Arlo Williamsburg

At $675 per night, our Queen Balcony room at the Arlo Williamsburg had an awesome view and a comfortable bed—but that’s where the kudos ended. The room was so tiny it felt designed for one person. There was nowhere to open a suitcase unless you unpacked into the tiny closet cubby and stored the luggage. Leaving it open blocked access to the only chair unless you were willing to step into the suitcase to sit down. The bathroom had no usable shelf space for makeup, skincare or toiletries, so I balanced items along the narrow wall molding or spread them around the nearby coffee tray. The shower had the same storage problem, and I never figured out how to get the water temperature right. The split barn doors were particularly frustrating: They wouldn’t close properly or stay reliably open or closed, and they banged along their rail. At one point, they hit the light switch, turning the lights on and off—between the banging and flashing lights, being considerate of a sleeping partner was nearly impossible. Privacy was another issue. The bathroom doors wouldn’t stay closed, and a mirror reflected the area by the tiny closet where you had to get dressed. The practical solution was to send your partner onto the balcony, but its incredibly heavy doors were difficult to open and close easily. We stayed in one evening to watch a movie, only to discover that the on-demand movies didn’t work. No engineer was available, so we watched on our laptop. The room phone also didn’t work, and the Wi-Fi code failed, forcing us to contact the front desk repeatedly from my mobile phone. We were offered a breakfast voucher for the television problem and a drink voucher for the bathroom doors. I appreciated those gestures, but they didn’t resolve the problems or compensate for the inconvenience and discomfort. I understand that New York is expensive, but at $675 a night, I expect a room that functions comfortably for two adults. A lovely view and good bed couldn’t make up for the lack of space, privacy and working amenities.

Excellent location to explore Williamsburg and to get across to Manhattan. Rooms are compact but modern. Service by reception staff is nonchalant and not very welcoming or informative. Main issue here is the lifts or elevators. You are lucky if they come within 5 minutes or even work. Often you will find yourself in the service elevator with staff members. This situation is unacceptable for the price they are charging and a basic facility. It is actually a health and safety risk. Be warned that this hotel is a party hotel with outside guests coming in to use the rooftop bar which is very cool. Be prepared to share the elevators with these folk during the weekend especially. Much improvement needed.

Visited on July 12, 2026. I visited Arlo Williamsburg for the day party today with a group of four, and unfortunately our experience at the DJ bar was very disappointing. We ordered one beer and three frozen piña coladas. When it came time to pay, the bartender selected a 20% tip on the payment screen before handing the terminal to us. When we chose the custom tip option instead, he visibly reacted and said, “Omg,” which felt very unprofessional. After that interaction, our piña coladas appeared to be only about half-filled, which made us question whether we were receiving the full drinks we paid for. We also asked for a lime with our beer, and the bartender responded, “I’m too busy for that.” We understand that day parties can get very busy, and we always appreciate hardworking staff. However, professionalism and respectful customer service should remain a priority, regardless of how busy it is. We have a photo of the bartender and would be happy to share it with management privately if it helps identify the incident and improve the customer experience. We hope this feedback is taken constructively so future guests have a much better experience.

We booked this hotel for the busy 4th of July weekend thinking we should have access to the pool. While we had access to the pool, the hotel sold resort day passes on this busy weekend and we didn't have a place to sit or had the chance to get into the very packed pool. It was over 100 degrees that weekend so I understand the demand to cool off at a pool for the day goers but the hotel should prioritize overnight guests paying $600/night + additional fees for amenities that we didn't get to use. The room was small but the balcony was a great addition. AC was pumping nice and cold during the entire stay in the 100+ degree weather. That was the only positive.