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Hotel Williamsburg's New Owners Shut Down Pillar & Plough

Where: 162 N 12th St [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11211-1127

Boy, if we had a HotelChatter Award to give out for the most short-lived hotel restaurant, it would for sure go to Hotel Williamsburg's Pillar & Plough, which closed this week—after only two months of being open. Funny, because when we stopped by there recently to ask about the new ownership, an employee told us he didn't think the acquisition would create any immediate changes.

Well, this is quite a change.

Eater's got the scoop on the deal, which Graves Hospitality (the hotel's current operators) confirms is related to the King & Grove takeover. But, interestingly, they're also saying the deal hasn't officially gone through yet. Apparently, the mere prospect of an acquisition was enough to prompt the restaurant to shut down until further notice.

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Bathroom Tuesdays / Hotel Bathrooms / Marriott Hotels / Brooklyn Hotels / Photo Gallery / → All Tags

If You've Got Time To Kill in Downtown Brooklyn, Go To the Bathroom At the Marriott

Where: 333 Adams St [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11201

We don't know about you, but a hotel's public bathrooms are often the very first thing we check out. Chalk it up to a weak bladder. Whatever the circumstance, we often find it a telling precursor to the hotel experience that lies ahead of us.

Now, in this case, we simply had to use the bathroom, so we ducked into the mammoth 638-room Marriott Brooklyn Bridge, climbed the escalator, and cut straight through the red carpeted lobby. Since they're located near the conference rooms, these are sprawling bathrooms, designed to accommodate large groups of people at once.

Sure enough, we almost got lost inside while navigating the different nooks and tiled corridors. But because everything was so polished and pristine-looking, we didn't mind a bit! For more pics of our potty pilgrimage, see below!

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Hotel News / King and Grove Hotels / Brooklyn Hotels / → All Tags

King & Grove Swoops Down On Hotel Williamsburg As Well

Where: 162 N 12th St [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11211-1127

Only two months after officially opening, the Hotel Williamsburg has been acquired by King & Grove, a new(-ish) boutique brand that's wasting no time getting its name on the hotel map. Just three days ago, it was announced they'd be taking over one of New York's most prized historic hotels, the Hotel Chelsea.

We got a tip from a HW employee on Friday about the deal, which becomes effective in just a few short weeks. Though when we returned the following day to get more details, a Front Desk employee remained tight-lipped about the situation, stating only: "All I know is, I still have a job." That's the spirit! They must be doing something right for K&G to have taken notice in the first place...

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Hotel Contests / Social Media Hotels / Hotel Beds / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Brooklyn Hotels / → All Tags

Brooklyn's Music-Inspired Hotel Will Guarantee A 'Sound' Night's Sleep

Where: 139 33rd Street [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11232

We always like it when new hotels start interacting with their guests way before their doors have even opened. And at Brooklyn's music-inspired Hotel BPM, which doesn't open until April, there has been quite a bit of community involvement going on, practically since day one. Like posting shots of the finished bathrooms on Instagram. Or asking Facebook and Twitter fans to give the hotel's 76 custom-made mattresses a snappy name.

Last week, the "What's That Bed Called?" contest yielded a winner: "The Sound Sleeper." Which kind of makes us think there should be some kind of speaker system installed directly into the mattress—wouldn't that be cool! But maybe not so practical...

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Last Night, Aloft Brooklyn 'Put a Bird on It' for 'Portlandia' Season 2

Where: 216 Duffield Street [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11201

Okay you guys. Last night was awesome. We already told ya what was up if you were near Brooklyn, and that was a sneak preview screening of Season 2 of IFC's show "Portlandia." Two of the HotelChatter team made it to scope out the place and naturally get a peek at the series, and we happened to learn something else: another hotel screening has been added, TONIGHT.

So this evening, if you're in Portland, Oregon or near the Bolingbrook suburb of Chicago, you can go see several (currently unreleased) hilarious bits from the new series, plus get free Portlandia swag (we scored Portlandia hats, a "Put a Bird on it" tee, an Aloft tote and the entire Season 1 on DVD). Swag may vary, but the awesomeness won't. Here's what's up:

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Hotel Parties / Hotel Screening Rooms / Aloft Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Brooklyn Hotels / Portlandia / → All Tags

Two Aloft Hotels to Screen Sneak Peek of 'Portlandia' Season 2

Where: 216 Duffield Street [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11201

A few quick questions: Do you like hotels? Did you watch (and laugh at) any of the first season of IFC's show Portlandia? Do you like free stuff? If you answered yes to at least two of these questions and you're anywhere near Brooklyn, NY or Portland, OR this week, you should totally head to Aloft Hotels' screenings of the first episode of Portlandia Season 2.

