Moxy London Heathrow

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, Travelodge and Premier Inn, although the standard of accommodation is a step above these larger budget hotel chains.

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. The games area is decked out with table tennis, table football and snooker tables as well as board games and a few guitars.

A major part of this space is the bar, which appeals to the hotel’s younger demographic (you won’t find any hand-pulled real ale here) and there is a good range of drinks including Moxy’s own IPA. The bar also serves a selection of snacks and light meals but if you’re hungry you are better off going out to a nearby restaurant (including one of the restaurants in the neighbouring hotels) for dinner.

There is a small area where breakfast is served in the morning.

There is a bank of self-serve lockers near the lifts, 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.

There is also a small gym on the ground floor, which is unusual for a hotel in the budget price bracket.

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 rooms are configured as either twin or double rooms and at around 16m² (172 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. That’s not a big deal though, as most people don’t spend more than one night at an airport hotel.

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.

The room doesn’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 near the hotel reception 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. However, some people like to work in silence which is pretty near impossible in this area.

Most hotels at the budget end of the market do not have ironing facilities inside the rooms and this is also the case with Moxy. In many other cheaper hotels, you can go downstairs to the reception desk to borrow an iron and ironing board to take back to your room, however, this hotel has a better solution with an ironing room set up within the ground floor common space. The hotel does not have a self-serve laundry room (it would be nice though) but even still, it is perfect for people who like to travel light and hand-wash their shirts every evening.

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

This hotel is located on Bath Road and there are regular buses to the airport terminal. There is a bus stop right outside the hotel entrance with buses running every few minutes. Alternatively, you can take a bus in the other direction to Hounslow West tube station and then take the tube to the airport, although this option is around five minutes quicker, it is more expensive.

You can also take the Hotel Hoppa bus to the airport terminal but these cost £5.50 (£6 if you buy your ticket on board the bus) for a one-way trip and these buses run less frequently than the regular free buses.

The Moxy is farther from the airport than other Heathrow Airport hotels and it takes longer to get to your terminal. This means that the location is less airporty in the sense that there are regular neighbourhood shops within walking distance as opposed to only hotels and other airport-related businesses. This gives it a little bit of local character (although Cranford is hardly London’s most charming neighbourhood) and it also means that local shops and restaurants are priced for local residents. Within a couple of minutes’ walk, you will find a great little Portuguese restaurant called Moniz, a kebab shop and a branch of Tesco Express.

On-site car parking is available but it costs £12 per day.