Hotel Review: Moxy Columbus Short North
My first experience staying at Marriott’s Moxy brand was at Moxy New York Times Square. I stayed at the hotel with two of my best friends, which was a perfect hotel for young adults. A DJ played loud music in the lobby, and we loved being greeted with a complimentary cocktail upon arrival. For its affordability, we were totally fine with our room only having essential amenities. It was a refreshing lodging experience that I had never encountered before, and I decided to relive the experience on my recent business trip to Columbus, Ohio. I stayed at Moxy Columbus Short North, and while I enjoyed Moxy’s solid brand identity, I ran into a few minor hiccups during the stay. Here’s my review of Moxy Columbus Short North:
Grab a drink when you check-in! Moxy Columbus Short North is located at 808 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card does come with a hefty $650 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
$25 monthly dining credit—$300 total in a year
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
An 85,000-point Free Night Award
Access to Priority Pass lounges
25 Elite Night Credits for chasing Marriott Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have, in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
If you are looking for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with a low annual fee, consider the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of three Free Night Awards after spending $1,000 in three months, each covering up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I personally value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, making the 105,000 points offer worth $840. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns 6X points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases every year on dining, grocery stores, and gas stations, and 2X points on all other purchases.
Be aware that 15 elite night credits from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card can’t be combined with 15 elite night credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card’s annual fee is $95, and it offers useful perks to offset the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Marriott Bonvoy status
Please note that you can’t combine Elite Night Credits from two Marriott Bonvoy personal credit cards, but you can stack Elite Night Credits from one personal and one Marriott Bonvoy business card. Thus, if you own both AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, you would only earn 25 elite night credits.
If you’d like to apply for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you!
The last Marriott Bonvoy credit card you could use would be the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you get paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s annual fee is $125, and it offers valuable benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits, which can be combined with 15 Elite Night Credits from other personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
As you can see, the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual Free Night Award perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Location
Moxy Columbus Short North is only a 10-minute car ride away from the Ohio State University and five minutes away from downtown Columbus by car. The hotel is on N High street, meaning you have countless options for food and drinks, and I recommend Condado if you are craving creative and delicious tacos. Goodale Park is right next to the hotel as well, making it a great spot to have a picnic or walk around after lunch.
Lobby & Check-In Review
When I arrived at the hotel, I realized some of the building was occupied by WeWork, making the hotel a great business hotel for millennials looking for a fun hotel and a coworking space. The entrance to WeWork was on the first floor, which also housed a non-GMO restaurant called TownHall.
If you are a digital nomad, Moxy Columbus Short North is a brilliant option, thanks to WeWork on the first floor.
The front desk was located on the second floor, and I took a flight of stairs to check in at Moxy’s signature bar/front desk.
An interesting art installation was on display, but there was no artist information available.
The lobby was full of young adults, and it was evident that Moxy’s brand identity worked for its target audience.
The Moxy brand is known for its playful front desk, which doubles as a bar.
I was immediately greeted with loud and energetic music, and the lobby was curated with oversized board games, pinball machines, and a pool table.
As a Star Wars fan, I was stoked to find a retro Star Wars pinball machine in the lobby.
The oversized Jenga and Connect 4 were popular choices among guests.
The lobby had oversized board games ranging from Connect Four and Jenga.
My favorite was the pool table, and it was consistently the most popular amenity in the lobby.
The pink felt matched the Moxy brand's hot pink color.
High-top tables and flat-screen TVs surrounded the bar, and people naturally talked loudly to speak over the noisy environment.
Modern industrial interior design was the central theme of the hotel.
I originally booked a queen bed, but prior to the check-in, I connected with the general manager, who offered to upgrade me to a king bed. However, when I was checking in the front desk agent informed me that all rooms were sold out, and there was only one room with a queen bed left for the night. I was hesitant but ended up mentioning that the general manager and I communicated before my arrival that I would be getting an upgraded king room. He immediately apologized and informed me that there was actually one king room with a pull-out queen mattress.
