical about it. I’ve heard the sustainability tagline thousands of times over. But there’s something about the 1 Hotel brand that’s hooked me. Its sustainability efforts are a cut above anything I’ve seen from other upscale hotels, there’s a clear focus on giving guests a holistic wellness experience, and it stands tall amongst the city’s most penetrative luxury properties.
A hotel brand that shows guests you don’t have to compromise to be eco-conscious is important, especially since inspiration is the most effective sustainability initiative.
Based on biophilic design principles, the 1 Hotel brand was started by CEO of Starwood Capital Group, Barry Sternlicht, who shaped two of the biggest brands in the industry. One, the classic luxury of St Regis. Second, the modern lifestyle-focused luxury of W Hotels.
But 1 stands apart from all of these, centring sustainability with a commitment to using raw, natural and upcycled materials to connect guests with the land and gently echo the importance of working with nature, rather than against it. It’s also a great example of the extensively studied psychological benefits of biophilic design, immersing guests in spaces designed to reduce stress and inspire proper, full, restorative rest.
Location
You’ll find 1 Hotel Brooklyn in Dumbo. As the name indicates, the 194-room property is within spitting distance of Brooklyn Bridge, giving it a unique vantage point. Head up to the hotel’s lightning-shaped rooftop pool for panoramic views of the Lower Manhattan skyline. With the iconic bridge in the vista, 1 Hotel Brooklyn might offer the most impressive view in a city renowned for impressive views.
The property is located on the edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park, surrounded by an incredible amount of greenery that’s brighter and more verdant than the rest of the park.
The reason for this? The hotel’s roof has a bespoke rainwater collection system that is then donated to the park for sustainable irrigation. Looking down at the surroundings from the rooftop, it’s not hard to see just how prosperous the immediate area around the hotel is.
That said, construction was heavy when I stayed earlier this year, with a park extension ensuring my otherwise picture-perfect view was flecked with machinery and hard harts.
But it’s hard to be disappointed with convenience like this. The hotel sits along the waterfront, just a pedestrian bridge away from the homely brownstone of Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo’s best restaurants including the tiny Lucky Rabbit Noodles, with its unique matzo ball soup dumplings, popular pizza restaurant Juliana’s, and the Time Out Market.
You’re only a five-minute walk from the Dumbo-Fulton ferry, which takes just minutes to reach Lower Manhattan, and a short shuffle to A, C, 2 and 3 trains.
Most people who stay in Brooklyn wouldn’t be New York first-timers. Big Apple virgins would want to plonk themselves in a swanky Midtown Manhattan hotel and reap all the rewards. But 1 Hotel Brooklyn makes a strong case for Dumbo as a base. Again, you’re only minutes from Manhattan and Dumbo is quieter, cooler and – from my experience – incredibly safe.
Brooklyn Bridge Park also has plenty of converted wharves that have been turned into unique caged outdoor sporting arenas. The hotel’s design will inspire you to run or walk in nature, so you might as well add some competitive sport to the mix.
Design
Rubber from a roof in upstate New York made its way down to the hotel when it was first built, inspiring Brooklyn artist Jarrod Beck to create a site-specific work, OVEREACHOTHER, that sits behind the stately reception desk. The draped rubber strips were taken from the rooftop of a retail store damaged by a tornado in 2014. Beck conceived the work as a homage to the chaos of nature and its dominion over man-made architecture. We must accept nature, bring it into our lives, and work with it.
That’s the concept of 1 Hotels writ large in an oversized, thoroughly impressive lobby that mixes industrial furnishings and earthy tones with cleverly placed greenery. A 7-8 metre living wall not only defines the lobby but also sets the tone for the rest of the property with abundant plant life and avant-garde references to the natural environment.
And then you’ve got the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge, satisfying New York City’s throughline of blending the natural with the unnatural in a way that’s unique to the concrete jungle.
Beck isn’t the only artist to make a statement in this lobby. Local Rachel Mica Weiss interestingly took 6,000 pounds of hammered and shaped obsidian rocks, placing them near the Brooklyn Bridge-inspired staircase to signify the many distinctive black stones that line Brooklyn Bridge Park. Everything here has a purpose, and the friendly hotel staff are more than willing to tell each story.
In total, more than half of the entire new-build hotel was constructed using reclaimed materials. This not only plays into sustainability, but it gives the hotel a rich story to tell so guests feel a deeper connection to New York. Usually, this sense of place is reserved for heritage gems like The Plaza and The Pierre. New builds generally don’t afford those stories, which breaks the connection with location. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge’s way of working New York’s history into the hotel is outstanding.
