McCarren Hotel & Pool

Favorite rooftop in willy. Super chill, great views, sexy live music and a great staff! Not stuffy at all.

Cute hotel! Comfortable bed, nice shower, the room was clean, not huge but nicely equipped.
The service was great and this is one more of those examples when the Unilocal rate really doesn’t match the place.

great drinks and great atmosphere!

Pros:
*it’s in Brooklyn
* comfy beds
* good shower
Cons:
*Restaurant isn’t open at all on Monday
*Room service isn’t avail after about 10p
* «grab and go» bar was bare bones
*Rooms aren’t sound proofed — at all. I could hear a cat meowing down the hall from a different room. People coming off the elevators who were speaking in a normal voice sounded like they were in my room
* thermostat is right next to bed so you hear the loud click every time it kicks on the heating /​cooling system
* while we were there the handicap lift was out of order
* stairs were off limits and there was no mention of a plan in case of emergency

Not truly a rooftop (not in the colder months anyway). Enclosed space that they call the rooftop is blocked by buildings on almost all sides and there’s really only a view from one side. We were there during a rather warm day so it would’ve been nice to actually get some fresh air on the rooftop. Service was incredibly slow. It took almost 20 minutes for me to get the bartender’s attention to get a simple glass of wine. I guess the hipster bartenders fit the hipster theme of Williamsburg.
The rooftop looked shabby and furniture looked worn. There was a huge makeshift ledge separating two of the rooms, which was a very dangerous tripping hazard, I think it was covering some wires. Really, this was not at all what I was expecting. I was here for an event and given that they had notice we were coming, I really expected better service.

Mr. Ferreira at the front desk was amazing and really helped me enjoy my stay to the fullest. Lovely place. Highly recommend it.

All of the bad reviews about this place are garbage. I just had a fabulous stay here. The staff was so lovely. They were accommodating, kind, friendly, and helpful at all times. Every single one of them. Though I did not have time to check out Oleander or the rooftop, my other favorite things about this place besides its angelic employees are the comfy beds and pillows, stylish décor, the spacious gym, and the delicious coffee bar downstairs. I can’t wait to come back!

I’ve been here a couple of times now (specifically for events at the rooftop bar) and have to say that each time was a solid experience. The rooftop has a great view of the surrounding area and is a nice cozy place with lounge style couch chairs, with an especially airy feel for morning events.
The first time I came was for a mid day event across from McCarren park during their annual North side Festival, that brought out a lot of fun people. The second time I came, was a few days ago for a Saturday brunch. Unexpectedly, I happened to know ¾ of the people there, so that in itself, already made it a great time but the feel of the place, for a morning event, really set the stage. Gentleman Jack had a barber shop setup on the roof, for anyone looking for haircuts or shaves, and the natural sunlight that come in all around sets an amazing tone for your stay, not to mention a solid drink setup. I’ll definitely be back!

It’s small, a little ratty new (they have those weird half showers that look like they’re going to leak). But the front desk guy was kind and when I asked for a view he found me one. I didn’t spend that much time in the room (was too busy drinking and eating with old friends) but it was perfectly serviceable and any hotel that listens to its guests deserves to be awarded. I would stay here again.

Stayed here for a full business week for work in January 2016.
[note: NOT during pool/​summer season, where many reviews seem to focus].
I loved this hotel. It was cozy and inviting. The staff could NOT have been MORE friendly and helpful. They are welcoming, smiling and happy to make time to assist anytime. I saw Mike, Martin and Rene almost daily. They remembered my name, and greeted me personally when I arrived and left the hotel everyday.
The room was clean, modern, updated and very nice. The room also has free wifi, in-​room safe, ironing board, hair dryer, a nice size closet and long work top/​desk area.
My room was on the 3^rd floor, overlooking the park and was very quiet. As hotels go, there are always a few marks and spots that could use touching up. Housekeeping was thorough.
While the rooms are compact (welcome to New York!), the space was not cramped.
I do wish there was coffee in the room, however, there is complimentary coffee in the lobby, and it was nice to go down and get a warm greeting and served a cup of joe.
I will stay here again during my next visit to Williamsburg!

