Moxy Hotels, making a much-anticipated US debut, opened the brand’s second stateside property, Moxy New Orleans, on May 12th. Located right outside the city’s oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter, the 108-room hotel was designed by NY-based Stonehill & Taylor to capture the area’s artistic spirit and bohemian legacy.
Stonehill & Taylor’s approach was to infuse a youthful design with modern art, contemporary technology, and local influences, thereby creating an uniquely New Orleans experience while also delivering on Moxy’s mission.
Favouring expansive public spaces in lieu of larger guest rooms, Moxy’s ground level is comprised of lounge and library areas, large central bar, and fitness room. The industrial design is marked with details referencing historical New Orleans. The first floor has been stripped down to reveal the existing concrete flooring, as well as the exposed pipe and duct work to give the first floor a raw, warehouse feel.
The space is layered with a faded floor stencil influenced by Spanish tile, and light fixtures with street lamp-inspired metal detailing, adding authentic French Quarter flair.
Stonehill & Taylor emphasises an active, social, and autonomous experience, a hallmark of the Moxy brand, throughout the public space design. The main focal point of the lobby area, the bar, is clad in reclaimed wood and topped with textured black stone. Positioned prominently between the library and lounge areas, the bar doubles as a gathering place for drinks and conversation, as well as check-in, where guests can obtain room keys from bartenders.
Guests have several options for work or play; a non-traditional open meeting room serves as an AV-equipped workspace for small group meetings and presentations during the day, and a gathering place for drinks and games at night. Ample power sources also allow for individual workstations along the window seating and bar, while the lounge area is outfitted with board games and foosball table.
Outside of the fitness centre, lockers are provided for guests to store belongings, including carry-on size luggage, and serves as an alternative to traditional check-in desk storage. Nearby, a large mural by New Orleans artist, Reid Morris dominates an entire wall.
Stonehill & Taylor commissioned another local artist, Margot Couture, to paint a large mural within an interior lightwell; a striking, abstracted ikat piece spanning 10 stories. The mural is not only an exciting visual moment within the overall hotel, but adds particular value and interest to an otherwise challenging view from adjoining guest rooms.
Guest rooms are designed with an active traveller in mind, providing a quiet respite from a long day spent working or exploring the city. Rooms are bright and minimal with a largely neutral palette contrasting the colorful, vibrant look of the hotel’s public spaces. Accents include a hanging leather-look headboard, Acapulco chair, and graphic hand-knotted area rug.
Walls are lined in red oak with multiple hooks and pegs running the length of the room, one of Moxy’s most distinctive features. This alternative hanging system saves on space and allows for more comfortable smaller room sizes. Providing unique storage for clothes and belongings, the peg wall eliminates the need for closets and casegoods, while also allowing the foldable, hang-able chair and table to be conveniently stored away when not in use. An art wrapped panel creates visual interest within the space and provides additional pegs for hanging.
Bathrooms are clean and modern, with all-over white subway tile and a glass-enclosed, step-in shower. The vanity, in blackened steel with gray quartz top, is pulled into the main room in most guest rooms, allowing guests to socialize while getting ready. This feature is especially well suited for the New Orleans property’s unique shotgun-style suites where the shared bathroom and open vanity area is situated between two double beds.
