Review: The William Vale hotel in Brooklyn
When The William Vale opened in 2016 on the corner of Wythe Avenue and North 12th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the 22-story glass and concrete hotel replaced a series of low-slung factory buildings that had defined the neighborhood’s landscape for decades. Now, The William Vale is part of a hotel row in northern Williamsburg along with the Wythe Hotel, the Arlo Williamsburg and The Hoxton, Williamsburg that are all within a few blocks of one another. What makes this upscale hotel stand out among its neighbors is the Manhattan skyline views it showcases from floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies in all its rooms.
Of course, the public is also welcome to enjoy the sky-high scenery from the popular Westlight rooftop bar or the cozy southern Italian fare at chef Andrew Carmellini’s Leuca on the ground floor.
While the buzzy restaurants, bars and shops of both Greenpoint and Williamsburg are at the hotel’s doorstep, locals looking for a retreat from city life are also inclined to hole up by the fourth-floor pool during a staycation and not leave the property until the weekend is over.
Here’s what staying at The William Vale is like and how to make the most of a weekend there.
Getting to The William Vale
Located on the border of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg and Greenpoint neighborhoods, The William Vale is at the corner of North 12th Street and Wythe Avenue, just a few blocks from the East River waterfront.
The closest airport is New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA); it’s about 30 to 35 minutes away by car in heavy traffic, and a taxi or ride-hailing service to the hotel costs around $60 to $80 each way. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) both take about an hour (or slightly more, depending on traffic) to reach via car, with prices that can often rise above $100 each way in a cab or ride-hailing service. Although all three airports are accessible via public transportation, they require multiple transfers from Williamsburg and take much longer than a taxi or Uber.
Manhattan is just one stop away on the subway from the L train station at Bedford Avenue, located a 10-minute walk south of the hotel. For a more scenic mode of transportation, the NYC Ferry runs up and down the East River, and its North Williamsburg stop off North Fifth Street is just a 13-minute walk from the hotel.
Booking The William Vale
The William Vale has 183 rooms and suites, with rates starting at $267 per night for entry-level Queen With Balcony rooms and going up to $10,000 per night for the Vale Garden Residence duplex suite that has two bedrooms and 2,952 square feet of indoor and outdoor space.
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As an independent hotel, The William Vale does not participate in loyalty programs. However, it is part of The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel.
If you have an eligible card, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or the American Express® Gold Card, and book a two-night minimum stay through Amex Travel, you’ll get perks such as a $100 credit toward eligible charges, noon check-in (when available), a room upgrade at check-in (when available) and late checkout (based on availability). When booked directly through the hotel, The William Vale charges $200 each for early check-in and checkout, so these perks can add up to a significant value, if available.
You can also earn 5 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on prepaid stays at this hotel when booking directly through AmexTravel.com with the Amex Platinum (terms apply) or 2 points per dollar when using the Amex Gold.
Standout features
- All guest rooms and suites have balconies offering views of the Manhattan skyline or Brooklyn.
- Westlight, the hotel’s rooftop bar, has delicious snacks and cocktails to match the quality of its panoramic views from the 22nd floor.
- At 60 feet long, the fourth-floor pool is the longest outdoor pool in the city, so there’s plenty of room to move around without feeling cramped by other guests.
Drawbacks
- The mechanized curtains in corner suites block a significant portion of the view and can be a little buggy.
- At 8 years old, some of the room decor — like those blackout curtains and the couch upholstery — has seen better days and could use a refresh.
- Two of the hotel’s four elevator banks are reserved for the public to access the rooftop bar, making it slow for hotel guests to move from floor to floor at busy times.
The vibe
Architectural firm Albo Liberis designed this 22-story glass and concrete tower from the ground up. Guest rooms start on the 11th floor to maximize views of the surrounding neighborhood and Manhattan across the East River. The ultra-modern architecture, defined by its sculptural trusses on its lower floors, is matched inside with a sleek yet minimal design.
