The Penny Hotel Williamsburg

We stayed at The Penny along with other guests who were attending our son's wedding in Brooklyn. The front desk staff couldn't have been more helpful and accommodating. The room was nicely appointed, extremely clean and stylish. I would highly recommend The Penny.

Wonderful stay in a good spot. Nice staff.

The Good The Bad The Ugly Part II He then followed me to the front door and watched me load my belongings into the Uber. I returned inside and again attempted to contact my landlord, who still was not answering because she was out of the country—something I had already explained multiple times. As a frequent traveler, I believe I understand what likely happened. My assumption is that my landlord unknowingly booked only one night because my 3:00 a.m. Monday check-in was considered a Sunday-night stay. However, none of this was explained to me during check-in. In fact, I specifically confirmed that I would be departing on Wednesday, and the front desk representative agreed. Had I known there was an issue with the reservation, I would have simply left my belongings at the front desk before going to work on Tuesday. My concern is not the reservation mistake itself. My concern is how the situation was handled. Once I understood there was an issue with the reservation, I immediately agreed to gather my belongings and leave the property. Despite my cooperation, I felt increasingly uncomfortable when the representative repeatedly requested payment after I explained that I was not the booking party, called my room while I was packing, waited for me near the elevator, followed me to the front door, and referenced involving authorities while I was actively departing the hotel. I was a guest whose stay had been arranged by a third party, and I was genuinely trying to understand what had happened. I explained the circumstances multiple times and made every effort to contact the person who booked the room. The situation appeared to be a misunderstanding regarding the reservation, yet I felt as though I was being treated as someone attempting to avoid payment rather than a guest trying to resolve the issue. The reservation issue itself could have been resolved with a conversation. What left a lasting negative impression was the manner in which the situation was handled after I had already agreed to leave. To Management I am leaving this review in the hope that management will provide additional training regarding customer service and conflict de-escalation. Waiting for a guest at the elevator, following them to the front door, and threatening to involve authorities during what was clearly a misunderstanding is unnecessary, inappropriate, and escalates a situation that does not warrant escalation. I would welcome a conversation with management if you would like to discuss this experience in greater detail. Additionally, the third-floor hallway was absolutely disgusting. There were visible stains, dirt, and trash throughout the corridor. For a hotel of this caliber, the cleanliness of the common areas should be addressed immediately, as it creates a very poor first impression upon arrival. I also want to acknowledge the female front desk representative who assisted me during check-in and with my room change. She was professional, patient, empathetic, and accommodating throughout my stay. Unfortunately, her excellent customer service was overshadowed by the way this reservation misunderstanding was handled the following day.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly The Good This review is a detailed account of my experience as a guest at The Penny Hotel in Williamsburg. On Monday morning at approximately 1:30 a.m., my apartment was flooded by my upstairs neighbor, and I had to evacuate immediately. I found The Penny Hotel through Google and called the front desk. The woman working that evening was empathetic, patient, and thorough in answering my questions. I explained that I would need accommodations for two nights, checking in Monday and checking out Wednesday. She confirmed availability, provided a rate, and I relayed the information to my landlord so she could make the reservation.The front desk representative explained that my landlord would need to call to confirm the credit card details and complete a credit card authorization form. Everything appeared to be set.When I arrived at the hotel, the front desk representative remembered me from our phone conversation. She was waiting for my landlord to return the authorization form, and about five minutes later I was issued two room keys. No paperwork was provided to me. The front desk representative confirmed that my checkout date was Wednesday, and I proceeded to my room. The Bad When I arrived on the third floor, I was surprised by the condition of the hallway. There were white stains, dirt, trash, and debris throughout the corridor. The hallway was noticeably dirty and did not create a welcoming first impression. The bed was comfortable however and I left for work around 8:00 a.m The Ugly On Tuesday morning, I walked my dog and then headed to work as usual. I returned to the hotel around 6:00 p.m. and discovered that my room key would not work in the elevator. Assuming the key card had simply been deactivated, I went to the front desk and asked one of the male front desk representatives if he could reactivate it. He asked for my name and room number, and I handed him my key card.He then stated, “We need a card on file for the extra night.” I was confused because I was not scheduled to check out until Wednesday. In my experience as a frequent domestic and international traveler, hotels typically provide some form of checkout notification or leave a folio under the door the night before departure. I had received no such notification. I attempted to explain that there must be a misunderstanding because I was staying for two nights. While the representative listened, he repeatedly stated that they needed another card on file for the additional night. I called my landlord in front of him and explained the situation. She informed me that my apartment was now ready and that I could return home. Based on that information, I told the front desk representative that I would gather my belongings and leave, as I believed I had been booked for two nights based on the information provided during check-in. The representative continued insisting that I provide a credit card, which I explained I did not have. I went upstairs to pack my belongings. Within approximately ten minutes, the representative called my room to inform me that my landlord had not called to provide a credit card. At this point, however, I felt as though I was being treated as if I were attempting to leave without paying for my stay, despite having no knowledge that I was apparently expected to check out at 11:00 a.m. that morning. About 25 minutes later, I came downstairs with my luggage and dog. The representative was standing near the elevator waiting for me, which I found unsettling. My Uber had arrived, and the representative continued following me while repeatedly asking for a credit card. Again, I explained that I did not have one and asked him to give me a few minutes to place my belongings in the Uber before it left. I assured him that I would attempt to contact my landlord again. At that point, he stated that he did not want to get “the authorities involved.” I was absolutely flabbergasted. Why would authorities need to be involved? He then followed me to the front door and watched.