Pocketbook Hudson Hotel and Ambos Restaurant Open in Stunning Factory Renovation

The Hudson Valley seems to have a never-ending supply of dilapidated factories finding their second life through clever adaptive reuse projects. There’s a pencil factory, a shirt factory, and underwear factory and a lace mill. And now, after four years of meticulous restoration, the doors of Pocketbook Hudson, a boutique hotel and restaurant, have opened, breathing new life into one of the city’s largest and most storied structures.

Built in 1883 as a pocketbook factory, the 70,000-square-foot brick-and-timber building at 549 Washington Street, Hudson operated as a bag manufacturing facility until the ’70s. For decades, it sat vacant, falling into disrepair. “We spent four years infusing this historic building with new spirit, honoring Hudson’s past while celebrating the vibrant community that continues to make this city a destination for creatives of all kinds,” says Sean Roland, one of the partners behind the project. “Our goal was to revive this regional landmark, creating a place for locals and visitors alike to pause and connect over a shared appreciation for art, culture, and the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley.”

With its fusion of design, art, and hospitality, the revived Pocketbook is a synecdoche for Hudson and the broader region—a place that continues to evolve while keeping one foot firmly planted in its past. The design duo Charlap Hyman & Herrero kept this push-pull front and center in their architectural overhaul, keeping the structure’s industrial bones intact—wide beams, soaring ceilings, and patinated brick—while layering in modern touches. The result is a tactile dialogue between eras: stainless steel against warm wood, light playing across textured plaster, contemporary art installed where machines once clanked.

Upstairs, 46 guest rooms and suites are quietly luxurious, outfitted with custom millwork by Primary Visual; funky, fun mirrors and lamps by Misha Kahn; and bath products from local artisans. It’s less about opulence than about intention—objects chosen not just to fill space, but to tell a story.

Throughout the building, art acts as connective tissue. Multimedia artist WangShui served as artistic director, curating a collection that includes a mural by Maryam Hoseini in the restaurant, a painting by Tschabalala Self in the main building, and a striking photograph by Martine Gutierrez in the Ambos Lounge. There’s a sense of quiet provocation here—an insistence that creativity remain part of the daily rhythm.

Dining at Ambos

Pocketbook’s ground floor houses Ambos, the restaurant led by Argentine-born chef Norberto Piattoni. A disciple of Francis Mallmann, Piattoni is known for his elemental approach to food, one that celebrates both fire and fermentation. His menu centers on local produce, meat, and seafood, transformed by live-fire cooking and patient craftsmanship. “Our cuisine celebrates the regional bounty of the Hudson Valley through the lens of my Argentine heritage,” Piattoni says. The dining room is open for dinner service Wednesday through Sunday and a weekend brunch; with a casual cafe, dubbed Ambos Lounge, open next door for daytime breakfast and lunch options. 

Piattoni’s dishes feel both grounded and experimental, familiar and yet untamed. The meal begins with shareable starters that set the tone for what’s to come: scallop crudo topped with sour corn, charred hot sauce, cilantro oil, and habanada balances oceanic delicacy with a subtle heat ($29), while the beef heart carpaccio with chili escabeche paste, cipollini, and autumn olive is bold ($25). A dish of Caraflex cabbage surprises with its lush layering of textures—sauerkraut, bottarga, horseradish, creme fraiche, trout roe, and dill—where tangy vegetal crunch meets brine and cream in equal measure ($28).

The mains continue that sense of elemental elegance. The skate wing arrives silky and rich, paired with grilled leeks, fennel soubise, and pickled grapes—a study in contrast and restraint  ($40). The mutton, slow-cooked and deeply aromatic, finds brightness in biquinho peppers and the soft earthiness of polenta ($48). For the table, there are grander offerings designed for sharing: the Raven & Boar pork chop with charred Asian pear, Mad River blue cheese, and chili crisp ($85) and the Happy Valley strip steak ($90), served with potato and fermented green garlic chimichurri. Both are unfussy and generous.

Dessert at Ambos leans playful yet precise. The candied and charred sweet potato ($14) with honey gastrique, raw milk gelato, and thyme transforms humble roots into something ethereal. The smoked chocolate and chana mousse ($15) with cacao crumble and mixed herb granita toys with temperature and texture, while the rogel—a tower of dulce de leche layered with Roquefort meringue and cracked black peppercorn—balances sweetness with funk, a wink toward the Argentine bakery case ($15). 

The Ambos beverage program, overseen by beverage creative director Arley Marks, complements Piattoni’s work with cocktails and tonics that feel both grounded and transportive. The wine list leans Argentinian and Mediterranean, with nods to Hudson Valley vineyards and small producers from the Eastern Seaboard.

Beyond dining, the building has been reimagined as a creative campus. The southern wing will host SHOW : ROOM, a 6,500-square-foot retail and design space slated to open soon, which will showcase objects from over 20 artisans and designers, including a Misha Kahn-curated collective called “Cutoffs.” Hudson’s longtime avant-garde fashion boutique KASURI is also planning to relocate there in 2026, alongside vintage dealers, galleries, and a maker’s co-op.

A Warren of Spaces

“Thoughtful hotel design can offer a platform for the human spirit to shine,” says Nancy Kim, Pocketbook’s co-founder. “In conceiving Pocketbook, one of the main pillars was to design with empathy. This energy is felt throughout the property’s carefully considered spaces, where the wisdom of one era of building meets a fresh perspective.”

The building’s lower levels hold more surprises: a moody subterranean club built into the old boiler room, complete with a high-fidelity sound system by Rob Kalin’s A for Ara; and a flexible Garden Lab where guests can gather for private dinners or workshops. Early next year, the property will debut The Baths, a freestanding wellness spa inspired by global bathhouse traditions like the Japanese sento and Islamic hammam.

Blocks from Warren Street’s smorgasborg of culinary and retail offerings and just down the street from Oakdale Beach and Hudson Skatepark, Pocketbook is well-located while managing to feel apart from the hustle and bustle.

For the city, Pocketbook represents both continuity and renewal—a new chapter written inside familiar walls. As partner Gabriel Katz puts it, “Pocketbook Hudson is a labor of love and a true example of adaptive reuse. We are proud to bring life back to this historic factory, adding a new layer of art, culture, and hospitality for locals and visitors to stay and explore.”

Ambos and Pocketbook Hudson are both now open for booking. Guest rooms start at $379 per night.