Background
Marriott launched the Moxy brand just over a decade ago, aimed at “the rapidly emerging millennial traveller”. It has since grown to around 125 properties in 24 countries, with 15 hotels in the UK in locations including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Southampton and York.
We reviewed the very first Moxy property to open next to Milan Malpensa airport back in 2015, and more recently we have reviewed two of the brand’s New York hotels:
Moxy Plymouth is the brand’s second property in South West England, joining Moxy Bristol which opened in May 2022.
Where is it?
On the corner of Millbay Road and Millbay Boulevard, a project which is gradually transforming the former Bath Road adjacent to the Plymouth Pavilions entertainment venue into a wider boulevard linking the city centre with the waterfront area and Brittany Ferries port. The hotel is about a mile from Plymouth rail station, which has direct links into London Paddington.
What’s it like?
The new-build property is situated on former car parking space for the Plymouth Pavilions, which had been deemed superfluous since the closure of an indoor ice rink and swimming pool on the site.
Guests arrive into a lounge area featuring a mural of the city’s famous Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse, a table football table, a large wall-mounted TV screen and shelves filled with maritime-inspired trinkets including shells, paddles, toy yachts, pictures of octopuses and replicas of old diving suits. Various board games are also laid out ready to use on tables, from chess and Connect 4 to Trivial Pursuit and Articulate.
Past this area there is a photo booth (intended for fun memories rather than passport shots, and costing £4 for a set of four images), a retro arcade machine, and various types of seating from dining tables, to window seats with power outlets and a large communal table made out of a single piece of curved wood.
A semi-private area follows towards the back of the ground floor, with an iMac computer and printer, and beyond this are the meeting spaces and fitness centre (see below). In the centre of the space is a bar which also doubles up as the hotel’s reception – guests are offered a free alcoholic cocktail or mocktail on arrival.
Taking a tour with the duty manager the next morning, he explained that Moxy encourages staff to interact with guests wherever possible, for instance by challenging them to a game of chess or table football. All in all it’s a very relaxed atmosphere, but one that seemed to work well.
The hotel is also pet friendly, and visitors are clearly aware of this as we saw half a dozen or so four legged friends in the public areas of the hotel during our stay.
Rooms
The hotel offers 200 rooms across Moxy Sleeper (17 sqm), Moxy Premium (34 sqm) and Moxy Family Sleeper (34 sqm) categories. I visited with my family and so stayed in the last of these, which features the main bedroom with Queen size bed, and a separate living space with sofa bed.
Decor is understated (certainly compared to the colourful public areas), with dark grey and white being the predominant colour scheme, interspersed with warming tan leather from the base of the platform bed, cushions attached to the bed headboard, and a large leather bean bag.
Our room (which was also an accessible room type) had enclosed cupboard space, but most rooms have exposed hanging space (as seems to be the trend these days), and all rooms have a wall feature where guests can hang / leave stuff like keys, headphones, caps, etc.
Other features include tea and coffee facilities (apparently this is only offered in UK Moxy properties as us Brits simply cannot live without it), 43-inch TV with Chromecast, free wifi, a full length mirror, hairdryer, plenty of plugs and USB ports, and motion-sensor under bed lighting for those night time toilet visits.
Most rooms have walk-in showers (again ours was slightly different as it was an accessible room), and bathrooms amenities are by Muk.
Overall I found the room to be stylish and well-equipped (although a small fridge would have been useful to keep items in), and a calming space compared to the vibrant public areas.
Food and drink
A buffet breakfast is offered each morning between 0630 and 1030 (0700 and 1100 at weekend), with a good selection including cooked breakfast, cold meats and cheeses, granola pots, pastries, doughnuts, waffles with toffee sauce, and plenty of gluten free and vegan options.
The hotel also offers a menu known as ‘Moxy Pickups’ (available from 10am to 10pm), including pizzas from £10, burgers from £14, and smaller bites such as nachos (£7) and chicken wings (£7). There is also a small 24-hour grab-and-go market.
We visited the bar as a family on a Friday evening in early September – staff were chatty and helpful, music was playing but not too loud, and we enjoyed several rounds of board games and table football.
Meetings
There are two small meeting spaces on the ground floor, one with natural light and one without.
Leisure
The hotel’s fitness centre is housed on the ground floor and offers equipment including a treadmill, exercise bike, weights and the brand’s signature bright pink punch bag.
Outside the fitness centre are a row of lockers which can be used by anyone visiting the hotel, and are useful for those wanting to lock anything away while using the fitness centre.
Verdict
A great (and very much needed) addition to the Plymouth hotel scene, with a modern feel and good location for those taking a trip with Brittany Ferries.
FACT BOX
- Best for Those looking for a modern hotel with lively public areas
- Don’t miss The table football and numerous board games
- Price Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in October start from £117 for a Moxy Sleeper room
- Contact Moxy Plymouth, 14 Millbay Road, Plymouth PL1 3LH; +44 1752 422237; marriott.com
