Scene
The State National Bank building has stood as a Neo-Classical monolith for over a century in Downtown Houston, but since the area’s transition into a nightlife district it’s felt a little…staid. The Moxy Houston Downtown changes that by putting one of the city’s most energetic hotel lobbies smack in the middle of “Bar Row.” Driftwood tables and a mechanical bull surround a check-in desk that doubles as a first-floor lobby bar. In true Moxy style, the bartenders are also your front desk clerks, and your check-in includes a welcome cocktail and a big handful of Skittles. You may find the vibe so inviting you plop down at the bar (desk?) with said cocktail and mingle with your fellow guests. Or you could head upstairs to the mezzanine where foosball, co-working spaces and ping pong tables keep everyone occupied. It’s a place that takes the energy of outside and brings it in, so your big night out in H-town can begin and end in the same place you sleep.
Location
The heart of Houston’s Bar Row: as convenient a location as the city offers.
Houston is notoriously sprawling, and if you’re in town to explore you’re going to have to drive no matter where you stay. That said, The Moxy’s downtown location is about as convenient as it gets in Houston. You can walk to bars and restaurants in a matter of minutes, and access to freeways is easy.
The city’s big attractions are spread out, but within a short drive you can check out:
- The Museum District. Houston has the country’s greatest collection of world class museums in a few block radius, a total of 20 within the district. Walk from the Museum of Fine Arts to the Contemporary Arts Museum to the Museum of Natural Science, all about 15 minutes by car.
- Minute Maid Park. The two-time World Series Champion Astros play a short hop from the Moxy. If you’re in town for a ballgame, the ballpark is less than 10 minutes away.
- EeDo. The East of Downtown neighborhood is the best place in the city to check out colorful murals and artists’ studios. By night, it’s teeming with nightlife and live music. You’ll find it a few stops down the METROrail, which you can catch in front of the Moxy.
- Buffalo Bayou Park. One of the United States’ great examples of urban green space is this 160-acre park just west of downtown. Hike through the native plants, or rent a boat and enjoy a sunny afternoon exploring the bayou by water.
- The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation. Houston is chock full of fantastic Tex-Mex spots, but Ninfa’s is the O.G. They invented the modern fajita, and still make ‘em better than most anyone else. It’s less than 10 minutes away.
Rooms
Small, polished concrete spaces with views of the skyline
Moxy is all about spending time outside your room. And while traditional business travelers might find the guest rooms a little spartan, if you’re here to get to know this very underrated city, the Moxy Houston’s polished, concrete rooms are a great place to crash. Guests are welcomed to their accommodations by a lipstick-on-the-mirror routine, with an inspirational message scrawled inside the bathroom. Showers are roomy and stocked with basic soap and shampoos, and each guest room includes a 42-inch HDTV and sound system. You won’t find much in the way of places to hang or store clothes, so chronic unpackers might want to plan accordingly. Also, though the Moxy’s location is ideal for bar-hopping, if you’re planning to sleep before closing time, you might get some noise from Main Street below.
Moxy Houston Downtown’s rooms break down into the following categories, with City View and High Floor options available:
Standard Queen: The hotel’s smallest room is 171 square feet. Your bed is tucked into a cozy enclave and you’ll have a small desk to work from.
Standard King and Two Queen beds: This slightly-larger room feels a little more like a traditional hotel room, with 220 square feet to spread out into.
City View Corner: While these Queen rooms have the best views with dual vistas of the city and Minute Maid Park, they’re actually a bit smaller than Standard King rooms at 191 square feet.
Amenities
Moxy Houston Downtown has a work hard, play hard set up: a bar, a gym, a desk and food you can grab as you run out the door.
Bar Moxy
As with most Moxys, the hotel’s lobby bar is the center of its social scene. This one welcomes you almost immediately after entering, the centerpiece of a two-story lobby where guests gather from early morning well into the night. A live DJ kicks in around happy hour and keeps the party going until the crowd thins, and the driftwood coworking desks turn into cocktail tables by night.
Co-working spaces
What the Moxy Houston Downtown lacks in in-room workspace, it more than makes up for with common areas. The hotel’s mezzanine is full of eccentrically-designed tables with outlets and USBs; you can peer down at the action in the bar below while you knock out some reports. Downstairs, the tables around the bar have similar power capabilities, and you can take a break by trying your hand at the mechanical bull.
Grab-and-go market
The hotel isn’t long on food options – better to get out and explore what Downtown Houston has to offer. But if you’re jonesing for a snack, fruit or bottle of local beer, the lobby’s grab-and-go market is more extensive than most.
Fitness Center
The Moxy’s fitness center sits on the second floor mezzanine and overlooks the busy bar below. Feel far healthier than all those people drinking their lives away downstairs as you trot on one of its treadmills or glide along an elliptical. It also has kettlebells, a heavy bag, yoga mats and dumbbells with plenty of space to spread out.
Parking
There is no parking at the Moxy directly, though the hotel suggests the One Market Square garage about a block away.
FAQs
What is the hotel’s address?
412 Main Street, Houston, Texas, 77002, USA
How far is the hotel from the airport?
- William P. Hobby Airport is 2.6 miles away.
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport is 20 miles away.
- West Houston Airport is 22.5 miles away.
How far is the George R Brown Convention Center from the hotel?
The convention center is within walking distance and about a mile away.
How far is University of Houston from the Moxy Downtown Houston?
University of Houston-Downtown (on Main St) is just .3 miles away, but UHD spans 895 acres and you’ll want to understand exactly where you need to go on campus.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
The check-in time at Moxy Houston Downtown is 3:00 pm and the check-out time is 11:00 am.
Is Moxy a boutique hotel?
No, it’s owned by Marriott.
What are the basic amenities?
24-hour front desk, cleaning service, dry cleaning service, business center, meeting rooms, valet parking, free wifi, your private bathroom will have free toiletries.
What is the hotel’s cancellation policy?
The policy can vary depending on how you book a room. If you’ve already booked a room, the details will be in your confirmation email.
