Moxy London Excel

Moxy London Excel is the first Moxy hotel in the United Kingdom. Moxy is a Marriott hotel brand that is aimed at the millennial market and it is priced at the budget end of the market alongside ibis budget, ibis, Travelodge and Premier Inn. It appears that Moxy is chasing the same design-focused millennial market as Marriott’s high-end W Hotels brand but Moxy’s big advantage is that millennials can actually afford to stay here.

The ground floor space, which includes the bar/reception area, features a funky interior design and it has louder music than your typical hotel lobby. In many ways, the atmosphere is like a very nice hostel with vibrant communal spaces on the ground floor where it is easy to strike up a conversation and get to know your fellow guests. This common space is split into several zones with a games area, a bar and a working space.

A major part of this space is the bar, which appeals to the hotel’s younger demographic. The bar serves a selection of snacks and light meals but if you’re hungry you are better off eating at one of the neighbouring hotels or going to the nearby Fox @ Connaught pub, a five-minute walk away.

There is a bank of self-serve lockers, which is ideal if you arrive at the hotel before your room is available or if you have a late flight and need to store your bags somewhere after you have checked out.

The communal spaces are very well done and I like the idea of creating a hostel-style atmosphere in a hotel, however, some people complain that the whole vibe of the place makes them feel old.

Most of the hotel’s 164 rooms are configured as either twin or double rooms and at around 17m² (183 sq ft) they are certainly smaller than other hotels in the Marriott stable. The rooms are designed to make the most of the smaller space and they don’t feel too cramped. All rooms are air-conditioned and have comfortable beds, large flat-screen televisions and a compact en suite bathroom. The rooms do not have tea and coffee making facilities, nor do they have much in the way of storage facilities. There are no cupboards, although there is a stand to rest your luggage on and a spot on the wall with some coat hangers to hang your clothes on.

There are also a handful of family rooms that are like small suites with a queen-size bed in one room and a sofa bed in the other.

Rooms don’t have a proper work desk either but there is a glass shelf with an ottoman that you can sit on that functions as a (very) compact desk. However, there is a small work area in the hotel lobby that is set up like a co-working space and this is the spot to head to if you’re looking to get work done. This area has a couple of iMacs that you can use if you didn’t bring your own laptop. The working space is at the quieter end of the lobby area but it is still not ideal if you like to work in silence.

Free Wi-Fi wireless internet access is available throughout the hotel.

Like other hotels near ExCeL, prices at the Moxy London Excel can vary a lot with significantly higher prices during summer and when there is a big event on at ExCeL. However, it can also be a reasonably affordable place to stay during the off-peak season and when there is nothing on at ExCeL.

The hotel is a seven-minute walk from the ExCeL exhibition and convention centre and less than a 20-minute walk from the terminal building at London City Airport. It is part of a cluster of hotels near ExCeL (which also include a Hampton by Hilton, a Holiday Inn Express, a Premier Inn, a Travelodge, the Aloft London ExCeL and the DoubleTree by Hilton ExCeL).

The immediate neighbourhood feels barren with the elevated DLR rail line on one side of the road and a row of hotels on the other side. The surrounding area has very little in the way of local character with the exception of the Fox @ Connaught pub, which is a five-minute walk from the hotel. The hotel is also a three-minute walk from the waterfront where you can find a nice (but somewhat desolate and windswept) waterfront promenade with views of London City Airport.

It is a four-minute walk from Royal Albert DLR station, which is around a four-minute ride from The City with trains running every eight minutes or so.

Parking is available but it costs £15 per night.