For an affordable, conveniently located and lively place to stay in Brooklyn, you can't do much better than Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg. The South Williamsburg outpost of Marriott’s youthful, party-oriented boutique hotel brand offers thoughtfully designed city hotel rooms and a sleek lobby restaurant and bar, Bar Bedford, that supports both work and play. On-site dining and entertainment options include Mesiba, a full-service Israeli restaurant with unlimited $28 schnitzel and frites every Tuesday night; Lillistar, a seasonal rooftop cocktail lounge; and Jolene Sound Room, a Dolly Parton-inspired basement nightclub. A full calendar of special events every month and guest discounts at local fitness studios and shops add further intrigue for travelers, but the top appeal of the Moxy is its convenient location. The one caveat, in my eyes, is the amount of city noise you’ll hear while trying to sleep every night; this only gets worse in the summer, when the crowds at Lillistar go into full swing. (The staff is happy to provide earplugs, however.)
Why stay at Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg?
For business and pleasure in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, the Moxy is an excellent, reasonably priced option that will get the job done. The rooms don’t have much in the way of space, but the lobby is a great place to get some computer work done, with free Wi-Fi all day and complimentary coffee in the mornings (7–10am). The hotel is also situated near the Williamsburg Bridge and three major trains (the J, M and L lines), which means neighborhoods like Chinatown, Tribeca and FiDi are only a short ride away. You’re also only a short walk from many of Williamsburg’s most interesting restaurants, bars, shops and green spaces.
What are the rooms like at Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg?
The Moxy has 216 rooms, with the largest single-bed option (Executive City View King) topping out at 208 square feet. Each offers sleek industrial design with a wood, sage green and black color scheme. Like most other New York City hotels, the rooms are fairly compact, but the Moxy rooms make the most of the space with retractable hooks, a fold-down desk (it’s not quite large enough to work on) and a hidden alcove with a few hangers in lieu of a traditional closet. Bathrooms here consist of a toilet stall and a shower stall, which means little in the way of privacy if you’re traveling in a group. For small group travel, another option is the Quad Bunk, which offers four twin bunk beds spread across the same square footage. On the upside, every room has a floor-to-ceiling window, and some offer views of the Manhattan skyline.
As expected, in-room amenities here are fairly limited, with just a conditioner and a combination body wash/shampoo bolted into the shower and a flat-screen TV on the wall opposite the bed. I found most of the functional design features useful, but the most aggravating part of staying here was the fact my hotel room (a regular City View King) only possessed a single trashcan, which is located in the toilet stall. To dispose of a single receipt I had to fling open the door and then close it again; if either of the bathroom doors are open, there isn't a clear pathway to exit.
What are the best places to eat and drink nearby?
The on-site dining and drinking options are solid, but some of the hottest and most interesting restaurants and bars in South Williamsburg are only a short walk or ride away. The hotel is located a hop, skip and a jump away from Peter Luger, one of the oldest steakhouses in New York City. It’s also less than a half mile away (and under 10 minutes on foot) to L’Industrie, one of the city’s best pizzerias; I can also recommend the standing room-only eatery’s rotating soft-serve flavors and seasonal frozen Aperol spritzes. Other great nearby options include Pies ’n’ Thighs, a casual soul food joint; the Four Horsemen, a cheffy wine bar run by LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy (and, accordingly, still a hard reservation to this day); Diner, a farm-to-table culinary pioneer in the neighborhood; and Sauced, a trendy, menuless natural wine bar. Unless you’re in town on business and strapped for time, I see no reason why you should dine at the hotel.
What is the service like at Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg?
Across the board, the service was great. When I arrived late, a staff member reached out via phone to ask when I would be arriving and left a voicemail. The Moxy’s front desk employees were knowledgeable and efficient. One minor quibble is that if you have a guest waiting around in the lobby, you’ll have to come down and bring them up to your room yourself; access to hotel room floors are restricted with keycard access, and there's no way to have the front desk send them up.
What is the gym like at Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg?
While the Moxy touts its second-floor gym, the actual fitness amenities left much to be desired. The lone Peloton bike was shoved into the corner of the drably decorated space and seemingly out of order, but the gym also offers free weights, treadmills, ellipticals, a punching bag and jump rope. There isn’t much in the way of space for stretching or yoga.
What’s the area like around Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg?
The hotel is located in South Williamsburg, right next to the Williamsburg Bridge (and all the requisite car and train traffic). Given the wealth of dining, drinking and shopping options in the area, it‘s a great place to stay—provided you’re not trying to spend every moment of your trip in and around Midtown Manhattan. The bustling waterfront is also only a short 20 minutes’ walk away. If you’re staying over a weekend, it’s worth walking over to Smorgasburg (Sat 11am–6pm) for the dizzying number of food options and a leisurely stroll through Marsha P. Johnson State Park. As mentioned previously, you’ll be quite close to major train lines (the J, M and L), which means it’s fairly easy to visit Manhattan.
Why should you book a stay at Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg?
For adult travelers looking to stay up and party all night, the Moxy is the perfect place for you—particularly on summer weekends, when the rooftop bar and basement nightclub are both in operation. It’s also reasonably priced and compared to the Hoxton—the other Williamsburg hotel I checked out on my trip—actually fairly roomy. Standard rooms provide everything you need for a comfortable, no-frills stay, leaving you with extra cash to make the most out of other aspects of your trip to New York City.
Address: 353 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Price per night: Starting at $261 per night.
Nearest transport: Near the J, M and L lines
Book now: Click here
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