Today marks the debut of Moxy Williamsburg, the first Brooklyn hotel for the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of 30 brands. The hotel boasts 216 rooms and features inventive design elements that celebrate the history of Williamsburg as a hub for creatives, immigrants, and mavericks.
Designed by BASILE Studio in collaboration with Lightstone Design Studio, the interiors are meant to attract the young-at-heart and trendsetting locals. The hotel also features space-saving design solutions, flexible co-working spaces, and a range of restaurants and bars to suit various tastes. The four dining and drinking venues were created by Bar Lab Hospitality, the team behind the popular Broken Shaker, and offer a variety of options, including Mesiba, Bar Bedford, Jolene, and LilliStar (opening this spring), an indoor/outdoor rooftop bar with stunning views of the Williamsburg Bridge and Manhattan skyline.
BASILE Studio, a San Diego-based boutique design firm, collaborated with Lightstone Design Studio to create the design for Moxy Williamsburg. The hotel’s design draws inspiration from the neighborhood’s diverse and eclectic character, combining elements from the past and present with influences from various cultures.
Designed by the prominent New York architecture firm Stonehill Taylor, the 11-story building boasts a modern, industrial-inspired look that reflects the neighborhood’s warehouse lofts. The glass front façade creates a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, showcasing the lobby and Bar Bedford’s lively atmosphere. On the southern façade, an eye-catching Pop Art-style mural by British street artist D*Face features a woman in a car, stuck in traffic, shouting “GET ME TO THE MOXY!!” visible from the Williamsburg Bridge.
The lobby’s exposed 20-foot ceilings and natural materials evoke the open, airy feel of a converted warehouse, and greenery hanging from the ceiling adds a biophilic touch. An art installation by Rare Culture adorns the wall and ceiling, depicting the underbelly of the Williamsburg Bridge at sunrise, seen from Brooklyn towards the Manhattan skyline, made of thousands of colored crayons. A series of hand-painted skateboards by local artists hangs on the wall behind the self-check-in pods.
The cocktail bar and all-day café, Bar Bedford, at Moxy Williamsburg is a reflection of Brooklyn’s creative and forward-thinking atmosphere. The bar is a comfortable living space, featuring motorized liquor risers made of blackened metal rising behind glass and white oak panels, holding 1,500 bottles of wine and liquor. The custom-fabricated system is inspired by New York’s old Automats and moves up and down like dumbwaiters to provide bartenders access to special bottles and give patrons a show.
Moxy Williamsburg also features three Meeting Studios, designed as breakaway spaces for private events and co-working, similar to Lightstone’s other Moxy hotels. The Studios feature modular sofas and worktables that can be folded down to become credenzas, all designed to be easily rearranged, transforming the spaces as the day turns into night. These rooms can be combined to accommodate larger groups and open onto the Bar Bedford Garden, an adaptable alfresco space in the rear of the hotel, inspired by backyard gardens of many Williamsburg apartment buildings, giving it a lively and residential vibe.
The 216 bedrooms at Moxy Williamsburg were designed to prioritize comfort and functionality over excess. Natural materials like birch and steel add warmth to the streamlined shapes of the furnishings, and Moxy’s signature playful touches can be found throughout the rooms. The floor-to-ceiling windows allow for ample natural light to flood in. Room types range from Kings to Quad Bunks, with sizes between 165-210 square feet. Clever storage solutions include foldable wall-mounted pegs, an open closet, and under-bed cubbies, while a wall-mounted desk can be pulled down to serve as a workspace.
The restaurants and bars at Moxy Williamsburg were conceptualized by Bar Lab Hospitality, a creative force that also founded the popular Broken Shaker bars in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Bar Lab was founded by Elad Zvi and Gabe Orta, who create unpretentious, yet fashionable and sophisticated venues.
Mesiba, designed by Israeli chef Eli Buli, pays tribute to Tel Aviv’s lively energy and Bauhaus architecture, and the flavorful cuisine and celebratory culture of the Levant region and Israel. The dining room features a warm and verdant atmosphere centered around a curved marble bar, and Hollywood-style booths that create a festive atmosphere. Creative cocktails complement the fresh and seasonal cuisine, and plants hanging from the double-height ceiling lend a bohemian vibe.
Jolene, an inspired retro leisure lifestyle sound room, boasts a state-of-the-art audio and light system that draws top talent from Brooklyn’s thriving nightlife scene. This is the perfect spot to dance to the sounds of local and global DJs. Bar Lab’s partners in Jolene are Miami-based nightlife impresarios David Sinopoli, Davide Danese, and Coloma Kaboomsky, who are collectively known as the Space Invaders, and are best known for their seminal Club Space.
LilliStar, Moxy Williamsburg’s indoor/outdoor rooftop bar, will open in the spring. It will blend contemporary Indo-Aussie beach culture with Brooklyn energy, creating a unique setting for tropical-inspired cocktails, Balinese beach barbecue, and dramatic views. The lounge features a dramatic ceiling sculpture made of giant lotus flowers carved from copper, glass, and leather. Floor-to-ceiling windows open onto an expansive roof deck that offers stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the iconic steel trusses of the Williamsburg Bridge. Playful cocktails, including large-format drinks for the whole table to share, incorporate tropical fruits and Southeast Asian spices.
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