The L-shaped couch in the lobby had outlets built in so you could stay charged while catching up with friends.
I was glad that my upgrade request was granted, but it was a little awkward that I had to correct the front desk representative. He thanked me for my loyalty to Marriott and offer me either a $10 food and beverage credit or points as a part of my Titanium Elite benefit.
The concession stand was full of drinks and snacks, and I grabbed some healthy snacks after checking in.
I opted in for the food and beverage credit, which came in a form of a poker chip. I received a second poker chip for my drink token, and I could exchange the token for a cocktail, a glass of champagne, or a can of beer from a select welcome drink list.
Most properties use generic paper drink voucher, but Moxy highlighted its whimsical character using poker chips as drink tokens.
Rather than a plain-looking paper coupon, using a fun material like a poker chip was a cost-effective way to reinforce Moxy’s brand identity, and it felt natural in the given environment. After checking in I went up to the eighth floor where my room was located.
Bedroom Review
The overall theme of the bedroom was industrialism. The ceiling used exposed concrete, and some of the conduit pipes for electrical wiring were intentionally left exposed. The extra tall ceiling contributed to the industrial feel of the room. Considering the economic nature of the hotel, the room was compact and functional. The bedroom was mainly occupied by a king-sized bed.
The bedroom presented both modern industrial and warm wood interior design tones in the bedroom.
The throw pillows represented the playful identity of the Moxy brand, and the leather-wrapped headboard added a layer of a masculine interior design element to the room.
These throw pillows describe what the Moxy brand is all about—fun, quirky, and young.
Only one side of the bed came with a nightstand because the other side was used for a pull-out bed. On the nightstand, the phone was a retro-inspired model, and next to it, a white noise machine by Marpac was available for those who needed help falling asleep at night.
When wired phones are becoming scarce, Moxy properties are bringing back and reintroducing fun retro rotary phones.
The pull-out queen bed was not challenging to set up, and it was as equally comfortable as the main bed.
The high bed frame was intended to hide a pullout mattress underneath the main bed.
I would imagine this being an excellent option for people traveling with kids that want to stay close to their parents.
The pullout mattress was a great idea to save space and convert one bed into two when needed.
Across from the bed, a smart TV was wall-mounted, but the TV remote was not present. I looked everywhere in the room, but I had to call the front desk to deliver a new remote since I couldn’t turn off the TV without it. The wall featured various wooden pegs for hanging clothes and small foldable fixtures such as a luggage rack. I appreciated that the hotel was utilizing space on the wall but couldn't fathom why there were so many of them as they felt somewhat excessive.
Due to the size of the room, the room had a foldable luggage stand hung on the wall.
The work desk was a collapsible model that was wall-mounted. My work setup was pretty light, but I would be hesitant to put anything heavy or lean on the desktop. The back of the desk was made of a corkboard, and I wish the hotel utilized that space to accentuate the whimsical identity of the Moxy brand—pinning the hotel’s guidelines or information regarding surrounding major attractions could be a good use of the board.
The wall-mounted foldable desk was surprisingly sturdy, but I was afraid to lean on the desk.
I could see downtown Columbus through the floor-to-ceiling window, and my room overlooked the hotel’s rooftop garden.
The rooftop garden was on the sixth floor, connected to the gym.
I liked that the Moxy brand cleverly utilized every space they could with eco-friendly materials. However, I felt some areas could’ve been used for highlighting the Moxy brand or the location of the hotel. For instance, some of the art in the room didn’t feel meaningful when it could’ve been pieces about celebrating Columbus or its community.
I could see downtown Columbus from my bedroom.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom used a sliding door without a locking mechanism, and unfortunately, soundproofing was practically nonexistent. I was traveling solo, so I didn’t mind the lack of noise cancellation. However, when I stayed at Moxy New York Times Square with my buddies, it was a bit uncomfortable at times since you could hear everything crystal clear from the inside—something to keep in mind if you plan on staying with your significant other. The bathroom featured a single sink vanity with an intentionally exposed exterior, and there was plenty of space to store your personal belongings.
