When we went back to New York City to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden this summer, I needed to find a nearby hotel. We were disappointed with our last stay at The Draper, but remembered that we walked past a hotel several times during that visit. It was a place we’d been eyeing since 2017 when they opened a rooftop adults-only mini-golf course. The mini-golf is gone (the course is still there, as part of the rooftop bar), but the hotel was on our radar as somewhere to stay if the situation was right. For this trip, it seemed like a perfect time to stay at:
Moxy Times Square
485 7th Avenue (at 36th St)
New York NY 10018
Cost
I redeemed the three 50,000-point free-night certificates I earned as a sign-up bonus for the Marriott Bonvoy Business AMEX card for this stay. One night was under 50,000 points, and I had to add 4,000 and 3,000 points for the other two nights. The Moxy charges a $30 Destination Fee per night for all guests, including those redeeming free-night certificates or staying on points.
Check-In and Hotel Layout
The check-in desks are located as you walk into the hotel. There’s no line, so if all the agents are busy, you have to hover in the middle of the pathway, which can be chaotic if there’s a crowd.
After checking in, we headed to the elevators. The Moxy has a setup where you scan your key and enter your floor, and then the system will direct you to an elevator.
The hotel has a confusing layout, as shown in this diagram.
The elevators are located in the center, with rooms on each side around an open area. The smallest hotel rooms we’ve ever encountered are the two directly across from the elevators. I mentioned in a previous post that we were initially assigned one of these rooms.
I was able to arrange to move to a larger (compared to the first one) room. While it was still small, it was acceptable for a couple of nights. This one was toward the corner of the building, which kept the noise from the hallway to a minimum.
The Room
The entrance is where you notice that there’s no wasted space in the room. The toilet and shower are directly to the left, and the sink and shelves are on the way to the bed. The wall is lined with hooks, which is a Moxy trademark. It’s supposed to make it easier to organize your items and to hang furniture that’s not in use.
The bed took up the rest of the room. While it was a tight fit, at least there was a little space at the foot of the bed, allowing you to shuffle to the other side by the windows instead of rolling over the bed. The under-bed storage space was large enough to slide in a roll-aboard bag, which is a nice feature.
The shelf by the 1 & 1/2 windows was helpful as a place to store luggage and a nightstand, complete with power outlets.
Since I was able to get this “upgrade” by complaining that the smaller room lacked a desk, I wanted to show what they consider a desk at the Moxy. Notice that we’re still missing a chair.
After another call to the front desk, they did bring our chair. Not exactly the most comfortable workstation.
The sink’s flow-restrictive head was more like using a sprayer than a faucet. This also made it difficult to fill any size water bottle with New York City tap water (which is better than most bottled water. Here’s why).
The bathroom had a shower larger than you’d expect from a compact room. Honestly, the shower was pretty great and one of the hotel’s highlights. It easily passed the shower test with simple controls, ample light, and all the water stayed in the shower area.
Moxy hotels use Muk toiletry products.
Hotel guests have access to “The Stash,” a closet on each floor containing extra supplies, from toothbrushes and feminine products to ironing boards and refrigerators. I had to go to three different floors, but I was eventually able to find an extra pillow for our room.
Common Areas
As you’ve seen, the rooms at the Moxy aren’t very large, and there’s no actual workspace. That’s why the second floor was filled with people working on their computers during the day. There are couches and tables around the atrium over the lobby, with plenty of outlets to power devices.
The bar area had seating areas popular with families and remote workers.
Behind the bar, several larger rooms can be used as workspaces for larger groups.
During the day, a Cafe d’Avignon pop-up on the second floor offers specialty coffee, freshly baked pastries, and savory sandwiches. They also provide complimentary drip coffee from 7 AM to 10 AM. We took advantage of this perk every morning, and it was some of the best “free coffee” we’ve ever had at a hotel.
Fitness Room
There’s a fitness room in the basement if you want to get in a quick workout. It didn’t look like it was used much, but there’s a good reason that I’ll explain later.
Business Center
This setup in the basement is the hotel’s “business center.” I have no other words.
Destination Fee
The Moxy NYC Times Square charges a $30 daily destination fee. This provides the following benefits:
- Daily Enhanced Wi-Fi access (additional benefits available for Gold+ Marriott Bonvoy members)
- Daily $30 food and beverage credit (at Bar Moxy and Café d’Avignon Pop-up)
- Daily Crunch Fitness pass
- Daily FUJIFILM Instax Polaroid Camera Rental
I wasn’t offered any additional benefit as a Marriott Gold member, but I’m glad they realized they needed to provide something since members get Enhanced Wi-Fi from their status. The free Crunch Fitness pass would draw anyone wanting a serious workout away from the onsite gym. Since the hotel provides free drip coffee, we didn’t use much of our $30 F&B credit.
Final Thought
Despite the small room size and a few minor issues during the stay, we ended up liking the Moxy Times Square. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but there’s something about the Moxy brand that’s different enough to make it an interesting place to stay. I wouldn’t want to stay for a long time, but it’s fine for a long weekend or a mid-week getaway. For longer than that, I’d start to feel a bit cramped.
The location is excellent, as it’s within walking distance of Times Square and Penn Station. From there, you can catch a subway to almost anywhere in the city. We agreed that we’d stay here again, but only if the price was right.
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2 comments
Notice there was no bar fridge – definately a no-go from me. Secondly, what was the in-room airconditioning like? Were you able to adjust the temperature down at all?
No problems with the temperature controls. As for a fridge, there were in the “Stash” closet but I suppose you’d have to ask the staff to bring it to the room.