Last summer I was barely in New York and would see all over my newsfeed friends lounging by the pool at McCarren Hotel & Pool. When I lived on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg I would have killed been overjoyed to have an outdoor space with a pool (and also a hotel for when my parents visited). If you click the link to the hotel’s pool page, you’ll understand why! Summer came and went and that space had been on my radar to hang out at this summer.
As luck would have it, I was invited for a tour and to experience Oleanders, the hotel’s restaurant which recently had some updates and a new menu. Now under Executive Chef Kevin Chojnowski, the menu includes a delicious mix of healthy and indulgent eats including some must haves the Curried Cauliflower Soup, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, and Scallops. The Burrata was excellent as were the Scallops which were cooked to perfection — doesn’t the photo of it just make your mouth water?
The atmosphere was cool and hip and kept the fine dining element without the stuffiness or white linens and casual dress attire. The space is comfortable and welcoming with décor and photos remnant of Fantastic Mr. Fox (you have to see it to see what I mean), with a built in arcade area off the main dining area.
The upstairs lobby feels like a rain forest with really cool wallpaper of greens all around and opens into the pool, which isn’t quite open yet.
Come summer I’m ready to make this my second home and highly recommend checking it out. Especially now that there is a brand-new cocktail program by Beverage Manager Francis Verrall. Poolside drinks anyone? Yes, please!
McCarren Hotel & Pool, 160 North 12th Street. Learn more at mccarenhotel.com