TRIED AND TESTED HOTELS

Moxy Times Square, New York; Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center

There’s lots of quirky artwork, polished concrete floors, distressed brick walls and exposed pipework

BACKGROUND

Marriott International introduced its Moxy Hotels brand in 2014. There are now nearly 50 of them, with 100 more in the pipeline. Built in 1907 as a 1,885-bed, single-room hotel, this property was converted into offices before opening as Moxy Times Square in 2017.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

Very trendy. Checkin is via a series of kiosks, although there are staff to complete traditional check-in as well. The lifts are controlled by a screen with a number of preselects, so you choose “restaurants” or “rooms” and then, if the latter, you specify which floor, touch your card and are directed to a particular elevator. It works well once you’ve got the hang of it and minimises queues. There’s lots of quirky artwork, polished concrete floors, distressed brick walls and exposed pipework in the ceilings. A barber is located at the rear of reception.

WHERE IS IT?

485 Seventh Avenue, on West 36th Street. It’s close to Times Square, and from here you can take the subway pretty much anywhere, including New York JFK from Times Square-42nd Street (it takes about an hour).

ROOMS

The 612 rooms come in many shapes and sizes, even within the various categories, which start at Double (14 sqm) and move up through Queen (18 sqm) and then rooms with twin beds, bunks, family rooms and suites. All have been designed by the Yabu Pushelberg agency and are attractive and witty. To make the most of limited space, they have wall-mounted folding tables and chairs, and under-bed storage. My Corner King (18 sqm) had the double bed right next to the wall but great views along West 36th Street. It didn’t have a kettle, but did have two hairdryers. I have no idea why. The shower worked well and the blackout curtains and lights were easy to operate. One thing to note, though – this isn’t a quiet hotel. You are right in the centre of town, and if it’s a night when the rooftop bar is going or if you are close to the second-floor Bar Moxy then you will hear some noise. In 2018 the hotel spent US$1 million on further soundproofing for external-facing rooms and this has been very effective. Earplugs are also available. The beds are comfortable with 300-thread count Egyptian cotton linens. A 43-inch TV allows you to stream your own content, wifi is fast and free and there are lots of USB ports and power outlets.

FOOD AND DRINK

I’ve previously eaten at Legersea restaurant, a great seafood brasserie with sharing plates that has a nice buzz without being too loud. This time I tried Bar Moxy, which has a much shorter menu but is fine for filling up before bed, and also serves breakfast. The service was excellent. On the top floor is the Magic Hour, a fashionable rooftop bar and dining venue. The previous occasion I visited, Heidi Klum was hosting her Halloween party there. Lastly, there’s the street-level Egghead, which serves breakfast to go.

MEETINGS

Bar Moxy has several areas that people seem to use as unofficial coworking space. There are two studio rooms that can be used informally or booked, and a third one where, Tuesday to Thursday, Jon Boy, a high-end tattooist, is in residence charging about US$1,000 per hour. He has to be booked many months in advance.

LEISURE

There’s a decent 24-hour gym.

VERDICT

A fun and friendly hotel in the heart of Manhattan. The design of the rooms makes up for their diminutive size. For a short stay, it’s hard to beat.

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BACKGROUND Open since August last year, the Four Seasons is housed on the top 12 floors of the 60-storey, Foster and Partners-designed Comcast Technology Center, Philadelphia’s tallest building. The offices of US broadcaster Comcast occupy the rest of the tower.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

A towering glass structure with a light beam reaching into the clouds above, the building is immediately striking. Entering from North 19th Street, there’s a concierge on the left, Vernick Fish restaurant ahead and, on the right, three glass and steel lifts. These have only two destinations, the 57th and 60th levels, and whisk you to the top-floor lobby in 60 seconds – one second per floor. Guests can’t help but gaze at the scenery no matter how many times they’ve taken the trip. Stepping out, the panoramic views make for a memorable welcome, especially at dusk, when the grid system below lights up and the horizon shimmers in the golden sunset. The disadvantage is that you have to go via the 60th floor to reach your room or the street. The grand lobby has polished black marble onyx floors and extravagant floral arrangements. Most of the interiors and furnishings were designed by Norman Foster. Check-in was quick and easy, although I was quite taken aback by the US$600 room deposit for my time there.

WHERE IS IT?

In Center City at 19th and Arch Streets, around the corner from the parade of museums on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Philadelphia International airport is a 20-minute drive.

ROOMS

The hotel has 219 rooms and suites across six categories, starting with Premier Cityscape rooms (33-38 sqm). All have spectacular floorto-ceiling views and contemporary design, with a neutral colour palette brightened by Brian Eno’s digital artwork

created for the hotel and displayed on the huge 65-inch TVs. Wifi is free, as is a library of more than 50,000 films and shows through Comcast’s X1 In-room Video Experience. There’s a well-stocked minibar, a Nespresso coffee machine and a kettle with Rishi tea.

My 50th-floor Grand Cityscape room (115-129 sqm) had a comfortable king bed, a chaise longue and a marble-clad bathroom. Next to the bed were USB and plug sockets, plus controls for the lights, curtains and blackout blinds. Opening the blinds remotely from my bed immediately put a smile on my face, especially since I was blessed with blue skies (or pink sunrises thanks to jet lag). The room was so inviting that I would have been tempted to hibernate had I not had a jam-packed programme of meetings.

FOOD AND DRINK

Vernick Fish, the seafood restaurant run by award-winning chef Greg Vernick, served a tasty spicy tuna tartare (US$16) and grilled sea bass with broccoli in a tomato sauce (US$32).

JG Sky High is a stylish bar on the 60th floor. From here, you descend a wide staircase to the 59th floor, flanked by black stone “water walls”, to reach Jean-Georges Philadelphia, which serves FrenchAmerican cuisine by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. It’s a tripleheight space with soaring glass ceilings and endless city views. The silky raw tuna noodles with avocado, radish and a ginger and chilli oil dressing (US$20) was divine. An à la carte breakfast is also served here.

Stepping out of the lift into the 60th-floor lobby, the panoramic views make for a memorable welcome

BUSINESS

There is 1,450 sqm of event space, including two fifth-floor ballrooms and two venues on the 59th level.

LEISURE

The 57th floor has a gym and a spa specialising in crystal treatments. The highlight is the infinity pool, which spills on to the Philadelphia grid system below.

VERDICT

This is a brilliant addition to Philadelphia’s hotel scene. Service is faultless and the various dining options are delicious. I could have stayed in my room for hours, transfixed by its incredible vistas.