1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

The Manhattan iteration of the 1 Hotels brand may have come first, but that doesn’t mean the Brooklyn edition is an afterthought. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge stands at the edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park, looking across the East River at the Lower Manhattan skyline, a view that’s unique among New York hotels. There’s no more fitting location for 1 Hotels’ eco-luxe aesthetic, with its salvaged materials, stylish design, and low-impact construction than here in Brooklyn, alongside the lush green park that’s been reclaimed from the city’s post-industrial waterfront.

The interiors make good on the hotel’s low-impact promise. The majority of the materials are reclaimed or reused, including wood salvaged from the Coney Island boardwalk and Williamsburg’s old Domino Sugar factory. The result isn’t just virtuous, it’s richly textured and touchable as well, lending a warmth to these old spaces that’s at odds with the severe minimalism that once ruled New York’s boutique hotels. And it’s green in ways that are harder to see: the building collects rainwater, releasing it to the park when needed, and the whole hotel runs on wind power.

There’s also plenty of uncomplicated comfort to go around, from Neighbors Café and the seasonal Rooftop Bar to the Field House fitness center. There’s a spa soon to open as well, and the location, of course, puts most of New York City a subway ride away. And while the ownership structure is rarely the most compelling aspect of a hotel, it’s worth mentioning that 1 Hotels is the new venture from Barry Sternlicht, former Starwood CEO, so it’s a brand that embodies quite a lot of hospitality knowledge — so for all the focus on innovation, you won’t find them skimping on the traditional hospitality values.