Found this hotel online while looking for a reasonable alternative from a manhattan hotel. Very very nice here. Right around the corner from lively Bedford Ave in the heart of Brooklyn at Williamsburg. Clean, comfortable, nice staff. An excellent alternative and only a few meters away from the subway station that gets you into manhattan. If you want to treat yourself to something special visit the rooftop bar of the pricey Wythe hotel just 2 blocks away

Ohhhhhhhhhhh where to begin with the McCarren. There’s an old Brit quip that describes things as «mutton dressed as lamb.» If you can deduce that this means it’s not all as advertised, I’d say the McCarren is quite frankly effluvia dressed as lamb. It’s a gorgeous corpse, rotting from within. Gorgeous looking property, treated like its patrons… POORLY. Save for a few really nice staff members all of whom looked completely sorry for us, I am about to sink the battleship. If I could give NO STARS I’d have done so.
It started off BEFORE CHECK IN. I’d called in the eve before to inquire about an early check in. No one could find my reservation, though I was looking right at it in my
app. They call
, and assure me, they have my room for a Balcony King.
Yet, upon check in, they tell me my booking is for a year later according to THEIR confirmation, no matter that my
app shows the correct dates, and inform me, that my room isn’t available. They give me a Deluxe King, a room not even big enough to house two bodies and simple small wheelie bags. Maybe they should join the rest of the hotel universe and provide these things, called LUGGAGE STANDS. I’m sure even a «cool hip place» like this could get with them.
This is merely the overture. It goes way downhill from here.
The first problem we noticed was that the toilet in our room never stopped. EVER. The bathroom smelled consistently of mildew or mold, which housekeeping thought could be fixed with perfumey freshener, but it didn’t. There is ONE hook to out your towels. I’ve been in Super 8s that gave you more options. Products by davines, doesn’t make up for a bathroom that smells like a basement with a dead mouse in it. The curtain rod didn’t work, to their credit this was fixed, but housekeeping decided to not restock tissues or… get ready for it… toilet paper. Our drinking glasses were not brought back either. Clearly housekeeping needs addressing.
Now, normally I’d never eat in my hotel unless I was told «oh man you GOTTA try their restaurant, but a later start than normal kept me from my beloved Marlow and Sons, and we rolled the dice and decided to eat at Oleanders, the hotel eatery. The hotel itself was also having its roof fixed during our stay, so breakfast was being run from the normally «functioning» hotel to the Lobby. Soggy cold waffles. The entire staff at the hotel was being pushed to their limits and you could TELL. They looked depleted, and all had a look on their faces like «we know this place is a hot mess, we are so sorry» Breakfast was comped.
Save for Toni, she who somehow managed to cross my booking with
incorrectly, to the credit of this sinking Titanic, the staff are the ONLY THING to be commended here. Jason and Michael were formidable, knew their gig well and gave us some free drink vouchers. They knew, all was rotten in the state of Denmark, but handled said issues with grace. Sean, the mixologist at Oleanders downstairs was a PEACH, charming and damn good at making a cocktail. However, it’s Justin Ramirez who deserves the highest praise, not only because he was so sweet and kind and helpful, but also because the hotel has this poor man doing… FREAKING EVERYTHING. He’s going wayyyyyyy beyond valet, so I demand that he is paid commiserate to having to be «the guy.»
I will be calling
about this hotel. I hope, as the property is wonderful, pool et al, that they find a team to really make this fly or it will just become a condo with a pool. I also hope that all the staff here move on to employers that deserve their talents.

I had my wedding over the weekend and my bridal party and I stayed the night before the wedding and my husband and I stayed in the hotel the night of the wedding!
We had a minor hiccup with the hotel roof bar and hotel event managers that had changed through the year that I was planning this event since that went under new management. they went above and beyond to fix everything and made sure everything was amazing and it was!
Mihai the hotel manager was so great, accommodating and professional and made me feel special; like my business really mattered to them. I was really meant to have my wedding after party there. I really appreciate the service he provided!
Jason, also another manager or front desk manager also went out of his way to make our experience perfect!
The bartenders at the rooftop were great and very accommodating to me and guests!
Everyone had a great time and we couldn’t be happier!
–Andre Condur

We recently got married in Williamsburg and chose to stay in the McCarren hotel after visiting and meeting the manager, Mihai. Him and the entire staff were so welcoming and accommodating, we had no question it was where we wanted the bridal party to get ready, and where we would stay the night of our wedding. We stayed in the penthouse which had more than enough space for the bridal party to get ready in, and the outside terrace was the perfect setting for photos. We had our first look on the terrace which had unbelievable 360 views of Manhattan and Brooklyn which were captured perfectly in our photos. We were also encouraged to take photos throughout the hotel and outside by the pool area. Highly recommend!