The bathroom featured trendy matt black frames, but the hairdryer followed Moxy’s brand color—hot pink.
However, the vanity mirror was crooked, and no matter how hard I tried to realign it, it appeared that I was installed wrong in the first place. I understand I am being nitpicky, but it was something that I couldn’t unsee after realizing it.
No matter what I did, I couldn’t level the bathroom mirror.
The hotel had a hairdryer hooked on the wall, which made sense to me and saved me the hassle of unwrapping it from a drawstring bag. I had to iron my shirt for work, and I found a steamer instead of an iron. It worked decently, and it was another millennial-friendly amenity of the Moxy brand.
Classic white brick tiles complemented matte black bathroom accents.
The walk-in shower featured a rainfall-style showerhead, and the drain said “Deep End”—fully embedding playful Moxy branding into everyday objects.
Even the shower drain was indicative of the Moxy brand’s unconventional character.
The communal toiletries were by Muk, and the products didn’t stand out other than their fun neon pink-colored containers.
Even the toiletry from Muk matched the color of the Moxy brand.
The bathroom was not perfect, but I appreciated Moxy’s quirky identity was very much present even in the bathroom.
Gym Review
The gym was located on the sixth floor, and it was open 24/7. I didn’t have high expectations for the fitness center, but it was surprisingly nice. The space was bright and clean, and the hotel implemented interesting textural design elements to the space, using triangle-shaped mirrors and wooden accents on the wall.
Even though there was only one Peloton bike, it was still a big plus for a budget hotel.
The gym was fully equipped with the newest TechnoGym treadmills and ellipticals. Though there was only one, it even had a Peloton bike.
The fitness center primarily used fancy gym equipment from TechnoGym.
However, there was no strength equipment besides a single set of standard dumbbells. The lifting area was padded, and a shiny new adjustable bench was by TechnoGym.
Many hotel gyms opted for plain mirrored walls, but Moxy Columbus Short North incorporated a different material and shape into the space.
I didn’t mind having only dumbbells since I could do all of my general lifting exercises with dumbbells, but some guests might prefer to have more options. The rest of the gym was allocated for HIIT and full-body workout gear such as a punching bag, kettlebells, and medicine balls.
The gym was compact but had everything needed for a complete workout.
The gym played an eclectic mix of party music, and the sound quality was superb as the music played from Bose speakers. It’s common for hotel gyms to be silent, so I enjoyed the hotel’s approach because the atmosphere was more energetic and encouraging to exercise. The gym was adjacent to the rooftop garden, which would be open from 7 AM to 10 PM daily.
If it wasn’t raining, I could see the rooftop deck being a popular spot for young adults to socialize.
Because it was rainy during my stay, no one was outside, but I could see many people hanging out and enjoying conversations over cocktails on warm nights. I wouldn’t necessarily like people could watch me while I exercise, but I still appreciate accessibility to an outdoor space.
Dining & Bar Review
There was no in-house restaurant, but you could purchase pre-packaged food and beverages at the hotel’s concession stand. Nothing looked appetizing, but I didn’t want my daily $10 food and beverage credit to go to waste. I ended up getting a large bottle of water and a snack pack, which came out to be $10 even.
While I was okay with getting a relatively healthy snack, I wish I had saved my daily food and beverage credit for breakfast.
If you want to get real food or are a fan of pan-Asian and modern Mexican cuisine, check out Town Hall on the ground floor. The restaurant was capacious, and it would be a great place to have dinner with a group of friends. Because I was alone, I used Toast to place an order for pickup. I ordered Bangkok Bazaar—Town Hall’s version of chicken and shrimp Pad Thai—and a side of Spicy Garlic Broccoli. The food was affordable, and my order was ready in 25 minutes. Rice noodles in Bangkok Bazaar were slightly mushy, but the tangy and spicy flavor profile that pad thai dishes is known for was present. On the other hand, the broccoli side dish was very oily and tasted burnt. Surely enough, I found many pieces of burnt garlic, and I couldn’t finish the rest of the dish.
