When I booked the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, I knew it was going to be a splurge. It was much more than I am used to spending for lodging, but I threw caution to the wind and decided it was finally time to treat myself.
The luxury experience began even before I arrived. The team reached out to confirm my travel itinerary and ask me if I had any questions ahead of time. I did. I asked them if they could recommend me any good places for ice cream, baked goods, and doughnuts. I thought they would just greet me at the hotel with a list of places. No, they sent me the full list prior in an email. My anxious, over planning heart was so full. (But -1 for suggesting Dunkin Donuts as a good doughnut shop.)
They made it clear on the website what your options were to travel to hotel. They suggested the train or a Lyft. I went with a Lyft. When my driver pulled up to the hotel, a man greeted me outside the doors by name. He offered to carry my bag. Being someone is not used to nice things and is a very jaded city dweller, I thought I’d made the wrong decision in handing it over. Luckily, they had just been expecting me and were helping to make my arrival as smooth as possible.
The check-in process went smoothly. The same man who greeted me (whose name I unfortunately cannot remember) gave me a tour and showed me how to use the different elements of my room. I was glad because I would not have been able to figure out how to use the various things myself, like the wooden chip door key. After he left, I set about settling in.
The room looked like a calming oasis, even though it was very clear I was still in the city with my street facing window. Even though I was in a bustling area, I heard no street noise, save for when I chose to open the windows. I could, however, hear my neighbors’ TV. Maybe that’s just the authentic new York experience. They didn’t keep the sound up past my bed time, but I definitely wish I didn’t hear them at all.
I booked a two bed room. I will say that if you do choose to stay with someone, maybe make it someone you are extremely comfortable with. The shower and the toilet are enclosed in class, but there isn’t a bathroom per se. You can probably see the person very clearly, and at the very least, they are going to have to come out of shower to get dressed.
I will say it is the bathroom set up that I felt like was major con. The other thing was that the sink was a beautiful utilitarian design, but not the best. It was too shallow, water splashed all over the counter. The handles are like steering wheels, which I’m not sure is the most hygienic. And the design of the shower door meant that you couldn’t put a bath mat down and still open door over it. Water seeped out slightly, and I chose to put the towel slightly of to the side and then hopscotch my wet feet over there.
Amenities:
Nespresso Maker: This is s a me thing, but I couldn’t figure out how to use the Nespresso maker. For some reason it was pouring out hot water instead of coffee. I wasted so many pods When I did finally figure out what I was doing wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed having it in my room. But I had to waste a lot of coffee pods until then. Given the helpfulness of the desk, I am pretty sure I could have called down and asked for a lesson on it. (I would later realize that the napkins they included had instructions the whole time.) I did call down for more Nespresso pods, and the desk brought them up promptly.
Room service: This was my first fancy hotel stay, so made sure to order room service. I ordered a burger and fries. Basic, I know, but the fries were so good. Like so good. Like, I was taking a phone call, but could not focus on what my conversation partner was saying, because I needed to keep interrupting to tell her about the fries, to the point she was probably going to hang up on me, were it not for her good home training.
The gym: They have a Peloton. Now, being who I am and the income bracket I occupy, I do not own a Peloton, but I always wanted one. I truly enjoyed having the opportunity to ride it and experience the live classes for myself. I understand the hype. Now I really want one. And if you already have one, you can certainly sign in and keep your stats up. There were also weights, a bench, floor to ceiling windows, TRX, medicine balls…
And here are more benefits:
- The location is close to the Brooklyn Bridge and great if you hoping to visit that area
- Walking distance to multiple restaurants
- Amazingly helpful staff
- In-house restaurants, eateries
- A spa
- A very calming, ecofriendly vibe
- Robe and slippers
- Filtered water in room, so you don’t have to decide, “Do I just fill this coffee maker in the bathroom? How do I fill my water bottle at this awkward height faucet?”
- An hotel that makes sustainability and giving back part of the brand
That’s it. I had an amazing experience and would absolutely love to visit their other locations across the US and world. If you have stayed at of the 1 Hotels, which one was it and how was your experience?
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