When the first Moxy Hotel was built in Italy in 2014, it quickly became an Internet sensation. The brand gained popularity in the coolest cities of Europe and North America, with Asia being the most recent continent to get a taste of Moxy Hotel. The first city in Asia to host the design-led hotel brand by Marriott Hotels & Resorts is none other than Bandung.
Photo by Bagus Tri Laksono
Hotel – Moxy Hotel Bandung
Moxy Hotel Bandung is located at a strategic intersection in Dago, a walking distance away from the hip shopping district of Jl. Trunojoyo and the strip of stores on Dago.
Designed with the younger generation in mind, Moxy Hotel is full of surprises. Moxy Hotel’s Art Deco appearance remains true to the city’s locality, which has strongly identified with the style since the Dutch colonial era. Inside, Moxy Hotel’s design is a cross of popular culture and industrial design. Entering the hotel, guests are greeted with a bar rather than a front office desk, where they can hang out during the check in and check out processes. While bars were initially exclusive to those who drink, these days they can be introduced to a design plan as a tool that initiates social forums. In this area, guests are encouraged to meet new people and talk to the front office attendants for local insights.
The bar sits next to an equally hipster café that serves breakfast and all-day dining. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls allow natural daylight to flood the area. Guests can choose to dine at a communal bar, indoor dining tables, or on the alfresco terrace.
Another surprise that the hotel offers is the instant food corner that replaces the classic breakfast buffet usually found at hotels. It is a nod to the younger generation’s strong preference for anything quick and instant. There is a pass-through wall to the kitchenette where guests can prepare their instant noodles.
Full meals, like burgers, sandwiches, salad bowls, are displayed in the “Grab-N-Go” station. As the name suggests, guests are encouraged to eat on the go. The hotel makes this clear by placing a microwave, condiments, and sauces outside the kitchenette.
Instead, guests are encouraged to spend their time on the ground level. There are several sitting areas with a pool table in the centre. The atmosphere is casual but with an energetic décor. For a more private time-passing activity, proceed to the mezzanine level and you will find a library filled with good reads and magazines.
Being a young and hip hotel, Moxy Hotel pays attention to picturesque aesthetics as much as millennials would. Murals by local artists fill the public areas and are ready to be Instagrammed. In the café, there is an eye-catching pop-art style mural of donuts. The library enjoys a street-style mural, while the pool table’s backdrop is a mural of a classic Volkswagen Beetle. A photo booth sits nearby. Guests’ captured moments at Moxy Hotel can be found using the hashtag #atthemoxy.
As the first Moxy Hotel that is built in Asia, Moxy Hotel Bandung will be the role model for upcoming Asian Moxy Hotels (two are set to open in Japan late this year). While still adhering to Moxy’s style, architect Sonny Sutanto suggested some modification to this hotel with concerns to the Asian habits and culture. For instance, in other Moxy Hotels abroad, the windows that face the corridors are not tinted as to allow people to wave whenever they pass. Here, considering our appreciation for privacy, guest rooms come with tinted windows.
The guest bedrooms are efficient: infrequently used furniture such as the working desk and chair are folded to hang on one side of the room. Instead of putting an ironing board in the rooms, there is one Ironing Room on every level for the whole floor to share. All bedrooms are equipped with a flat screen TV, a safe deposit box, high speed Wi-Fi and an ensuite bathroom. Each room has windows that offer views of the city and the hills.
The hotel also offers business facilities. Meeting rooms are located on the third floor, with a wide terrace that can be used as an outdoor function hall.
Finally, the hotel building is topped with a rooftop bar namely Moxy at the Sky. It is designed as an after-hour hangout spot where people can enjoy the sunset and Bandung’s evening breeze. The bar has an L-shape plan with lounges on its two ends. It has a long bar overviewing the neighbourhood, the lights of the Pasupati Flyover, and the Dago hills (when the weather permits). The bar is designed with a vertical garden for a touch of nature. For those who are eager, there is a glass terrace for the real experience of hanging out high above ground.
From the bars, the shared kitchenette and ironing rooms, to the picture-worthy murals, Moxy Hotel Bandung was entirely designed for the design-oriented. It offers an extraordinary staying experience for a fun weekend gateway or staycation. The hotel serves as a unique hangout spot where guests have the opportunity to meet new friends at its café or rooftop bar. Get some rest, experience design, and make new friends, all at once in Moxy Hotel Bandung.