Moxy is Marriott’s design brand for millennial travelers, but it has grown to become a favorite of all age groups thanks to its affordable approach to luxury. It may not have the largest guest rooms (that’s by design), but its public spaces focus on striking interiors and appealing entertainment that brings in the local community as much as its guest list.
The six New York Moxy hotels are a bit of a showpiece for their community-buzzed bars and restaurants. In other parts of the world, Moxy properties combine the front desk with the bar and create a 24/7 co-working and dining and gathering space.
At Moxy Lower East Side, guests may think they have entered one of New York’s most buzzing bar-scene hotels, but this is actually a popular mix of business and leisure travelers. The rooftop bar and lounge plus a lobby bar just adds to the scene. Marriott Bonvoy fans know about Moxy already and how this is one of the brand’s stand-out neighborhood gathering spots. For everyone else, here are five reasons to visit Moxy Lower East Side.
The Lobby
Doormen swing open the glass doors across a bridge with two descending staircases on either side taking you down to the award-winning dining options here. If you continue forward, you are met with dazzling chandeliers and greenery dangling from the ceiling. It’s almost Alice in Wonderland magical until you reach the check-in stand where reality sets in. But, even then, the welcoming staff is so gracious on their laptops as they complete formalities you might not realize this is a hotel, rather a chic nightclub. During the day, many guests order coffee and work in the snazzy lobby space.
The hotel is located on Bowery Street and is adjacent to Chinatown, New York University and a slew of other interesting venues (downtown’s financial buzzers are not far away either) giving this middle-ground spot plenty of attitude and fun to enjoy. If you want to crowd-watch from the lobby or up on the rooftop, the energy is constant. The piano bar helps to draw people in and has become a fast-favorite in the neighborhood.
The Rooftop
From this vantage point, the city is your oyster. While many rooftop bars in midtown Manhattan hotels dazzle, the magic is knowing that the view from afar is even more impressive. The entire skyline unfurls from this all-weather spot. Moxy Lower East Side knows that its top-floor spot is a go-to bullseye. You can count on weekends getting busy here with thumping music and patrons through the wee hours of the morning. On other nights, the venue is more subdued, but the magical views never change.
The Design
Moxy is all about design, but its secondary focus is on price. That is, wants to win over the trendy younger generation who may not fork over for more expensive venues just yet. The brand is able to do this with smaller rooms (but it also has suites, too) that make great use of space. Think wall hooks, under-bed bag storage and desks that fold up and down with just one little handle. There are even rooms with bunk beds that work well for families, but even better for bachelor or bachelorette parties (or whatever else) with friend groups traveling together on a budget.
Another design point is that the vanity areas are often open to the room to minimize the space needed for the shower and toilet area. The design is not for everyone, especially if space and modesty are top of the list, but the price point of Moxy does not lie. It has been appealing to hotel developers and hotel guests aplenty.
The Clever Promotions
Moxy is always looking for ways to stir up conversation and provide new ways for travelers to learn more about the destination and themselves. For example, Moxy and Sanctuary came up with a unique partnership that will last all year. Sanctuary creates astro-adventure guides that tap into astrocartography to help travelers find the ideal travel date, location and companion recommendations based on their particular sign and the network of Moxy hotels around the world.
There is also a special cocktail menu based on different astrological signs and a new cosmic twist on Moxy’s Bedtime Stories (short, one-minute stories to wind down your day with a smile or laugh). There are other events coming soon related to this new partnership.
Of course, Moxy is also part of the Marriott Bonvoy program, and members can earn and redeem points to use at other Moxy (and Marriott family hotels) around the world.
The Dining
This hotel is drawing in the crowds like no one would have expected (and there are plenty of other chic restaurants and design hotels in the neighborhood). The more casual guests may settle for a house-made pastry or evening tipple in the piano bar here. But, those that live nearby swear by the Japanese restaurant Sake No Hana, part of Tao hospitality group (of Hakkasan fame).
In addition to several other bars, up on the rooftop, there is also a day and evening menu. Don’t expect a breakfast buffet here (there is a tasty a la carte menu though). This is the type of hotel where every meal has a story to tell (and at this property, the guests want to tell).
