Toronto Star, Feb 16. 2018: New York, N.Y.—The rooms may be small — 150 to 350 square feet — but the personality is huge in the new Moxy Times Square in Manhattan. Built in 1907 as a “working man’s hotel,” the building has been transformed into a fun and affordable headquarters for your next New York City adventure. The Moxy, part of Marriott’s new experiential brand, is designed for the young and young at heart, and it’s right in the thick of things at 36th St. and 7th Ave. in Midtown.
Stylin’ and space-saving rooms:
Each of the Moxy’s 612 rooms is an efficient and beautiful use of space. Storage under the bed, a bean bag chair in the corner and desk chair and little desk hang on leather straps from a row of pegs along the wall. “No Diving” is cheekily written in tile on the shower floor, and you can dial up bedtime stories on the phone. After 11 p.m., tipsy locals can get a Moxy crashpad — a tiny room — for $99.
Plenty of space to hang out:
There is more than enough space to hang out on the hotel’s second floor. In the morning, get your coffee and a bite at The Pick Up or indulge in a gourmet fried egg sandwich from Egghead and eat breakfast on a comfy leather couch in the atrium. Later in the day, saddle up to the copper bar at Bar Moxy and enjoy a drink and the considerable buzz. Stick around for the DJ.
Enjoy a feast at Legesea:
The server at the Moxy’s sustainable seafood restaurant suggests I start with the “instagrammable” Spicy Crab Beignet with chipotle crème fraiche and butter powder and follow it up with P.E.I. Moules Frites with white wine, garlic, cherry tomato and fennel, and a side of Mac and Cheese with smoked gouda and white cheddar. I don’t eat it all (or post a pic on Instagram), but I sure have fun trying. FYI the executive chef, Jason Hall, is a Toronto boy.
Be enchanted at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge:
It does indeed feel magical to sip a cocktail while riding a grown up merry-go-round on the roof of the Moxy. The “urban amusement park” is more fun than a roller coaster when the retractable roof rolls back for a few minutes on a winter’s night to show off the full glory of the Empire State Building as the entire bar sings along to the chorus of Jay Z’s Empire State of Mind — now you’re in New York.
CLOSE TO THE MOXY:
Explore under the sea at National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey
Steps from Times Square and close to the Moxy, the new family-friendly experience from National Geographic lets you can dance with fishes, touch all the coral you want and get up close and personal with a ginormous whale. You go on an underwater voyage from the South Pacific to California, and along the way, you can play with sea lions, get lost wandering through a fun house garden of sea kelp, and watch a dramatic battle between two Humboldt squid.
Try a little country at the Opry City Stage:
Take a break from the hustle and bustle of Times Square for the down home, country feel of the Opry City Stage, another brand new attraction in Midtown near the Moxy. Fried chicken and waffles, plenty of brisket, and cold beer are among the southern delights served up along with live country bands taking the stage. Between sets on the City Stage, giant screens show live performances piped in straight from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Take a walk to Come From Away:
This acclaimed Broadway production about travellers stranded in Gander, Nfld. during 9/11 will hit every single emotion you have and a few you didn’t know were there. Come From Away will make you feel good about humanity. It is wonderful. And it’s a 10-minute walk from the Moxy. After the crowd finishes applauding and everyone starts to file out of the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, look for people with any Canadian or Newfoundland paraphernalia and share a patriotic nod.
Jennifer Allford 