The new season officially begins this Friday on IFC at 10pm EST, and sure you can already watch preview sketches online, but going outside your place and seeing the whole first ep (for free) while scoring drink specials and Portlandia swag while having the opportunity to meet other local hipsters beats out the internet.Here's the screening schedule:

Wednesday, January 4, 7pm: Aloft Brooklyn 216 Duffield Street

Thursday, January 5, 7pm: Aloft Portland 9920 NE Cascades Parkway

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Brooklyn Hotels / Hotel Rooftops / Hotel Bars / Hotel Restaurants / Hotel Woes / → All Tags

A Rooftop Restaurant Will Open At Hotel Le Bleu...For The Third Time

Where: 370 Fourth Ave [map], BROOKLYN, NY, United States, 11215

Back in October, we had some major doubts over the future of poor old Hotel Le Bleu, Brooklyn's little eight-story black sheep. But it turned out the giant "for rent" sign that had been draped unceremoniously over the building and the roadside signage was only a reference to the hotel's rooftop dining space. And now it seems to have attracted a new tenant.

Brownstoner is reporting that the banners have come down, and that a new establishment, called, of all things, "The Rooftop," will be opening there in early 2012. And maybe that was the whole problem in the first place. Maybe the hotel's first two failures, The Vue and Il Tetto, didn't have enough staying power because no one knew exactly where to find them. With "The Rooftop," that whole problem is solved. But will people actually be visiting?

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If Only Coney Island's Next Hotel Looked This Good

Years after all the old hotels have dried up and disappeared from Coney Island, how will a new property fit into the 'hood's ever-changing landscape? Well, given the hotel's proposed location, we can only come to one conclusion: with difficulty.

According to the Brooklyn Daily, a vacant bus depot on the edges of the Coney Island Creek has been singled out as the potential site of a new hotel. Nevermind the fact that it's surrounded by dismal car dealerships and parking lots. Nevermind the fact that it lies four blocks from the amusement district. The city is looking for proposals from developers by February, and with all the interest being shown in Brooklyn these days, they might just get the response they're after. But we just can't help picturing the god-awful anti-views here.

For a pic of the proposed site, see below!

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Hotel Design / Hotel Construction / Hotel Openings / Brooklyn Hotels / → All Tags

Williamsburg's Newest Hotel Comes In Three Sizes

Though we're all still holding our breath to find out which proposal will be chosen for the new Brooklyn Bridge Park hotel, we've now been alerted to yet another hotel project sparking on the Brooklyn waterfront, this time in Williamsburg.

According to Arch Daily, Oppenheim has designed three skinny, overlapping rectangular buildings, each with a different height. The tallest of the towers, at 440' high, is intended to act as a "third pillar" of the Williamsburg Bridge. We're pretty sure the original architects only intended for the bridge to have two pillars in the first place, but hey. If Williamsburg isn't the place to be adding new pillars where pillars aren't needed, we don't know where is.

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What Is This? / Brooklyn Hotels / Hotel Design / Hotel Art / → All Tags

What Is This At The Hotel Williamsburg?

Where: 162 N 12th St [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11211-1127

We like to keep it fun but informative here at HotelChatter so our newest series, What is This? is devoted to odd-looking items in hotel rooms that upon first glance look different from what they actually are. But a place for everything and everything in its place, right?

A few weeks ago, we toured the newly-opened Hotel Williamsburg, where the rooms are brightened with splashes of orange, and the furniture makes you wanna sit down, chill out and listen to some vintage records (all of which is possible).

But while making our routine inspections, we came across this unique motif. Characteristically Brooklyn, this feature manages to fit into the 'feel' of the hotel as much as it jumps out at you. But what could it be?

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Hotel Openings / Hotel News / Brooklyn Hotels / Hotel Websites / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags

Hotel 718 Gets A New Website, And A Top Chef

Where: 231 Duffield Street, Brooklyn NY [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11201

More particulars are emerging about the new Hotel 718 in Brooklyn—most notably, a new website, whose homepage features a countdown ticker to the hotel's grand opening (72 days to go, in case you were wondering).

The site's 'crown' logo (Brooklyn is also known as Kings County), and sleek nighttime shots of the Brooklyn Bridge make this place seem slightly more Brooklyn-centric than that other Duffield Street hotel, the Aloft Brooklyn. But hey, there's no competition here. 718 bills itself as a "relaxed, upscale home base" and hopes to offer "a different kind of New York experience." And assuming the price is right (rates haven't been confirmed yet), this is exactly what Brooklyn hotels are supposed to be doing.

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What Is This / Hotel Furniture / Hotel Design / Fairfield Inn / Brooklyn Hotels / Hotel Room Fun / → All Tags

What Is This At The Fairfield Inn & Suites Brooklyn?

Where: 181 3rd Avenue [map], Brooklyn, NY, United States, 11217

We like to keep it fun but informative here at HotelChatter so our newest series, What is This? is devoted to odd-looking items in hotel rooms that upon first glance look as if they serve only a decorative purpose. But everything happens for a reason, right? And we're here to tell you what these things really do. 

You'd be surprised at how easily we amuse ourselves in an unfamiliar hotel room. Flipping mystery light switches. Opening closets. Experimenting with the thermostat. The possibilities are endless. But on a recent visit to Brooklyn's second-newest addition, the Fairfield Inn and Suites Brooklyn, we were immediately drawn to the brightest thing in the room—this candy red furniture piece, tucked daintily under the desk. But what does it do?

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