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The small lobby is anchored visually by a bold sculptural painting by local artist Marela Zacarías. Due to its size, the lobby here isn’t a seen-and-be-seen gathering place for locals like other nearby hotels. Instead, you’ll find everyone upstairs either on the fourth floor where the pool is or up on the 22nd floor at Westlight. Both are convivial spaces where plenty of local Brooklynites can be found enjoying either a staycation or a night out. Service throughout the entire property, from the check-in desk up to the rooftop bar, is friendly and relaxed but also attentive.
The room
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The standout feature of The William Vale’s 183 guest rooms and suites is that they all include floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies with views of Manhattan or Brooklyn. So as not to compete with the views, the decor in the rooms is fairly minimal, with a white and gray color scheme and simple geometric art.
During my birthday weekend in late July, I checked into a Deluxe Corner Suite with Wraparound Balcony on the 12th floor of the hotel. My suite had 380 square feet of living space indoors and a massive 300-square-foot balcony accessible from sliding glass doors in the bedroom and living room.
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Located at the northwest corner of the building, my suite had views that prominently framed Manhattan’s skyline. I could see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, though new office and apartment buildings on the riverfront in Williamsburg and Greenpoint are starting to compete. Book a Gotham Corner Suite with Wraparound Balcony on higher floors for completely unobstructed views.
In addition to a daybed for lounging with my morning coffee, the fully furnished deck had a low metal coffee table and two outdoor dining chairs on the corner of the balcony. The space was ideal for enjoying the sunset views with a Brooklyn Brewery beer from the minibar.
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Tempting as it was to spend all my time on the balcony, the king-size bed with crisp white sheets eventually beckoned me to sleep as I drifted off while watching Netflix on the wall-mounted TV in the bedroom. Though there was no shortage of plugs in the bedroom (three!), there was also a handy multiplug charging cube, so I didn’t have to search behind the bed for a plug to charge my phone.
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Unfortunately, one of my favorite things about the room (the huge windows) was also one of its downsides: After eight years, the mechanized blackout shades that open and close at the touch of buttons in the bedroom and living room don’t work perfectly anymore, and I woke at sunrise to light flooding in through the cracks where the curtains wouldn’t fully close. Thankfully, I had brought an eye mask and could go back to sleep.
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The bathroom, kitted out with full-size, Hinoki-scented Le Labo bath products, was behind a sliding barn-style door off the hallway between the bedroom and living room. For a small space (as expected in New York City), I was impressed that the bathroom fit a deep soaking tub with a rainfall showerhead over it. Though I prefer shower doors to shower curtains, as they have here, the curtains did cover three sides of the shower, which is important since there’s also a floor-to-ceiling window in the bathroom. In addition to lacking significant counter space, the sink — like other parts of the room — also showed its age the most, with worn edges on its wooden front.
Across from the bathroom was a slim double closet with room to hang clothes or stash bags (though only small backpacks could fit in this space — larger suitcases will need to go either in the living room or bedroom).
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Just beyond that was the suite’s living room. A deep-set gray couch that seated three comfortably also hid a pullout sofa inside (you’ll have to call housekeeping for extra sheets, though). Another TV was mounted on the wall just above a set of drawers, the minibar (featuring local treats like Fine + Raw Chocolate, Brooklyn Brewery beer and Hudson Whiskey) and a Lavazza coffee machine. In the corner was a low-slung leather chair, and both exterior walls were sliding glass doors leading out onto the balcony. Unfortunately, the curtains here, yet again, were an issue because they took up a significant portion of the corner view of Manhattan while I was sitting inside.
Food and drink
All three of the hotel’s restaurants and bars are run by chef Andrew Carmellini’s NoHo Hospitality Group, which includes other city favorites like The Dutch, Lafayette and Locanda Verde.
Westlight
The hotel’s most popular venue among locals and guests is its rooftop bar on the 22nd floor. (The Manhattan skyline views are unmatched this high up, but thankfully, the food and drinks are also good.) Reservations are necessary, especially if you want to nab an outdoor seat during sunset.
