Writing New York

  This just in….a hotel is now open in Williamsburg Brooklyn with all the amenities of a Manhattan hotel at a fraction of the cost. A significant perk  this hotel offers  is it’s view of Manhattan, one you certainly can’t get in the 212 area. Many Brooklyn residents  have had a recent cloud of confusion form over their heads after the late 2007 opening of Le Hotel Jolie. Located just above the BQE’s Metropolitan exit, the hotel is being referred to as, “Williamsburg’s first hotel”, by Robert Gaeta the general manager of a sister hotel called Le Hotel Bleu, which is also located in Brooklyn. Le Hotel Bleu has found a great deal of opposition since its inception as it is a little more high end then Jolie and rooms are going for almost $500 a night. Of course many Brooklyn Bloggers had their opinions about the pricey hotels skyrocketing up in their neighborhood. Gaeta, however, had a come back, “I think some of these people writing these blog sites may not be able to afford $400 a night.” Brownstoner: A brooklyn inside and out website/ blogsite who was reporting on the issue concurs with Gaeta that the locals will probably not be able to afford the rooms, but this is not the issue at hand. Locals don’t want to stay in hotels; they have their own homes in the neighborhood. One thing for certain, the erection of a hotel in Williamsburg means that a.) it is a neighborhood where people from out of town might potentially want to stay. b.) It is a hip neighborhood with a great culture and great late night spots and c.) change in this neighborhood is inevitable.The hotel when first opened had rooms ranging from $200-$350 a night. Looks like business is not doing so well because now you can reserve the nicest room, The Elite King suite for just $207, after taxes. It’s amazing what just one bridge can do to the price of a hotel room. It makes sense to me tho. When visiting a foreign land or city, don’t you want to be right in the center of it all? You want to be right where everything is going on.