Ace Hotel Brooklyn hotel review: a laid-back, stylish NYC stay

Times

30-07-2025

You may not expect a hotel lobby built of cast concrete slabs to feel warm and homely, but that's exactly the atmosphere at the Ace in Brooklyn. Here, neighbourhood locals perch for hours on creased leather couches, working on their laptops at long, varnished tables or meeting for a drink or a coffee under warm amber lights at the bar. The Ace brand knows how to turn a public space into a welcoming third place with a unique blend of style, comfort, and local culture. The property is a hub of community and creativity, with a roster of events and art exhibitions that connect visitors to the local scene. Given its location near multiple subway lines and the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, guests can easily explore the local neighbourhood while enjoying quick access to Manhattan. Service here is informal, but swift and capable, setting the tone for a relaxed and stylish stay.
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Score 7/10The industrial decor of the 287 rooms was designed by Roman and Williams in prevailing hues of deep forest green (carpet), orange (plywood panels and furniture) and charcoal (ceiling) and tempered by vintage instruments, woollen tapestries and wall hangings made by local artists. There's nothing extraneous here — warehouse windows let in loads of light, platform beds are covered in tactile linens, hangers on metal pipes serve as the wardrobe, wooden pegs are perfectly placed for towels and dressing gowns. The smallest room is a sizeable Queen with room to walk around — the bonus to staying in an outer borough.
The spacious bathrooms all have concrete sinks and walk-in showers with rainfall heads and stylish custom dressing gowns. The Ace Suite is the only room with a tub. Be sure to book west-facing rooms above the fifth floor for views across brownstone Brooklyn and its church steeples to New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty and the green hill of Staten Island. While the rooms are stocked with Smeg mini-fridges, sturdy white diner mugs and a kettle, there's no tea, coffee or milk on offer — which is all part of the Ace's ethos to make sure guests leave their room and join in the communal vibe of the shared public spaces.
Score 8/10 It's New York so there are only about, say, 4,397 restaurants to choose from, but dinner at Lele's Roman, the Ace's all-day restaurant should not be considered an also-ran. The colourful dining room gets an extra buzz from the street-facing windows letting in some of that Brooklyn hustle, and chef Francesco Battisti's new menu has welcome dishes like pinsas (flatbreads) and a sophisticated kids' menu, which is always a good idea in this part of family-friendly Brooklyn. Breakfasts here run from pastrami bagels and eggs Benedict to prosciutto cotto omelettes with fontina cheese. Meanwhile, lit by skylight in the lobby's airy, plant-filled Garden Room, visiting chefs get to strut their stuff at gastro pop-ups with small plates and wines by the glass. The backlit bar is definitely the place to unwind after a day in the city, sipping a craft cocktail or a tongue-tingling, non-alcoholic spritz.
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Score 7/10The Ace aims to be part of the fabric of the neighbourhood and its calendar has a full roster of artworks, temporary exhibitions, events curated by artists in residence, and DJ parties late into the wee hours. The subway even obligingly rumbles underfoot at regular intervals. There's no spa or fitness centre. The hotel has no-nonsense eco-friendly policies, including soap flakes of cedar and charcoal in the bathrooms to prevent waste, water bottle-filling stations in the hallways, and linens are changed every three days.
Score 8/10While the Ace's downtown Brooklyn location won't win any beauty contests, it's a hop, skip and jump from some of Brooklyn's trendiest shops, restaurants and cultural hotspots such as the Barclay Center, BAM and Lucali's (Taylor Swift's favourite pizzeria). The Ace is the perfect base for exploring the Brooklyn lifestyle in neighbourhoods like Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Dumbo, and Fort Greene. It's also surrounded by multiple subway lines with downtown Manhattan a mere two stations away. The closest Citi Bike share is two blocks from the hotel, for those who want to tour on two wheels.
Price room-only doubles from £156 Restaurant mains from £18Family-friendly NAccessible Y
Sunshine Flint was a guest of Ace Hotel Brooklyn (acehotel.com)
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