‘How do you do, fellow kids?’: Moxy finds its place in Williamsburg

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This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to New York

There could be no location more hip than Williamsburg for Marriott’s youth-focused brand, Moxy. Once the place where young craft beer enthusiasts discussed their rare indie vinyl collection, Williamsburg today is a twice-gentrified district with plentiful condos that increasingly feels even more affluent than downtown Manhattan.

That said, the rundown factory across the street from the hotel, with its wonkily spray-painted sign for “Rudy Refrigeration Corp”, reminds us that the upmarket bits of Williamsburg still have vestiges of grit. The walk from the subway can feel a bit abandoned, before you start to notice the density of Patagonia sweaters. Rudy’s neighbours include a vintage clothing store and a charcuterie emporium that sells $15 sandwiches.

This high-low mix is an unforgiving backdrop for the corporate effort at coolness that the Moxy puts on. There is, frankly, more than a touch of “how do you do, fellow kids” about the whole production, from the skateboards hung up in the lobby to the black-painted hallways upstairs (which evoke the feeling of looking for the toilet in a nightclub). That said, the hotel is comfortable and well located, and the city side has an unbeatable view. 

Rooms 

The rooms are compact, though stylish, a calming and attractive mix of light wood, green tile and black accents. Shower and toilet cubicles open into the main bedroom, where the sink is situated by the door. (An increasingly common arrangement in hotels, and one that I do not approve of.) It would be difficult to share this room with anyone you didn’t know intimately.

The storage unit that covers one wall is, unfortunately, not as clever as it looks — offering limited hanging space, lots of fold-out clothes hooks, and a tiny flip-down desk. You can hear the traffic and the subway trains as they rattle by the Williamsburg Bridge, but I still found it easy to sleep. Proximity to the bridge brings epic views of the city side sweep, from Freedom Tower to Empire State, and are worth paying for. 

The choice to include a retro rotary-style phone with convenient buttons, rather than an actual rotary wheel, tells you a great deal. The phone also has a mysterious button offering a bedtime story. I pressed it. The silky voice offered me a “sanctuary sound bath on Moxy bedtime stories” and bid me choose if I was an earth, air, fire or water sign. What followed was a sort of horoscope that still managed to get in a not-so-subtle plug for the merits of getting a drink at the bar. 

Restaurant 

The bar in the lobby offers coffee through the day, and guests are encouraged to use the space for co-working. At night, drinks are served, and there is a DJ who isn’t afraid to turn up.

Next door, Mesiba restaurant serves Levantine-inspired fare. Frankly, in a neighbourhood like Williamsburg, it would be madness to eat in the hotel — but this spot, led by chef Eli Buliskeria, is well rated. Upstairs, the Moxy’s party piece is LilliStar bar, a trendy spot with smashing city views and a huge terrace. This is paired with Jolene Soundroom, a lounge — open until 4am — which features a packed calendar of DJ sets. 

Spa and fitness

The gym is small but well equipped. There are plenty of cardio machines (five) plus free weights, other strength-training kit and a Peloton bike. For runners, there is a new waterfront park by the renovated Domino Sugar Refinery (now an upmarket residential site) a few blocks away. The boardwalk along the river is sadly not uninterrupted, but I still enjoyed weaving my way through the neighbourhood. 

At a glance

• Good for: Gazing at Manhattan (the skyline views are impeccable from higher floors)

• Not so good for: Breakfast. It’s a very simple continental. Luckily, the neighbourhood is rammed with excellent coffee shops and brunch spots

• Don’t miss: Maison Première cocktail and oyster bar a few blocks up Bedford Avenue. The whole stretch north of the hotel is full of restaurants and shops that one could spend a happy day exploring

• Rooms: 216 rooms and suites

• Rates: From $411

• Address: 353 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

• Website; Directions

Joshua Oliver was a guest of Moxy Williamsburg

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