May 2011 - With the launch of the Hotel Williamsburg, one of the city’s most vibrant quarters adds much more than its first luxury boutique hotel; it gains a new neighborhood icon. Only one subway stop from the East Village and situated just off the bustling sidewalks of Bedford Avenue, Hotel Williamsburg commands incredible views of the Manhattan skyline and establishes a unique world of its own inside its Brooklyn block.  The Hotel Williamsburg is centrally located at 160 North 12th Street, between Bedford Avenue and Berry Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Set to open in early June 2011, the Hotel Williamsburg offers an authentic Brooklyn experience in the heart of this eclectic neighborhood. The Hotel Williamsburg is the first full-service, luxury, boutique hotel in Brooklyn catering to both neighborhood devotees and destination travelers.  With a variety of locally-sourced amenities (including uniforms by Brooklyn Industries and a Brooklyn Brewery signature brew), imaginative design features, an outdoor pool, a full-service restaurant and a rooftop lounge with sweeping panoramic city views, it’s a true neighborhood “first.”

Developed and managed by Graves Hospitality Corporation, in partnership with KSK Construction Group, the Hotel Williamsburg promises luxury amenities and a world-class level of service with an approachable Brooklyn personality.  Keeping with its modern vibe punctuated with playful elements of nostalgia, the hotel will offer an inventive assortment of in-room offerings––such as a Crosley record player with additional complimentary records available in the lobby and in-room coffee service delivered in a retro green Stanley Thermos.

The Hotel Williamsburg’s 64 guest rooms are divided between front rooms with magnificent views towards Manhattan and rear rooms with tranquil views over the swim club. Designed by the team at Studio GAIA, all feature generous 6 x 7 foot windows, showpiece furniture like leather-clad modern lounges with matching ottomans, translucent windows into the bathrooms, and the necessary boutique hotel luxuries like Italian linens and toiletries from New York’s own Malin + Goetz.

The Hotel Williamsburg contains four luxury suites, all with breathtaking balcony views. King among them is the penthouse suite, which covers the entire front of the eighth floor. With a generously sized kitchen/living/dining area, private bar, and separate bedroom, this suite is most notable for its two private terraces, one with stunning Manhattan skyline views and the second looking towards the borough of Queens.

The hotel features a series of remarkable and unexpected environments, beginning with the lobby bar. An underfoot “waterfall” flows through the center of the room, with café tables placed atop and a glowing fireplace at its head – these elements, drawn from nature, perfectly offset the sleek modernism of the surroundings. Perhaps most surprising, check-in is at the bar itself, a playful efficiency that reflects the hotel’s signature combination of high style and willful independence that is signature to Brooklyn. Here guests will also find the 24-hour concierge who can answer questions and assist with any special requests.

The lobby bar overlooks the hotel’s sunken dining room; with soaring ceilings, its own cocktail lounge, banquettes, and a chef’s table abutting the open kitchen, the restaurant is a world in itself.  The menu, like all of the food in the hotel, will be created by acclaimed local chef, Andres Grundy, formerly Chef de Cuisine of New York’s L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in the Four Seasons and Boston’s Clio.  Grundy’s cuisine is grounded in classical technique but equally characterized by greenmarket integrity and modern gastronomic trends. His pure, almost radically simple cooking style emphasizes the true nature of the ingredients at play with inventive and tasty combinations, resulting in a contemporary cuisine that is both rustic and refined, creative yet uncomplicated.

On the south side of the restaurant, a wall of windows looks out on the single hotel space destined for the most buzz:  A stunning poolside club.  A 40 x 20 foot swimming pool is surrounded by cabanas and, of course, a poolside bar, with a menu of classic snacks and a tailored cocktail program by the team behind Alchemy Consulting.

The final gathering spot that defines the Hotel Williamsburg is exactly where you would expect it to be: on a glorious rooftop overlooking McCarren Park, the East River, and the midtown Manhattan skyline. The stunning terrace, aptly named, The Watering Tower, picks up on the light that runs up the front of the building and now sheds a glamorous illumination on the outdoor bar and dining tables – not to mention the patrons, who will be drawn from hotel dwellers and neighborhood guests.  Another al fresco bar and menu differentiate the space from the ground-level revelry, and the rooftop is open late for optimal stargazing.

Rates start at $295; an opening rate of $199 will be offered through June 30, 2011 (based on availability).  Reservations can be made by calling 888-867-6767 or visiting www.hwbrooklyn.com.  Be sure to “like” Hotel Williamsburg on Facebook (HW Brooklyn ) and follow them on Twitter (@HWBROOKLYN1).