Review: Moxy Lower East Side
Paul Oswell
Where: New York City, New York, USA.
Long story short: Elevated version of the Moxy hotel brand with plenty of onsite amenities and a plum location on The Bowery.
Short story long: You may have stayed at Moxy brand hotels - Marriott’s Gen Z-slanted, budget option that has popped up in cities worldwide. I’ve stayed in a few - the first one ever opened (in New Orleans), in fact. You check in at the bar and eat paninis and throw your clothes on a hook, etc. It’s a decent hotel for young travellers who need a bed for the night when they travel for a (Googles ‘young person popular pop star god i'm old’) Charli XCX gig or whatever.
Moxy Lower East Side, though, is a different kettle of corn. This is a Moxy Lightstone, a more adult version of the brand that includes five spots in New York (Lower East Side, Williamsburg, Times Square, Chelsea, and the East Village), plus Los Angeles and South Beach outposts. They’re the brainchild of veteran hotelier Mitchell Hochberg, and they up the stakes a little (read a deeper dive into the brand here).
Moxy LES is the latest to open, and it enjoys an enviable location right on The Bowery. Historically, this was a downmarket stretch of Lower Manhattan, but these days it’s really on the up-and-up. As soon as you arrive, the differences slap you in the face. There’s an actual front desk, a lobby coffee shop and bar where actual New Yorkers seem to be hanging out, and a striking upscaling of the decor. The hotel pays homage to the neighbourhood’s history with both large sculptures of circus bears as well as more subliminal touches, such as tiny acrobats hiding in the chandeliers. Other Moxy joints I’ve seen have a couple of Insta-friendly areas, but this place is notably design forward.
Mitch has developed a philosophy for NYC hotel rooms. He knows that you’re not spending much time in the room, what with there being a throbbing world capital out there to explore, and so he’s invested in comfy beds, great showers and memorable views. I can confirm the ROI - I slept well, cleaned up great and looked out of windows with purpose the whole time I was there, so I’m very on board.
The rooms are somewhat minimalist, with a modular peg system for clothes and thoughtful storage arrangement. Space is at a premium in this town, and even the entry-level accommodations feel relatively spacious. The tall windows are an expense for the owners, but one worth the impact. It’s almost like being in a comfortable cruise ship cabin, and the high-quality fixtures such as the striking ceramic sinks cement a luxe aesthetic. Despite this, room rates are incredibly competitive given the location and standards.
Public spaces run the gamut of options. Take in the skyline with a martini from stylish rooftop bar the Highlight Room, or go spelunking into the basement at the laid back izakaya (Japanese pub) Sake No Hana, where you can chow down on soft shell crab amid the city's movers, and very possibly some shakers. If that’s not enough, the hotel also has a louche piano lounge (Silver Lining) and its own nightclub (Loosies), with banquettes and an achingly professional sound system.
You could have five different nights out just at the hotel, and the energy of Lower Manhattan pours into the bars. You might also be lucky enough to stay when one of NYC’s most sought-after pop-ups sets up outside. I had a scallion pancake burrito while surrounded by excitable influencers.
If you’ve stayed at any other Moxy, then trade up to the Moxy LES (or any of the hotels mentioned above), and if you haven’t, then this is the best way to experience the brand by quite some way.
Doubles start at around US$210. Visit the website here.
MORE HOTELS
When is a Moxy not a Moxy?
How Sydney's Capella Hotel gets it right
Is this London's most dystopian hotel?
Paul Oswell
Where: New York City, New York, USA.
Long story short: Elevated version of the Moxy hotel brand with plenty of onsite amenities and a plum location on The Bowery.
Short story long: You may have stayed at Moxy brand hotels - Marriott’s Gen Z-slanted, budget option that has popped up in cities worldwide. I’ve stayed in a few - the first one ever opened (in New Orleans), in fact. You check in at the bar and eat paninis and throw your clothes on a hook, etc. It’s a decent hotel for young travellers who need a bed for the night when they travel for a (Googles ‘young person popular pop star god i'm old’) Charli XCX gig or whatever.
Moxy Lower East Side, though, is a different kettle of corn. This is a Moxy Lightstone, a more adult version of the brand that includes five spots in New York (Lower East Side, Williamsburg, Times Square, Chelsea, and the East Village), plus Los Angeles and South Beach outposts. They’re the brainchild of veteran hotelier Mitchell Hochberg, and they up the stakes a little (read a deeper dive into the brand here).
Moxy LES is the latest to open, and it enjoys an enviable location right on The Bowery. Historically, this was a downmarket stretch of Lower Manhattan, but these days it’s really on the up-and-up. As soon as you arrive, the differences slap you in the face. There’s an actual front desk, a lobby coffee shop and bar where actual New Yorkers seem to be hanging out, and a striking upscaling of the decor. The hotel pays homage to the neighbourhood’s history with both large sculptures of circus bears as well as more subliminal touches, such as tiny acrobats hiding in the chandeliers. Other Moxy joints I’ve seen have a couple of Insta-friendly areas, but this place is notably design forward.
Mitch has developed a philosophy for NYC hotel rooms. He knows that you’re not spending much time in the room, what with there being a throbbing world capital out there to explore, and so he’s invested in comfy beds, great showers and memorable views. I can confirm the ROI - I slept well, cleaned up great and looked out of windows with purpose the whole time I was there, so I’m very on board.
The rooms are somewhat minimalist, with a modular peg system for clothes and thoughtful storage arrangement. Space is at a premium in this town, and even the entry-level accommodations feel relatively spacious. The tall windows are an expense for the owners, but one worth the impact. It’s almost like being in a comfortable cruise ship cabin, and the high-quality fixtures such as the striking ceramic sinks cement a luxe aesthetic. Despite this, room rates are incredibly competitive given the location and standards.
Public spaces run the gamut of options. Take in the skyline with a martini from stylish rooftop bar the Highlight Room, or go spelunking into the basement at the laid back izakaya (Japanese pub) Sake No Hana, where you can chow down on soft shell crab amid the city's movers, and very possibly some shakers. If that’s not enough, the hotel also has a louche piano lounge (Silver Lining) and its own nightclub (Loosies), with banquettes and an achingly professional sound system.
You could have five different nights out just at the hotel, and the energy of Lower Manhattan pours into the bars. You might also be lucky enough to stay when one of NYC’s most sought-after pop-ups sets up outside. I had a scallion pancake burrito while surrounded by excitable influencers.
If you’ve stayed at any other Moxy, then trade up to the Moxy LES (or any of the hotels mentioned above), and if you haven’t, then this is the best way to experience the brand by quite some way.
Doubles start at around US$210. Visit the website here.
MORE HOTELS
When is a Moxy not a Moxy?
How Sydney's Capella Hotel gets it right
Is this London's most dystopian hotel?