Inside Penny Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s Coolest New Boutique Hotel

Aside from a colorful banner depicting a chihuahua with a twinkle in her eye and a mysterious Mona Lisa smile, you could miss Penny Williamsburg.

That’s the point of Brooklyn’s newest boutique hotel by Sydell Group, the visionary behind hip hospitality brands like NoMad and LINE. “This is not a high budget Manhattan-style project,” explains Sydell Group’s founder Andrew Sydell of having Penny—the name comes from his beloved chihuahua—blend into the quiet block it’s on. “We wanted the hotel to feel like Brooklyn living for those visiting, and an extension of home for those living in the neighborhood.”

Based on a recent (and not to mention, well-timed) overnight stay during those unbearably smoky days triggered by Canadian wildfires—though I love the Williamsburg apartment I’ve lived in since 2005, I felt trapped after not being able to open my patio doors or turn on air conditioning—I can attest that Penny accomplishes that, and more.

Besides visually fitting right in, Penny gives back to the community by housing Bard College graduate students under the same roof as hotel guests, displaying and selling artwork by LAND Gallery and Pure Vision Arts, two nonprofits championing artists with development disabilities, and offering spaces, like a soon-to-open outdoor patio with a dog relief area, that are accessible to all.

As for the design of the accommodations, Sydell describes it as “playful, unfussy, warm, and inviting—a reflection of the surrounding neighborhood.” With that in mind, every room category from the standard Queen Room to Your Majesty, a chic 700-foot suite with a dining area, separate bedroom, two bathrooms, and private outdoor terrace, feels liveable with colorful furnishings, kitchenettes, a multi-use space for working and eating, and a bulletin board detailing how to make the most of your stay. (Check out Penny Mart, a virtual 24-hour minibar stocked with well-curated drinks and snacks like Korean Chapaguri cup noodles, which you conveniently can heat up in your room’s microwave.) Even better? There’s no pet fee, so bring your pup along.

Penny’s rooftop lounge and restaurant, ElNico, is just as inviting with its bold, plant-filled design, rare views of Manhattan and Brooklyn—which are best paired with a signature cocktail like the Rhubarb Margarita—and imaginative Mexican fare by 30-year-old chef Fer Serrano, who cut her culinary shops at some of the world’s most awarded restaurants, including Girona’s El Celler de Can Roca and Mexico City’s Pujol. Sopes, for example, go from humble to haute with a heap (15 milligrams, to be exact) of briny osetra caviar, while whole sea bass draws inspiration from Thailand with sweet-spicy flavors and bright, crunchy greens.

ElNico is a rare restaurant that feels just as appropriate for a casual hang if you’re in the area as it does for a special dinner to impress out-of-towners—which circles back to Sydell’s goal for Penny Williamsburg all along: to be a welcoming and memorable destination for everyone.