The dishes from Town Hall were affordable and packed a punch!
After I finished dinner, I went down to the lobby to use my drink token. I could choose one of the three for free: a signature cocktail “Got Moxy”, a glass of cava or prosecco, or a can of beer. I chose Got Moxy, which was made of dragon berry Bacardi rum, strawberry puree, and lime juice.
The hotel’s signature cocktail was unduly sweet.
The drink came out reasonably quickly, but unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it at all. It was overwhelmingly sweet and tasted as if I was drinking strawberry-flavored cough syrup. I tried to work while sipping on my cocktail, and I realized that the lobby was pretty busy for a Thursday night. When I stayed at Moxy NYC Times Square, the lobby was loud, but most of the noise came from people chatting and music from a DJ. However, the communal area at Moxy Columbus Short North was full of obnoxious people yelling and knocking objects and drinks over. I suppose my experience was highly dependent on the night and groups of guests at the moment, but I couldn’t stand the scene and went back to my room without trying another drink.
Breakfast Review
The hotel served complimentary bagels and coffee from 6 AM to 11 AM on weekdays and from 6 AM to 12 PM on weekends. The breakfast bar was tucked away next to the front desk. I was disappointed to find out that only plain bagels were available.
The breakfast bar was unsatisfactory since there was no protein other than cream cheese.
I’m not sure if the hotel intentionally chose to serve only plain bagels due to concerns regarding potential allergies. Nevertheless, I wish there were more flavors to choose from. The coffee was another letdown; it was lukewarm and overly sour. If you want quality breakfast and coffee, I advise that you skip the complimentary bagel and coffee bar and check out local coffee shops and restaurants on North High street.
To make things worse, the coffee was lukewarm and tasted quite sour.
Positives & Negatives Review
Positives
I was surprised by how fantastic the gym was. It was fully loaded with brand-new equipment, and the hotel played energetic music that kept pushing me as I exercised. With bright lights and exciting interior design elements incorporated into the space, the fitness center was definitely worth stopping by.
Some may disagree, but I enjoyed the quirky touches of the Moxy brand. It was prevalent in the lobby with the bar doubling as a check-in desk, industrial design elements in the bedroom, and fun usage of poker chips as drink tokens topped off the lodging experience.
Negatives
Unless you don’t eat breakfast or would be completely satisfied with a plain bagel, skip breakfast at Moxy Columbus Short North. Perhaps I expected too much from the hotel, but the hotel only served plain bagels and lukewarm coffee. You are better off grabbing a breakfast sandwich and coffee from a local cafe on North High street.
Before you book any Moxy hotels, be aware that the brand was created to target young adults in their late 20s and early 30s as its primary audience. When paired with loud music and a bar with a free drink at the time of check-in, you can reasonably expect that the general level of noise at Moxy Columbus Short North would be higher than at regular hotels. It wasn’t a negative factor for me, but be aware of the hotel’s brand identity and target demographics before booking a Moxy property.
Summary
Moxy Columbus Short North was a lively and affordable hotel in downtown Columbus. The use of poker chips as a drink token was a smart branding idea, but my welcome drink was less than mediocre. The lobby had plenty of oversized board games to keep guests entertained during their stays. My room had vital industrial interior design components and quirky Moxy branding elements sprinkled everywhere. From the walk-in shower to throw pillows, small details extended the fun atmosphere from the lobby to the room. Though I wish the hotel had deployed other opportunities in the bedroom to enhance the lodging experience by connecting guests with local communities in Columbus, the room was cleverly designed to effectively utilize its available real estate. The breakfast experience was substandard compared to other budget hotels, and the hotel’s concession stand didn’t sell nutritious fresh food. However, the gym was full of brand-new equipment and energetic music despite its compact size. If you want to stay at a stylish, vibrant, and budget-friendly hotel in Columbus, consider staying at Moxy Columbus Short North, but remember that Moxy properties are designed with millennials in mind and provide only minimal amenities.