Nice boutique hotel in a great neighborhood. My room was clean, bathroom was large and modern. I had a great view of the pool. The rooftop lounge has lots of comfortable seating and a fabulous view of Manhattan. Didn’t get to take advantage of the pool.
Staff was super friendly and helped me navigate the neighborhood and arranged transportation for me several times.

This space is gorgeous whether you are sitting pool side or they section off the rooftop. It has amazing views of the city, NJ and LIC. It is the perfect spot for a night out with friends over drinks. The décor of the lobby changes and it feels as if you are there for the first time, everytime.

This hotel was wonderful! Seriously, the staff could not have been more accommodating. We flew into New York and ended up at a terrible Air BnB. I came to McCarren looking for a room big enough to fit my entire family. They offered to discount their biggest room for us because they felt bad about our experience.
The room was well decorated, clean, and everything I would expect from a higher-​end hotel. They brought us a roll away cot in order to fit all four of us in the room. The beds were very comfortable. One morning as we were headed to breakfast, the concierge noticed my mother using her cane. He offered to call us a car, but when we refused he offered to drive us to where we were going in his personal vehicle. It was one of the nicest gestures I have ever received from a hotel staff.
The rooftop and gym are awesome amenities and the hotel is within walking distance to some great places on Bedford. Highly recommend this hotel!

I saw the documentary on Chef Paul Liebrandt called A Matter of Taste and I was curious to try his cuisine. We arrived at 6 p.m., early enough to have a drink at the bar. Everyone at the restaurant was welcoming.
From the pre fixe menu, I was torn between two items in each category (looks like we’ll be back in Williamsburg, Brooklyn sooner rather than later). I ended up choosing the charred shishito, ocean trout, sockeye salmon and the panna cotta for dessert. My husband’s choices were equally scrumptious and all our dishes complemented the bottle of Sancerre.
Towards the end of the meal, we were lucky enough to have our photo taken with Chef Liebrandt. I’m definitely a fan of Chef Liebrandt now and I will take the L train any day to taste his food again.

Had a birthday on the rooftop yesterday and it was a major success! Thanks to the whole team for taking good care of us. Special thank you to Afiya in sales for her patience and accommodations. As well as Francis for his professionalism and how well he took care of our large party.
We had a blast!!! Perfect rooftop place with view in Williamsburg and comfy furniture.

$ 400 a night to stay in this place– outrageous! Can we talk about maintenance, the drapes were stained and disgusting, paint was chipped everywhere, the grout on the shower floor was a brownish yellow color– I should have brought shower shoes! The ceiling in the lobby is peeling off and the whole place just looks haggard. It appears that there is little to no management here.
This would all be fine if they were advertising themselves as a youth hostel for under $ 100 a night… I guess if you are going to stay at a hotel in Brooklyn, stay at the Wythe– the lesser of two evils. At least the rooms there are clean and well maintained.

I wish I’d never come. So disappointed. I payed $ 195 for three people, and, as it said on the website was expecting to get some towels, to say the least. Upon arrival we were told that the hotel was out of power this morning and they don’t have towels for all the visitors. and let me tell you, at 11.40 there are a lot of visitors! There is no place to sit or put your bags down. Your option are to sit on the boiling floor or get in the pool with 200 people (and kids)
My gf ordered a drink, she got something very different and when asked for a change, waiter never came back. At 2.30 I got in the argument with the doorman who was rude and unhelpful. Tomorrow I’m going to call the general manager, this place is a rip off.

Pool: Very unpleasant experience on the weekend as too many people are let in. Literally every square inch is occupied leaving many visitors on the ground or sitting on a regular chair. $ 75 (Sat)

So for the $ 75 I paid for the day to take a dip in a hair infested pool, I was also trying to lay down on a nice little open slab of concrete I found behind the bar. There was absolutely no area for laying down unless you bought a $ 300 bed, which they were sold out of. Millions of tables, but people were scattered just trying to find an area to get some sun. The ground with disgustingly filthy and the fries were okay. Thanks for the free glass of some half priced rosé.

