OnlyOnAOL: Meet the McCarren Hotel, your ultimate staycation destination

By: Donna Freydkin

So yeah, that Hamptons traffic is no joke -- unless you're getting there in a helicopter.

And summer in the city, especially when it's humid, is one very fetid, very sweaty affair. But we're happy to tell you that there's an amazing locale in Williamsburg, near the Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Winery, and the Williamsburg Bridge, that has the most killer pool we've found in the entire area.

The McCarren Hotel is an urban jewel -- Hugh Jackman, Solange and Kesha certainly think so. They've hung out there. So have we. Quite a bit. And if you're looking for a staycation, which truly feels like a getaway, listen up. You can't go wrong. (And while you're at it, watch our inspiring interview with Pilar Guzmán, editor-in-chief of "Condé Nast Traveler," above).

There's tons of stuff to do nearby. Our favorite: the farmer's market at the nearby park, held on Sundays. As for the McCarren Hotel, it has 64 modern rooms, and the pool is open through the end of September. Go for the eye candy -- and don't forget the chicken sandwich. It's delicious.