Vancouverscape, a Vancouver based blog covering travel, tech, and lifestyle

I recently discovered Moxy Hotels in South Korea with a stay at the Moxy Seoul Insadong this past autumn. Their cute, cheeky, and fun rooms are comfortable and designed with space-saving features in order to take full advantage of each room’s layout.

The Moxy NYC Times Square opened in September 2017 as the brand’s flagship property in the US.

Designer Yabu Pushelberg created a variety of designs for all 612 rooms at the Moxy Times Square, from flexible furnishings to loft style and bunk bedrooms that will appeal to a wide variety of travellers.

Aside from the rooms are social spaces open to both residences and guests for mingling and co-working.

[Hot cocoa and marshmallows take-over at the lobby cart for a chilly day warm-up!]

The Moxy prides itself on immersive, inclusive space built for both work and fun, starting with the lobby candy cart, offering free sweets and soft drinks in the afternoon.

From the check-in desks, my eyes are drawn upwards to an immense plastic and mirror-fragmented bear suspended from the ceiling and complimented by spotlights. Japanese artist Sawada was inspired by the hotel’s riff on “urban camping”.

Rooms

My 11th floor King room has a wall of hooks and a few leather-strapped hangers. It’s a very small space even by New York hotel standards, with a shelf propped open to serve as a tiny work desk.

To complement its core brand colour, a hot pink blowdryer hangs near the bathroom area, and a pink clear plastic chair sits by the work desk.

Messages in pink lipstick are left on the mirrors to welcome you to the Moxy family as well.

Tucked behind a set of sliding industrial doors is a fully tiled en suite bathroom with a walk-in shower. Most rooms (including this one) also feature an external wash basin to match the industrial theme.

A wall-mounted flatscreen TV faces the bed for settling in with a good movie before bedtime.

The telephone by the bed either calls reception or reads you a bedtime story! Quirky, playful elements such as these are definitely aimed at attracting a young and trendy class of traveller.

I also spent a night inside one of their suites, a much roomier and fun space to call home while in Manhattan.

[The suites come with their own pink turntable and a few records!]

[The Magic Hour Rooftop Lounge & Bar with that stunning Empire view; photo by KAOS Media]

Dining and Drinks

Up on the 18th floor, the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge, NYC’s largest all-season indoor/outdoor hotel rooftop venue, is the jewel in the Moxy crown, hosting seasonal events and installations to go with those amazing city views.

The 18th floor space contains multiple bars, an urban amusement park theme, and unmatched skyline views.

Check the hotel’s events page for an ongoing collection of happenings, from pilates to pizza and prosecco nights.

[Legasea]

Legasea, accessible via the first floor of the hotel’s Seventh Avenue entrance, is a casual bar and grill, serving up seafood dishes in a bistro-style environment.

For breakfast, enjoy coffee and pastries at pop-up artisanal bakery Cafe d’Avignon on the second floor, or visit the café itself around the corner.

The Marriott micro hotel concept seems to have taken off as 185 Moxy hotels can be found from Kuala Lumpur to Atlanta (and in Canada, Banff, Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax).

While Moxy hotels don’t offer a full level of service comparable to four- and five-star hotels, they do allow travellers to experience a fun and lively stay in the heart of Manhattan that won’t bust the wallet.

Amenities

One floor below check-in, sweat any time of day (or night) at the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness center. And if you don’t have access to a computer or need to print something out, INK@MOXY offers 24-hour complimentary guest use of a desktop computer and a printer, located next to the fitness center.

[The Moxy is just a couple of blocks away from Macy’s at Herald Square]

In the Hood

You couldn’t ask for a more centralized location! The Moxy is just a few minutes on foot to Madison Square Garden and is well-serviced by subway lines B, D, F, M, and Penn Station, the latter providing additional access to both Long Island Railroad and Amtrak stations.

[The Vessel at Hudson Yards]

While the hotel is close enough on foot to reach the lights on Broadway, it’s also conveniently located near Hudson Yards, The Vessel, The Shed (an up-and-coming arts and culture center), and the Javits Convention Center.

[On my bedroom wall]

Moxy Times Square is located at 485 7th Avenue (at 36th Street) in the heart of Manhattan.

I was a guest of Moxy Times Square for the purpose of this feature. Opinions, as always, remain my own.