Even though I went right when it opened at 4 p.m., a line was forming at the elevators in the lobby. Thankfully, hotel guests can access their own bank of two elevators and skip the line.
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I had a hard time choosing from the extensive cocktail menu but ultimately landed on the Lone Star ($23), a swizzle-style drink made with Plantation Isle of Fiji rum, Rhum JM Agricole, yellow chartreuse, arrack, falernum, star fruit and lime, while my friend ordered a Trinidad Sunset ($19) made with a 6-year-old WhistlePig bourbon, amaro sfumato, angostura bitters, orgeat and lemon.
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The tempura bass buns ($20) topped with nuoc cham aioli, spicy peanuts and herbs are a must-order, but we also enjoyed the charred eggplant dumplings ($19) with bonito aioli and shiso, and mezcal-cured salmon tostadas ($24) with guacamole, cilantro crema and smoked trout roe.
Leuca
Inspired by southern Italy, the hotel’s all-day restaurant, Leuca, serves wood-fired pizzas, housemade pasta and more for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a casual yet massive space that stretches out between two dining rooms — one tiled and airy, the other wood-paneled and cozy — just below street level. There’s plenty of booth seating for large groups with advance reservations and bar seating for solo diners who drop in.
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For dinner, I started with the tuna crudo ($25), one of the most popular appetizers, according to the waiter. It was served in a light layer of grassy olive oil and topped with basil from the hotel’s rooftop garden, as well as some chile for spice, green olives for flavor and crispy farro for texture.
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Cocktails were strong but well balanced flavorwise. I had the Giardino d’Leuca ($18), a refreshing mix of Beefeater gin, green chartreuse, peach liquor and lemon with a brandied cherry at the bottom. The waiter suggested a mineral-forward Benanti Carricante white wine ($20), made from grapes grown on the slopes of Mount Etna, to pair with the black tonnarelli pasta ($29) made with squid ink and generous servings of ruby shrimp and local calamari.
Another favorite was the simple but delicious “Joey C” pizza ($26) with roasted tomato and stracchino cheese, and topped with basil. On-menu desserts included Sicilian pistachio cake ($12) served with olive oil gelato and limoncello tiramisu ($14), but it’s worth hearing about the seasonal specials. The strawberry crostata ($14) topped with fresh lemon verbena and aged balsamic drizzled tableside was especially tasty.
Room service
On Friday morning, I ordered room service for breakfast, which came within 30 minutes of calling. Since Leuca provides room service, the in-room menu also skews Italian, with items like a southern Italian eggs Benedict ($21) with crispy pepperoni, pane siciliano, pizza hollandaise and baby kale; and a wild mushroom frittata ($22) with preserved tomato vinaigrette and caprino cheese available. Breakfast room service is available from 7 to 11 a.m., while an all-day room service dining menu is available from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and includes items like pizzas and sandwiches.
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I ordered the lemon ricotta pancakes ($24), which came with three light and fluffy dinner-plate-size pancakes topped with a generous heap of butter, toasted pine nuts and orange segments. I added a side of applewood-smoked bacon ($9), which was an excellent combination of crispy and chewy, and an iced latte with oat milk ($7) to my order.
Vale Pool
The Vale Pool has a full-service bar and a light lunch menu for snacking between dips in the water. During my afternoon there, servers frequently lapped the pool deck to take orders from guests. As the servers warned me, the frozen pina colada ($21) was strong but delicious. Made with light and dark rums, allspice, amaro lucano, coconut, vanilla, pineapple and lime, it hit the spot on a hot day and wasn’t too sweet, but one was enough.
For food, I indulged my inner child with an order of crispy chicken tenders ($24) served with french fries and honey mustard, and a side of watermelon ($14) served with spiced chili sugar and lime to sprinkle on top. Around 3 p.m., a waiter offered complimentary ice pops to everyone lounging on the pool deck.