Rooms
My Bridge King Room, like the lobby, is a brilliant example of biophilic design. Reclaimed wood bed frames, organic cotton mattresses, and a filtration system pouring high-quality filtered drinking water. This is a sanctuary, and while it’s not the largest room, at 27 square metres, the design is comfortable and utilises space well. The flat picture window even converts into a makeshift balcony so you can welcome the gentle breeze in while you sleep.
Sustainability is far from a buzzword here and 1 Hotel’s smaller details, like hangers made from recycled paper and a coaster, gently encouraging guests to consider donating clothes if they’ve overpacked, really help the brand feel authentic and important.
Higher category rooms, including suites, mostly play on size and include other fun design details. The top-tier suite even has a sightly hammock swinging by the window so you can rest while watching New York spring to life throughout the day.
Food & Drink
Although the 1 is a beautiful beast when it comes to design, that’s not the only thing to love about this Brooklyn hotel. Australia’s very own Dan Churchill runs the show at The Osprey, the hotel’s stunning ground-floor restaurant that’s every bit as green and buzzy as the lobby.
Here, Churchill brings Australia’s love of fresh, seasonal produce and farm-to-table provenance to Brooklyn with a menu of clean, healthy dishes. On my visit, a crispy skin salmon was served exactly how you’d get it at a fine diner in Sydney, and a buttery, perfect Australian Chardonnay helped it rest well on the palate. With so many of New York’s best restaurants getting by with heavy, indulgent dishes, it’s a nice change to dial in those clean, fresh flavours that feel seamlessly aligned with the rest of the hotel.
Harriet’s is two rooftop bars split by style. Up top, you’ve got a rowdy open-air cocktail in an angular space, with its menu of upscale (mostly Japanese) bar bites and more party-minded cocktails. It sits around the corner from that aforementioned rooftop pool – easily one of the best in New York (although be warned, it’s kid-friendly).
Then one floor below you’ve got Harriet’s Lounge, a more stylish cocktail lounge surrounded by glass windows to maximise the view. Regular live music and DJs play here on most nights and the cocktails are generally much more sophisticated and mature than the buzzy concoctions upstairs.
Amenities
One thing I didn’t try during my stay was the on-site Bamford Wellness Spa. The sprawling 464 square metre space is a collection of upmarket treatment rooms, flotation therapy, infrared saunas and other modern wellness tech in case your spirit needs a top-up. Plenty of celebrities are regulars at 1 Hotel Brooklyn, so you’d hope they have an appropriately high-end spa to match.
The 24-7 fitness centre sits not far from the spa, as well-stocked as you’d expect from a hotel of this calibre. Weekly “Mind & Movement” fitness classes are offered to guests.
Service
Bright, friendly and spirited. 1 Hotel Brooklyn’s staff are a young, hip crowd mirroring Dumbo’s unquestionable cool factor. They’re a helpful bunch too, always slinging me casual suggestions on where to go and asking me how my day was. The service up on the roof felt like I was amongst old school friends, exemplifying the level of service that elevates the guest experience like nothing else can.
If you need to head out nearby, the team will usher you to the property’s house car, a fully electric Audi A8 e-tron that’ll take you anywhere within a 3-4 mile radius.
Value
According to Google, a night at this 10-storey hotel is quite punchy – around US$630 a night. That’s hardly a surprise once you step inside, however. As approachable and warm the 1 is, it’s inaccessible for most reasonable budgets. Especially since the Aussie dollar is in shambles.
>What do you get for such a high price? Well, just one night here is not nearly enough. This is the kind of hotel you’d want to spend a few nights in, especially since everyone falls in love with the location. That means you’re looking at a couple of grand for a few nights, especially if you want to make the most of this hotel and its many amenities.
But you’re also witnessing what I think is the hotel brand of the future. And no, I’m not being paid to write that. But being immersed in such a beautifully conceived property, blanketed by immaculate service and views you’ll want to pack up and take home with your forever. Having that kind of experience I’d say is worth saving up for.
Although you won’t necessarily have to go to New York City to experience the 1 Hotel brand. The group is opening Australia’s first 1 Hotel in Melbourne in 2025.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
Address: 60 Furman St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Contact: +1 347-696-2500
The author flew to New York City on Delta Air Lines and explored the city as a guest of NYC Tourism.
