Review: Moxy NYC Lower East Side

En route to Singapore to embark on my Southeast Asia 2024 trip, we had a 24-hour layover in New York before taking our first long-haul flight of the trip on Turkish Airlines business class. 

Given the amount of time we had in New York, my girlfriend and I decided to book something more central and spend the evening and day exploring the city.

The Moxy NYC Lower East Side was a fantastic location, not extremely far from JFK airport but also close to some great spots like the Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, and the Death & Co cocktail bar. 

Having stayed at a few Moxy’s before and knowing how consistent the brand is between locations, I figured it would be a decent and predictable hotel for us to stay at for the short 1-night stay.

Booking & Check-in

Originally I had booked into a basic King Guest room with no view at an industry rate which was a phenomenal deal compared to the regular nightly rate of approximately $300 USD.

I emailed the general manager and reservations team to request an upgrade to a Corner King City View or Executive City View room about a week prior to our stay. They were able to upgrade me immediately to a higher floor guest room with a city view but not either of the two “suite-like” rooms. However, they did make note of my request. Sure enough, the day prior to our stay I was able to see that our room had been upgraded to the Executive City View room which was much appreciated.

The front desk was very responsive to my questions over chat on the Marriott Bonvoy app prior to our arrival. The check-in process went smoothly at the small check-in area in the main hallway. They informed us of our late check-out at 4:00 PM, and also that we had a $30 credit towards the hotel lobby bar to offset the $30 destination fee. 

Location

The Moxy is located on 145 Bowery in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the intersection of Bowery and Broome Street. The Lower East Side is known for its rich history, diverse cultural scene, and vibrant nightlife. Historically, it has been a hub for immigrants and has undergone significant gentrification in recent years, resulting in a blend of old-world charm and modern influences.

Nearby attractions include various boutiques, restaurants, and bars catering to a range of tastes and preferences, as well as New York University only a 15-minute walk away. The area is also known for its street art, galleries, and cultural institutions. It’s a bustling neighborhood with easy access to public transportation, making it convenient to explore other parts of the city as well. 

Some nearby food spots we really enjoyed during our short visit were:

• Gotham Burger
• Death & Co Cocktail Bar
• Little Cupcake Bakeshop
• Black Seed Bagel

Parking

On-site, there is valet parking available for a fee of $75 USD per day, with no in-and-out privileges (yikes). Off-site, there is self-parking for a fee of $40 USD daily. 

We didn’t require any parking during our stay thankfully.

Room – Executive City View Guest Room, 1 King

Even as an upgraded executive room, the space was rather cozy and contained, especially when compared with the in-app photos. Of course, this is a trademark of Moxy hotels, and also a symptom of the locale as well I’m sure.

Still, we had more than enough room for our two carry-ons in the corner by the door, and there was even a small desk for some additional counter space.

The king bed took up the corner of the room with a TV in prime positioning for watching in bed. The bedside tables were small but adequate, and there were the usual classic Moxy touches like an old-school retro telephone.

Aside from the solid TV placement, the highlight of the room had to be the view, with floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The bathroom space had an interesting layout, with a separate sliding door enclosure for both the toilet and shower.  These were both surprisingly spacious.

Across from the toilet and shower was the bathroom vanity, which was unenclosed in the main room.

Overall the room itself exceeded my expectations and my experience at previous Moxy’s in Tokyo and Bergen. 

Restaurants & Bars

Although there was no welcome amenity left for us, there was a pamphlet that outlined the hotel amenities, and more importantly the restaurants and live events happening throughout the week.  

What piqued our interest was the rooftop bar called “The Highlight Room”, in addition to the Lobby Bar, “The Fix”. 

The Highlight Room (Rooftop Bar)

The Moxy NYC Lower East Side has its very own rooftop bar including indoor seating and an outdoor balcony with fantastic skyline views. It opens at 5:00 PM and is a great spot to watch the golden hour views of New York.

The Highlight Room is run separately from the Moxy hotel and can be accessed from a separate elevator in an alley to the right of the hotel’s front entrance. We checked it out on the evening before our departure to Istanbul for a couple of cocktails and a light snack.  There was a full cocktail menu as well as many wine and spritzer drinks, including ‘cocktail pitchers’.

The cocktails were very light and sweet. I chose the ‘NSFW’ primarily because Red Bull was an ingredient.

Overall this rooftop bar was a great spot we’re happy we visited. One of the highlights of the Moxy NYC Lower East Side hotel.

The Fix – Lobby Bar

The hotel lobby bar is called The Fix, and doubles as both a cafe during the day and a bar during the evening. 

We used our $30 credit towards cocktails at the lobby bar the evening we arrived. I had an expresso cocktail aptly named ‘The Fix’ while my girlfriend had ‘That One’. Both were very tasty.

Free Continental Breakfast

Instead of a Marriott Bonvoy Elite breakfast benefit, it turned out that all hotel guests are currently entitled to complimentary continental breakfast at The Fix, from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

Unfortunately, this was rather ineptly named ‘continental breakfast’, as it consisted of only a meager basket of juice, yogurts, and a coffee carafe.

There was also a cafe (Café d’Avignon) located within the lobby bar area which offered some actual breakfast items. We were a little turned off by the “free breakfast” which was seemingly just a ploy to get you to spend at the cafe, so we instead opted to head down the street for some delicious bagels at a bagel shop called Black Seed Bagels. 

Facilities

Fitness Center

The hotel has a 24/7 fitness center available to guests with various equipment including free weights, cardio equipment, and even pelotons.

I didn’t use this facility during my stay so can’t comment on the quality of the machinery. Of note, there was no spa or pool available on the property. 

Conclusion

The Moxy NYC Lower East Side was a solid choice in a great location, perfect for a quick one-day layover and visit to New York. The Highlight Room and NYC skyline views were a highlight of the property. The room itself was impressive for a Moxy property which tend to be no-frills, and the friendly staff provided us with great service when we needed our luggage stored during the day. 

On the other hand, the breakfast options were rather lackluster compared with other Moxy’s I’ve visited in the past. Fortunately, in New York City there are always plenty of alternative options close by making this a forgivable shortcoming.  

Overall, we were happy with the property for the discounted rate we paid. But frankly, I am not sure I’d recommend staying at this property for a standard rate of anywhere near $300 USD per night.