Review of the Moxy Times Square hotel in New York

New York is unforgivably expensive.

Typically, the average holiday-maker can’t get a decent room in Manhattan for anything less than $250 per night – and, even then, they’d risk bed bugs, stained sheets and, God forbid, communal bathrooms.

Thankfully, there’s a new kid on the block that promises to be a game-changer. 

Game-changer: The Moxy Times Square offers clean, stylish, quality rooms in central Manhattan for as little $99 per night 

Street life: Nestled on 36th Street and 7th Avenue, where Uptown and Downtown collide, this is the first of five Moxy venues to appear in New York City

Street life: Nestled on 36th Street and 7th Avenue, where Uptown and Downtown collide, this is the first of five Moxy venues to appear in New York City

Nestled on 36th Street and 7th Avenue, where Uptown and Downtown collide, Moxy Times Square is the NY flagship of Marriott’s new, experimental global brand.

But, unless you read the small print, you wouldn’t necessarily know the two were related. For while Marriott’s main product is reassuringly inoffensive and corporate, Moxy is shamelessly rock-n-roll.

Hence why it’s dubbed ‘an energetic alternative to the typical hotel experience’.

In case this wasn’t clear by the sexually charged marketing material (its tagline is ‘Get A Room’), I arrive on a night when supermodel Heidi Klum is hosting her annual Halloween bash. 

She’s taken over Moxy’s rooftop club, Magic Hour, to welcome 500 friends – hilariously, a move that closes the street while police manage paparazzi hunting for celebs.

Not that this drama threatens to overshadow Moxy’s towering presence, of course. If it were human it wouldn’t even flinch, such is the attitude that emanates from this recently-revived building, originally built in 1907 to house the long-forgotten New Mills Hotel.

Smart: The rooms are perfectly-formed - in part thanks to clever configurations that include folding furniture designed by Yabu Pushelberg, wooden bed frames with suitcase storage and open-pegboard closets

Smart: The rooms are perfectly-formed – in part thanks to clever configurations that include folding furniture designed by Yabu Pushelberg, wooden bed frames with suitcase storage and open-pegboard closets

Looking good: Although the rooms are incredibly reasonable, there's no compromise on trendy decor or aesthetics

Looking good: Although the rooms are incredibly reasonable, there’s no compromise on trendy decor or aesthetics

Good, clean fun: All of the bedroom suites contain large, walk-in rain showers that help create a sense of space 

Good, clean fun: All of the bedroom suites contain large, walk-in rain showers that help create a sense of space 

Slumber party: Moxy bosses haven't scrimped on mattresses, duvets or sheets, meaning you'll sleep soundly in the city

Slumber party: Moxy bosses haven’t scrimped on mattresses, duvets or sheets, meaning you’ll sleep soundly in the city

Not that there’s any trace of it now, of course. From the moment guests enter the tech-laden lobby, it’s apparent that Moxy Times Square is 21st century hospitality for the Instagram generation – in both form and function.

Instead of the traditional hotel reception desk, guests check-in at self-service, touchscreen kiosks, then enter their room via the Marriott Mobile App on their smartphone. No key cards required. 

Inside, the rooms aren’t necessarily huge, but they are perfectly-formed – in part thanks to clever configurations which include: folding furniture designed by Yabu Pushelberg, wooden bed frames with suitcase storage and open-pegboard closets.

The various suite options – which range from king-size down to quad rooms with twin bunks – all contain large, walk-in rain showers, furiously fast Wi-Fi, Bluetooth soundbars and flat-screen HDTVs that allow guests to stream Netflix, Hulu and YouTube.

Now that's a welcome! The trendy, tech-laden lobby, where guests check-in at self-service, touchscreen kiosks

Now that’s a welcome! The trendy, tech-laden lobby, where guests check-in at self-service, touchscreen kiosks

Ranges: There are several room types to choose from, including double doubles, which are perfect for groups of four

Ranges: There are several room types to choose from, including double doubles, which are perfect for groups of four

Friends in high places: There are also bunk-bed options, which further utilise the space available in the hotel rooms 

Friends in high places: There are also bunk-bed options, which further utilise the space available in the hotel rooms 

More importantly, the beds are genuinely comfy. Wisely, Moxy bosses haven’t scrimped on mattresses, duvets or sheets, meaning you’ll likely sleep soundly in a city famed for its insomnia. 

But be warned: each room comes with a pair of boxed earplugs on the bedside table. This isn’t a quirky marketing ploy, but a practical solution to the thumping basslines of the resident DJs who entertains crowds beneath. 

Whether this is a deal-breaker depends on how lightly you snooze, but – for people who want affordable rates without sacrificing style or comfort – it’s a small price to pay for the seemingly-impossible: 612 stylish, clean rooms available from just $99 (£74) per night in the world’s greatest city.

‘Moxy pushes the envelope, so we tossed out the rulebook,’ Toni Stoeckl, Marriott’s Global Brand Leader and Vice President, told me. ‘The result has been a hotel experience like no other – fun, edgy, playful, and all at a killer price.’ 

Besides, who goes to New York for a quiet break? Certainly not me – and definitely not Heidi Klum.

Hey, good looking! The recently-revived building was originally built in 1907 to house the long-forgotten New Mills Hotel

The Legasea restaurant and bar - one of several dining options inside The Moxy Times Square, making it self-contained

The Legasea restaurant and bar – one of several dining options inside The Moxy Times Square, making it self-contained

Up on the roof: Magic Hour, the hotel's very own rooftop bar, is open all year and hosted Heidi Klum's Halloween bash

Up on the roof: Magic Hour, the hotel’s very own rooftop bar, is open all year and hosted Heidi Klum’s Halloween bash

Up on the roof: Magic Hour, the hotel's very own rooftop bar, is open all year and hosted Heidi Klum's Halloween bash  

 Peter enjoyed mesmerising views of the Empire State Building as he sipped a Brooklyn Mixer

What a tee-se: The hotel proves that the corporate Marriott chain isn't afraid to be playful

What a tee-se: The hotel proves that the corporate Marriott chain isn’t afraid to be playful

As I dine in one of Moxy’s four eateries, Legasea, an envelope is discreetly pushed along my table by the head waiter. It’s an invite to the notorious rooftop party.

I settle-up and slip into an elevator packed with zombie mannequins, which takes me up to the action. Seconds later, I emerge to be greeted with a Brooklyn Mixer and a view of the neighbouring Empire State building.

A perfect sight, I say to myself – matched only by my unusually modest hotel bill. 

TRAVEL FACTS 

The Moxy Times Square is located on 36th Street and 7th Avenue, Manhattan. Small rooms start from $99, larger ones from $139.



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