With rooms awash in bright, bold hues, The William debuted in New York City's Midtown East neighborhood earlier this month. Located near Bryant Park, the hotel sits on East 39th Street between Park and Madison Avenues.
Designed in part for extended-stay travelers who need a place to crash while house-hunting or working in the city, the property's luxury amenities include a Japanese line of tableware, smart HD televisions with integrated sound systems that sync with mobile devices, spacious closets and drawers, and Nespresso coffee/tea machines in each room. In addition, many of the suites are outfitted with a fully stocked gourmet kitchen, making it possible to prepare meals. As an added bonus, the hotel's cultural curators provide each guest with a list of restaurants, shops, and attractions tailored to individual preferences and interests.
Each of the five floors (there are 33 suites in all) proudly dons a different color palette, ranging from teal to orange. In designing the accommodations, design firm In Situ Design commissioned pieces from William Engel, an accomplished artist who specializes in a paint-pouring technique and splits his time between San Diego and New York City. In Situ Design partners Edwin Zawadzki and Mason Wickham, as well as Engel, teach at the New York School of Interior Design. At the William, Engel’s seven-foot works hang in hallways and two guest suites. In addition, some suites flaunt terraces—a rare find at a Manhattan hotel—and all feature pillow-top mattresses, Italian linens by Mascioni, Frette bath towels, and L’Occitane bath products.
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A rooftop garden is expected to open in spring, but in the meantime two restaurants are open for business: The Peacock (classic British cuisine) and The Shakespeare Pub (pub fare in a literary-themed nook). Both are concepts dreamt up by New York City restaurateurs Jason Hicks (of Jones Wood Foundry) and Yves Jadot (of Raines Law Room), with chef Robert Aikens at the helm (formerly at The Dandelion in Philadelphia).
Kristine Hansen is a freelance writer based in Milwaukee where she reports on food, wine, and travel topics around the globe for Fodors.com, along with new hotel openings. She also writes for Wine Enthusiast, TIME, Whole Living and American Way. In 2006 she co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Coffee and Tea (Alpha Books/Penguin). You can follow her on Twitter @kristineahansen or through her web site.