Included amenities and service
As part of its $45 per night destination fee, The William Vale includes amenities such as twice-daily housekeeping service, Le Labo bath amenities, access to the pool and gym, free Wi-Fi and Lavazza coffee in the room. Here’s how to take advantage of the best of those perks.
The pool
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The 60-foot-long pool, open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seasonally, is situated on the south side of the fourth floor for prime sunbathing. During their stay, hotel guests have complimentary lounge chair access that can be reserved in advance online for three-hour time slots.
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Guests can also upgrade to premium daybeds and cabanas for an additional fee, but that can get quite pricey. (Even with a hotel discount, a three-person daybed reservation for eight hours costs $500 in late July.) Nonhotel guests are also welcome to purchase day passes via ResortPass for lounge chairs and premium seats starting at $150.
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The vibe while I was there on a Friday afternoon in late July was relaxed. Music was playing, and people were quietly reading or chatting with their friends or partners. Most guests were adults in their 20s to 40s, but a handful of well-behaved preteens were accompanied by their parents. (Children staying at the hotel are welcome at the pool, but adults must accompany those under 16 years old.)
The gym
Also located on the fourth floor, the small gym offers access to iFIT-connected Freemotion equipment, such as treadmills, spin bikes and an elliptical that looks out over the pool deck. On the other side of the room is the weightlifting equipment.
Out and about in Williamsburg and Greenpoint
Located right at the border of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg and Greenpoint neighborhoods, The William Vale is within a short walk of some of the borough’s best restaurants, bars and shops. I chose to spend most of my time out in Greenpoint since I used to live there and wanted to check in on old favorites like Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop, Word bookstore and Ovenly bakery, plus newer openings like the second New York City location of the beloved Italian ice cream shop Caffe Panna, just three blocks north of the hotel. (Yes, there will be a line. Yes, it is worth it. Flavors change daily, so check its Instagram for specials while you wait.) Upstate Stock is a part-coffee shop, part-general store venue just a few blocks from the hotel for local souvenirs or picnic supplies to bring into nearby McCarren Park.
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While the part of Williamsburg close to the hotel has become quite commercialized, with larger chains like Whole Foods, Apple and Sephora popping up along Bedford Avenue, many small businesses remain. A few of my favorites within a 20-minute walk south of the hotel are Catbird and Mociun for locally designed jewelry, The Four Horsemen for natural wine and small bites, Zaab Zaab for Isan cuisine from northeast Thailand and Misi for simple handmade pasta and vegetable-forward antipasti.
Accessibility
Built to be Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant, The William Vale can accommodate various physical needs. Though I didn’t stay in one, ADA-compliant versions of each room category at The William Vale include roll-in showers with showerhead wands. (For people with mobility or balance issues, keep in mind the deep soaking tubs in the suites are so deep that even I had to be careful getting in and out of mine.)
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Ramps at North 12th Street and North 13th Street entrances simplify entry, and the lobby has motion-censored sliding doors. The hotel’s other floors are accessible by elevator. Because Leuca is below street level, those who need help navigating the stairs from the street-facing entrance can enter through the ADA elevator in the lobby. The pool, the gym, Westlight and the 23rd-floor rooftop venue are also accessible via elevator.
The hotel’s parking garage has space for accessible vehicles, and valet parking is available for a fee to all guests. There is Braille signage throughout the hotel, and emergency alarms are equipped with visual and audible alarms.
While The William Vale’s website says the pool has a chairlift, when I visited, it wasn’t set up. It’s worth calling ahead to guarantee it is before you check in.
Checking out
With a popular rooftop bar, one of the larger pools in Brooklyn and balconies in every room, The William Vale feels like a true escape from daily city life. This makes it an ideal staycation destination for locals like me since it’s easy to remain within the resortlike complex all weekend.
If you do decide to head out and explore Williamsburg and Greenpoint, the best of Brooklyn is right there on the hotel’s doorstep. But if you’re visiting New York for the first time and plan to be out all day and just use your hotel as a crashpad, staying somewhere more central in Manhattan or more affordable in Brooklyn is probably the best.
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