A lot of hotels claim to offer all the sights and sounds of New York City at their doorstep. But at Moxy's new Lower East Side location, the fun is literally just steps from your room because there’s a Japanese restaurant, a piano lounge, a subterranean club, and a rooftop bar all on-site.
The new hotel, which opened in late 2022, feels lively from the moment you step inside and enter through its catwalk-style entrance. The 303-room hotel located at the crossroads of the Lower East Side and Soho was designed to evoke the neighborhood’s long history as a hub for entertainment and culture, and you’ll see that inspiration in its bold whimsical design.
Photograph: By Michael Kleinberg | The exterior of Moxy LES.
Rooms, ranging from 165-195-square-feet, include kings, executive kings, double-doubles, and quads. Though the square footage is compact (like many Manhattan hotel rooms), Moxy’s thoughtful design makes smart use of the space with hooks, hangers, a fold-up desk and under-bed storage. With the hardwood floors, it's easy to slide a suitcase under the bed. I was charmed, in particular, with the fold-up desk, which fit my laptop perfectly but tucked away after I'd caught up on work. Plus, if you’re doing a trip to NYC right, you won’t be spending much time in the room anyway. If you are staying for multiple days or have bulkier luggage, definitely book a larger room so you can spread out a bit more. Introductory rates start at $199/night, but we’ve seen prices even lower than that on weekdays.
Photograph: By Michael Kleinberg | The Highlight Room.
The hotel’s positioned to offer a stunning view of the city’s skyline, so reserve a room with a city view if it’s within your budget. If not—or if you want to experience the view even more—head to the rooftop bar called The Highlight Room. Watching the sunset here from 16 floors up feels positively dreamy. You’ll be able to see the view indoors through large glass windows or outside, if the weather cooperates, on a lush outdoor terrace. Grab a cocktail and take a bunch of photos as the sun slips behind the horizon.
Photograph: By Michael Kleinberg | Sake No Hana
After cocktails, head down the dramatic spiral stairs to the buzzy, dimly lit Japanese restaurant Sake No Hana, where you’ll find sharable dishes like sushi rolls, traditional izakaya comfort foods and a long list of sakes, beers and cocktails. Be sure to try the Temaki (or nori taco) sushi for an unexpected crunchy spin on the traditional. For a vegetarian choice, the avocado roll with aromatic vegetables packs an herbaceous punch. Also on the menu: Wagyu ribeye, bamboo branzino and wafu carbonara, to name a few. In addition to sake, the Harajuku Icon stands out on the cocktail list with its mixture of iichiko shochu, coconut milk and more served in a gleaming golden goblet. My partner and I scored one of the regal booths (pro-tip: ask if there's one available) where we could easily share food and got a view of the whole restaurant.
Photograph: By Michael Kleinberg | Silver Lining
Cap off the night by chilling at the sultry piano bar Silver Lining or dancing at Loosie's, an underground club—all right in the same building. These eating and drinking venues (run by Tao Group Hospitality) are the types of places worth traveling for, even if you're not a hotel guest—and that's a testament to how quickly they've cemented themselves as some of the newest Manhattan hotspots.
Finally head back to your room, where you'll find a rainfall shower waiting behind a colorful glass shower wall, plus lots of playful flair (like iconic NYC paper coffee cups as water glasses) and a comfortable bed to catch up on some sleep before hitting the town again—whether that means stepping outside the doors of the hotel or not.
Photograph: By Michael Kleinberg | The Executive Corner King room
Moxy Lower East Side is the hotel brand's fourth hotel in New York City joining Moxy Times Square, Moxy Chelsea, and Moxy East Village, with Moxy Williamsburg coming soon.
