It’s been more than four years since my last visit to New York, and while there are some notable differences – like the pervasive smell of weed – it’s good to be back.

There are other, more welcome, changes afoot, too.

It’s early November, and the city’s streets and parks are ablaze with crimson and amber leaves that have begun to fall ahead of the impending winter season. Rising at 6am, I pull back the grey-and-cream-striped curtain of my hotel room with its floor-to-ceiling windows and revel in the sight of lower Manhattan waking up. I’m convinced there’s no better city for people-watching than New York, but the best place to get in on the action isn’t up in the sky. It’s down on the ground. 

There’s a chill to the two-degree morning wind, but the streets of Chelsea are alive. Quite literally, because I’m staying at the chic Moxy Chelsea on 28th Street, which happens to be right in the middle of the New York City Flower Market. There are delivery van drivers hurrying about, unloading boxes of freshly cut gerberas, daisies and delicate orchids. Meanwhile, swathes of seasonal branches, including arrangements of ruby pomegranates wrapped in brown paper and potted trees, line the sidewalk. Florists run between the rows of flowers, working their magic, composing arrangements for clients who eagerly wait nearby, warmed by their large steaming cups of coffee.

Perhaps it’s the sweet scent of the flowers or the delirium from jet lag, but I’m swept up in the magic of the chaos and almost find myself ordering the most exquisite bunch of red maple leaves. I have to remind myself that I do not own an apartment in the city, dream as I might. 

New York’s flower market is a beloved Manhattan institution, dating back to the 19th century, that originally stretched along the Avenue of the Americas from 26th Street to 29th Street. Over time, it grew in popularity due to its proximity to the ‘Ladies’ Mile’, home to the leading luxury boutiques of the day, including Bergdorf’s. Once the largest of its kind in the US, the market is today a smaller affair, found only on 28th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenue, transforming the city street into an urban jungle of seasonal bouquets, branches and blooms.

Having done a lap of the market, I’m drawn to another heavenly scent – that of freshly brewed coffee and pastries from the hotel’s Café d’Avignon pop-up. It’s a place I find myself coming back to regularly during my stay at Moxy Chelsea. Located on street level, it sits next door to the hotel’s vibrant and flower-adorned lobby, shifting from a place where commuters can be seen grabbing their morning coffee to colleagues meeting in the afternoon. Its playful attitude is mirrored in the hotel, with bright neon signs, quirky yet space-saving foldable furniture and whimsical touches that blend the hotel’s botanical location with its industrial surroundings.

Having visited the hotel in 2018 while it was still in the final stages of construction, we returned to check it out.

The vibe

If there’s a case to be made that first impressions really do matter, Moxy has clearly taken note. Guests enter the lobby via the Starbright Floral Design Residency, a working flower shop and studio open to the public, as well as those guests who want to order bouquets for their room. Checking in to the hotel is a high-octane moment; Donna Summer’s I Feel Love is playing upon my arrival.

Then there are eclectic touches, like the four suspended butcher blocks that act as check-in desks and pay homage to Chelsea’s nearby Meatpacking District, as well as a digital art installation on the ceiling that displays cheeky messages inspired by the hotel’s flower market location. I manage to catch “You love me, You love me more” one morning before breakfast. Staff are upbeat and energetic and are readily available on more than one occasion during my stay with out-of-the-box recommendations when my plans change due to the weather.

Dining and drinking

Beyond coffee and pastries from the street-facing Cafe d’Avignon pop-up, the hotel’s Lobby Bar & Secret Garden (located on the second floor) is a haven serving Italian-style comfort food and cocktails, transforming from a co-working space during the day into a moody lounge at 4pm. Then there’s The Conservatory, an all-season, glass-enclosed space behind the bar that features a three-storey living plant wall. Bathed in sunlight by day, it’s the perfect place to catch up on work (there are outlets located throughout) or, as I decide to, with a martini (or two) in the evening while responding to emails. 

People-watching might be best done on the streets, but to truly capture the magic of New York, you’ll need to head up high… sky high. For that, pay a visit to the hotel’s Fleur Room on the 35th floor. If there were a place that proves New York works hard but parties harder, it’s here. With 360-degree views of the Manhattan skyline, including one of the best views of the Empire State Building in town, the glass-enclosed space – with its copper bar, giant vintage disco ball and floral-themed furniture – serves botanical-inspired cocktails and light snacks. In warmer seasons, the lounge space transforms into an open-air verandah via the touch of a button, providing views from the Statue of Liberty to upper Manhattan that few other venues can.

The rooms

When it comes to bedrooms, the design brief from Moxy (across all their hotels) is clever functionality with minimal waste of space. Rooms are compact but offer floor-to-ceiling windows that draw in natural sunlight by day while becoming viewing portals at night to watch the city transform into an urban light show come sunset. Designed by local New York interiors firm Yabu Pushelberg, all 350 rooms feature custom-designed foldable furniture, including a folding desk and a chair that also doubles as a luggage rack, large walk-in rain showers and lava-stone vanities.

Keeping to the theme of space-saving features, wall pegs mean big coats and jackets (particularly in the cooler seasons) can be hung without taking up room elsewhere. For the ultimate upgrade, book the Mondo Suite on the 32nd floor with direct views of the Empire State Building, an oversized wet bar and a full kitchen and pantry.

Location

With rooms starting at USD $189 (AUD $290) per night, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better stay that manages to avoid the craziness of midtown New York while also being within walking distance of some of the city’s most sought-after sights, like the Empire State Building and the Flatiron Building. Its proximity to major subway stations means easy access to both upper and lower Manhattan and beyond, while nearby Macy’s on Herald Square is a mere 10 minutes by foot and Union Square is a leisurely 20-minute stroll. 

The verdict

Four years on, Moxy Chelsea has firmly taken root without losing any sense of its effortlessly cool and quirky energy. Its no-nonsense approach to space-saving rooms designed for sleep rather than lounging in is the perfect excuse to ensure you hit up its offering of bars and lounges for work or play (or hopefully both). 

The details 

Rooms begin at USD $189 (AUD $290) per night.

Moxy Chelsea
105 W 28th St, New York, NY
moxychelsea.com

This writer stayed with support from Moxy Chelsea.