The Penny is one of only several premium hotels in Brooklyn. And of course, it’s in Williamsburg.
Brooklyn’s most attractive neighbourhood for trendy locals and visitors hogs the lion’s share of Brooklyn’s best hotels, while a few others are located over in Dumbo. There’s reason for this. You won’t find luxury hotels in Bushwick (yet) or even Park Slope. But Williamsburg is the obvious choice, with its healthy spread of cocktail and wine bars, restaurants, pizza shops and innumerous boutiques. Though most of New York City’s luxury hotels are in Manhattan, there’s a strong case for Williamsburg having the most charming new properties.
None of these are old, historic hotels in buildings with much of a story behind them. The Penny certainly isn’t. From the exterior, this 117-hotel room looks rather uneventful and sterile. Inside, however, it’s a completely different story with clever, colourful design and a real sense of community and inclusivity.
You also have some of the most comfortable dog-friendly hotel rooms in the area, designed like your typical boutique-minded property full of energy and art, echoing the area’s achingly hip reputation.
Location
Perhaps the strongest tick in The Penny’s favour is it location. You aren’t on the busy strip of Williamsburg but not so far that walking home feels risky either. You’re in Williamsburg, not overwhelmed by it, and that’s important seeing as most of the area’s hotels are clustered together on the one strip.
The Penny is where you should stay when you also want some privacy to go with a night or two in Williamsburg.
It’s also in just the right position that the stunning rooftop bar, the Mexican-accented ElNico, offers a perspective of Manhattan that’s every bit as impressive as Westlight or Harriet’s Rooftop.
In terms of transport, The Penny has got plenty of convenience packed in for guests. You’re only a mere five minute walk from Lorimer Street subway station, which is where the L and G trains leave from. You can also walk just as quickly to Bedford Avenue for the L train. This makes it super easy to get in and out of both Manhattan and Queens, the former in just 10 minutes.
And then there’s plenty of places to cycle around should the mood strike. Borrow a bike from the hotel and pedal down to McCarren Park or the breezy Marsha P. Johnson State Park.
Design
The Penny does not look like a Manhattan hotel. There’s no dramatic lobby, not a single chandelier. There’s no sense that A-listers have walked through this tight, shop-like lobby. On first impressions, The Penny isn’t as impressive as you’d hope with its very casual, approachable reception area that only really gets any personality from local art.
The hotel admirably works with local non-profits, LAND Gallery and Pure Vision Arts, to curate its very diverse art collection. Most of these pieces are by New Yorkers have developmental disabilities, giving the hotel a real sense of purpose as it reaches out to better connect with the local community.
This obviously not only has a profoundly important social benefit, stepping into a space that commercial galleries only flirt with when it suits them, but that connection is felt by guests. When it comes to hotels, I always talk about why picking a property with a sense of place is super important to help you get the most out of your trip. The Penny has no such sense of place if we’re speaking geographically; it’s just a rather inconsequential building on a quiet Williamsburg street.
The sense of place is felt with the art.
Rooms
Rooms are clean and comfortable with polished hardwood floors and clever pops of colour. My Queen is narrow rather than wide, shooting through to the single window facing a heritage red brick building. The bed is squeezed under the window to create a resting nook, with the TV at the foot of the bed and a panel with all the connections you need near the bed head.
I’m 6″1 and only just fit comfortably in the nook. Taller people might have a hard time, seeing as your feet have nowhere to go. Still, the bed is supremely comfortable with premium Bellino linens that are both breathable and incredibly warm.
It’s a smart use of space, but still can feel cramped if you have too much luggage. It’s the kind of room that forces you to be tidy, but if you work it right, it’s perfectly comfortable and feels like a great base for longer term stays in New York. Plus, those technicolour cloud robes are just fun to laze around and do work in.
Just about all information you’ll need, from restaurant menus to local tips and tricks, has been written down and print on leaflets of various shapes, sizes and colours. All of them are pegged to a board in your room, giving you a nice little functional visual element that adds plenty of vibrancy to the room.
Food & Drink
There are interestingly no breakfast options at The Penny. Instead, you have a cart next to reception where you grab-and-go complimentary burritos and pastries. This not only flows seamlessly from the hotel’s commitment to community, but it’s a great value add for anyone who spend most of their budget on the hotel room.
The hotel does do lunch and dinner, however. And they do it beautifully.
The rooftop bar, ElNico, looks like a deconstructed modern art gallery with its poppy colourful carpets and dazzling sculptures. While The Penny is rather austere in its design for the common spaces, this bar and restaurant is fun, quirky and instantly memorable. And that’s not just because of the view.
Beautiful, fresh flavours are evident with clean dishes like the $21 beet salad with thin beetroot curled into an attractive heap, then flavoured with pink mole, fennel, kumquat and pine nut. It’s beautiful, slightly textural, and exactly what I need after a few nights dialing in Williamsburg’s excessive lifestyle.
Gorgeous $18 carnitas drip with flavour, the churros are actually worth getting, and the perfectly textured Spanish octopus comes as a full tentacle with xnipec, garlic foam and potato chips. It’s brilliant, meaty and just soft enough.
With ElNico as its heavy hitter, The Penny is clearly just as loved by locals as guests.
Amenities
Amenities are lacking with such a small hotel. A lot of fat has been shaved off to keep prices reasonable, but you don’t need much else than ElNico with its optimistically bright, intensely likeable design and friendly service. There’s no gym or spa, but do you honestly need a gym in a city as tirelessly walkable than New York?
Service
Bright and professional without the stuffiness. The Penny’s staff are clearly trained in how a luxury hotel should work, and that pro-active service is best, but there’s no fawnish need to overindulge you during your stay. If so desired, you could conceivably not talk to a single soul after you check in. But it’s nice to know they’re always ready to spring with local suggestions if need be.
Value
The Penny is as effortlessly cool as Williamsburg itself. As such, it’s the perfect representation for such a neighbourhood, laid-back and genuinely interested in being part of the community while still style, upmarket and playful. According to Google you’re looking at around US$430 a night here, which would be considered punchy anywhere other than New York City.
Keep in mind that Williamsburg is no longer the accessible hipster haven it once was. It’s pretty much the Manhattan of Brooklyn, with a strong sense of commercialism papered over the edge. If you want edge, go to Ridgewood or Bushwick. Williamsburg is upmarket now, so I think the price point is fine for what you get. Plus, it’s not like you’re staying far from Manhattan either.
FOUR STARS
The Penny
Address: 288 N 8th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211,
Contact: +1 929-594-2020
The author flew to New York City on Delta Air Lines and explored the city as a guest of NYC Tourism.