So for the $ 75 I paid for the day to take a dip in a hair invested pool, I was also trying to lay down on a nice little open slab of concrete I found behind the bar. There was absolutely no area for laying down unless you bought a $ 300 bed, which they were sold out of. Millions of tables, but people were scattered just trying to find an area to get some sun. The ground with disgustingly filthy and the fries were okay. Thanks for the free glass of some half priced rosé.

The rooms are not bad despite the fact that they’re a little bare for a hotel of this caliber. The water pressure in the bathrooms could be stronger and the walls are so thin you can really hear EVERYTHING. My issue with them was that they charged me for things I did not order. Like room service. And drinks at the bar. When I told the guy downstairs that we didn’t order those things he gave me a skeptical «humph.» Ummm MR. if I said I didn’t have them, then I didn’t have them. It was so disturbing and frankly annoying that I don’t think I would come back or recommend this hotel to anyone. Oh– and the pool is a bathtub in a construction site. Really-​Nelly and I actually booked a trip to Miami once while sitting on the edge of said bathtub. Because it was just that otrocious.

Since I just celebrated a big birthday [shudder] my We sister and BIL treated me to a weekend in Williamsburg, which was a ton of fun. We HAD booked an apartment with AirBnB, but that fell through at the last minute. However, my sis was able to book a last minute reservation with the McCarren.
It was a lovely hotel. It was beautifully decorated and very clean. While the rooms were small, I thought they were still a descent size. The staff was friendly. We arrived well before check-​in time and they held our bags for us and sent us a text when the rooms were ready. We didn’t eat at the restaurant but it looked nice. We did have a nightcap at the upstairs bar. service was ok. The drink selection was decent but the view of the Manhattan skyline was awesome. Note: I had no issues with outside noise while in my room, but was on the 4^th floor. The «intimacy kit» that was with the in-​room cash bar was a hilarious touch, that also included snacks, booze, water etc…
My only small complaint was the coffee situation. Having free coffee in the lobby in the morning would have been awesome. Or even coffee for a small fee. But it was a little annoying that in order to get a coffee, you also had to buy a pastry, for $ 7.
Sadly we didn’t take advantage of the bikes, but they are available to borrow for that true hipster experience.

McCarren Hotel & Pool (f/​k/​a King & Grove) is an upscale hipster hotel in the Williamsburg neighborhood. I have no idea what the rooms look like — but I will tell you that I am now a humongous fan of their semi-​public POOL! For $ 45 on Mon-​Thurs and $ 55 Fri-​Sun, you get pool access, towel service, and free wifi. They have clean bathrooms, a public shower, and changing stalls. Cool water is always available and there are plenty of nibbles and tonics for the thirsty from the bar and the hotel restaurant, the Elm. There are four space to recline: the patio, the day beds, the bleachers, and the floor.
The patio has a pergola/​overhang and several chairs and tables. It’s a stroller friendly area, and good for reclining with drinks and if you’re not swimming. The day beds are the most popular, but most elusive option. They are wide enough to squish two people, but only if you like being cuddly/​make out close, as we observed multiple Euro couples getting it (almost) on. But if you’re not a guest, the day bed reservation will run you about $ 300. The bleachers are best for groups, with three tiers of wooden benches with cushions divided into sections. They’re comfortable, but not quite big enough to lie out on. This side is also in the shade after about 2 pm, so may not be great for sunning. And then there’s the floor, which is not plentiful to begin with and so you’re constantly getting stepped over.
On a Monday at 11:30 am, Dana F. and I decided to ditch work and have a tanning date. There were a few groups already at the pool, as guests get access as early as 9 am. All the day beds were reserved, so we staked out space in the bleachers and sunned happily. By the afternoon, a few people who had day bed reservations left (and were not coming back) so we were able to snag their spots. We lunched on their mezze plate and some rose and had a phenomenal time. The staff were happy to please and circle constantly to take orders or clean up. It never got crowded on that Monday and stayed child free until 4 pm.
I would not recommend paying for a weekend pass, ever. But a weekday ditch date, child free, clean, with a perfect pool and the phenomenal service? Heaven. Totally worth every dollar. Is it elitist and bourgeois? Absolutely.

Who puts their most expensive suite just below the rooftop club? The floors were shaking with tasteless music until 2:00AM the night before our wedding, and I hardly got any sleep. At one point I went up to see what was going on up there, and there wasn’t even anyone hanging out up there. Ugh.
Thankfully the front desk was responsive, and they did turn the music down a bit and gave us earplugs, but we could still hear it.
One star for the staff, otherwise, meh.