Let’s Stay at Moxy, the Party-People Hotel (Is That Term Dead?)
Honestly, I Wish It Had Been Aloft
I’m sure plenty of people have said, “Why did Japan get Moxy instead of Aloft?” Aloft is W Hotels’ more affordable brand—basically like GU is to Uniqlo.
Since Aloft is pretty similar in both concept and price range, I wish it had been Aloft instead…
That’s what I was grumbling about back in 2018, when Aloft still hadn’t arrived in Japan, but with Aloft Ginza set to open in 2020, I guess we’ll see how it ends up distinguishing itself from Moxy.
It’s Closer to Sakaisuji-Hommachi Than Hommachi
I walked to Moxy from Sakaisuji-Hommachi Station.
The entrance was simple.
Then there was the spacious lobby—or maybe lounge is the better word. There were hardly any guests around, but on this particular day a DJ was pumping out music.
At check-in, they suddenly handed me alcohol as a welcome drink! Haha.
So there I was, still holding my luggage, knocking back a drink first thing… haha.
Honestly, I might have been happier with some kind of free ticket instead of a welcome drink…
The Room Was Pretty Simple
After finishing my welcome drink, I headed up to my room. The hallway looked like something out of an old foreign TV drama.
The room was surprisingly calm and simple!
There were a few little items around the bed. Cute, though I had no idea how you were supposed to play with them. Haha.
There was no bathtub—just a shower booth.
The sink area was stylish too. Very design-first, haha.
They even went so far as to make the bidet toilet remote part of the decor.
Drinking at the Hotel Is Fun
After resting in the room for a bit, I went back down to the lobby lounge. Since I was there anyway, I figured I’d go have a cocktail!
At this point, I can’t even remember what I ordered… haha.
They had photogenic, Instagram-worthy spots set up all over the place.
I found myself thinking it would probably be fun with a group of younger friends… but this area is very much a business district, and the prices aren’t exactly cheap either, which gave me pause. Haha.
Maybe that’s Awaza Junction, one of Osaka’s signature sights?
There were hardly any customers at the bar. I wonder if it’s even still operating now…
Breakfast Was Noodles
Breakfast was served, once again, in the lounge on the first floor. It was a noodle dish plus a small buffet.
The number of seasonings was kind of insane. Haha.
There was also this thing for hanging cups, and I honestly couldn’t make heads or tails of the vibe—what even is this?
This is what the noodles looked like. For breakfast, they might have been a little on the heavy side… haha.
There was a roulette setup, but it’s not like there were actually that many options. Haha.
After eating, you could also play Jenga.
There were so many speakers that it was almost intimidating.
It was a slightly different kind of experience from my usual hotel stays, and in its own way, I think it was fun!
On day two of the trip, I’m heading to Awaji Island. From here, I’ll first take the train to Sannomiya.
To be continued.
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