Wynwood is getting a new hotel, and check-in is at the lobby bar. Here’s a sneak peek
Walk into the newest hotel in Wynwood and you’ll notice that the place fits right into the neighborhood.
Street art on the outside walls. Murals at the entrance and on the inside floor. There’s even two pink flamingos. So Miami.
The Moxy Miami Wynwood is clearly at one with its surroundings.
Let’s grab a sneak peek as the hotel, where you check into your room at the lobby bar, prepares to open:
All about Wynwood’s Moxy hotel
Opening: The five-story Moxy Miami Wynwood will open Sept. 15, according to the owners. The hotel has started taking reservations.
Location: The Moxy, 255 NW 25th St., is across from popular upscale sushi restaurant Uchi, as well as Wynwood 25. It’s on the same block as Joe’s Pizza NYC.
Brand: Moxy, a brand launched in 2014 and owned by Marriott International, has one other hotel in South Florida, in South Beach at 915 Washington Ave. The new property, one of about 100 in the Moxy group, is a 50-50 joint venture partnership between Baywood Hotels and Dolphin Capital Partners. Pierre Charalambides, managing partner for Dolphin Capital Partners, said they first came up with the idea in 2018-2019. “I thought Wynwood needed a central and branded hotel,” he said. Wynwood is mostly known for retail and restaurants — Arlo Wynwood is the only hotel in the heart of a growing and vibrant neighborhood.
Delayed opening: Initially, COVID-19 delayed the plans. More recently, the hotel faced delays in final inspections of gas, water and electricity, the managing partner said. In addition, someone accidentally stepped on a gas line, slowing things down. The Moxy Miami Wynwood, originally scheduled for an April opening, passed its fire inspection this month and expects to obtain a temporary certificate of occupancy by the end of this week, Charalambides told the Miami Herald.
Tour of the hotel
The lobby: After walking through the entrance hallway, elevators will take you up to the second floor, the main lobby where you check in. There are many other things to do here, in what the Moxy hopes will become “the buzzing hub” of the hotel.
The bar: You immediately see a large rectangular bar with about 30 seats and neon signs, and tables and open space will accommodate dozens more on a coated marble floor. Local DJs are expected on some evenings.
Offerings: Nearby are comfortable lounge chairs, several with chess sets in bright South Florida colors waiting to be used by the more cerebral guests. There are foosball tables, too. A library has a selection of books and magazines. The seating is designed to make you interact with other guests, a big theme of the hotel. The lobby also has a poker table and Ms. Pac-Man machine and plenty of space, with more than 3,000 square feet.
Social: Chris Thompson, general manager of the Moxy Miami Wynwood, said he sees the hotel appealing to a wide variety of guests but especially those who “enjoy socializing, meeting new people and learning about the locality.” It will also have games like Jenga and shuffleboard. The bar will offer breakfast and a Bevvies and Bites dinner menu featuring signature cocktails as well as bites including arepas, flats and dips. They also expect to have naan, Indian flatbread, as well as a cappuccino and espresso machine if you need to recharge yourself before a meeting.
Check-in: When you are finally ready to check in, one small corner of the rectangular bar has a sign that says “Check In” in neon. Make sure though to receive your complimentary welcome cocktail: a Haku Vodka-infused drink combined with a locally inspired Yuzu and Lavender essence. If you’d like to stay a little longer before going to your room, there are lockers on second floor to store your suitcases.
Art as an amenity
Art may be one of this hotel’s biggest amenities.
The street art that put Wynwood on the map is a key part of the Moxy. The nearby Museum of Graffiti was commissioned to identify artists and coordinate.
“When buildings go up here … they don’t tend to have artwork that speaks to the neighborhood,” said Alan Ket, co-founder of the Museum of Graffiti. But with the Moxy owners and managers, he said, “they were totally into it.”
Their goal was to “keep it in line with the history of the art movement in Wynwood,” he said.
Ket then brought in Miami-based artist Manu Montano to oversee the project.
They commissioned artists with some connection to the neighborhood as well as newcomers. For example, Lady Pink and Adele Renault from Belgium had both previously created art in Wynwood, but it got erased, Ket said.
Ledania, from Bogota, did the murals in the building’s entrance. In addition to the pink flamingos, it includes a panther, other cats and South Florida’s trademark flora and bright colors aqua blue, orange and pink. That all immediately gives guests arriving a local feel and vibe.
Others include the Amazing Ske, from Puerto Rico, who died in April at age 52. His mural on the hotel’s outside wall covers the entire west side of the building. It was his “magnum opus,” Ket said.
Montano, the coordinator, sees the Moxy as a “one-of-a-kind gallery” due to its use of public street art and the amount displayed throughout the hotel, including the check-in bar area.
Ket noted that they could have commissioned even more artwork if Moxy’s budget had allowed for it.
Public spaces
▪ A 3,000-square-foot outdoor space off the second-floor lobby can be used for meetings or events, and a smaller 430-square-foot meeting room with room for 36 guests is called The Timeout Zone.
▪ The main restaurant, Sparrow Italia, will open around Sep. 15.
What the rooms look like
Work or family: Enter a room and you’ll find it compact but not cramped. If you’re here for work or a short business trip, you’ll have what you need. The same goes if you are on vacation with kids or grandparents and looking to keep everyone together.
Space: The rooms are designed to be “smart rooms” so there’s a working pod and you can put your luggage under the working area to better take advantage of space. There’s no separate closet but clothes can be hung flat along one wall. That also gives the area a bit more open space. All rooms have Murphy desks, under the bed storage, and outlets for smartphones and electronic devices. Bathrooms come with hairdryers and handheld steamers.
Supplies: Even the hallways evoke efficiency. Each floor has what’s called a Stash near the elevator that’s filled with towels, wash cloths, and toothbrushes. That way, if you run out, you don’t have to wait for room service to show up, often a source of delays at hotels.
Configuration: The rooms come in five configurations ranging from one to five beds and have names the hotel hopes will evoke Miami: King (Graffiti Grove), Double Queen (MIA Playground), Double Queen and Bunk (La Familia), Quad Twin (Let’s Bunk) and King Suite (Mojito XL.) The first four each occupy 211 square feet while the latter is 434 square feet.
Reservations
▪ Reservations can be made on the hotel’s website.
▪ For individual reservations, you can also call Marriott Reservations Department at 888-236-2427. For group reservations, call 786-885-2670.
Information on the artists
▪ Adele Renault - Belgium - West Building Face Side Tropical flower piece
https://www.instagram.com/adelerenault/
▪ Vance DNA - China - south side of building - alligator
https://www.instagram.com/vance_dna/reels/?hl=en
▪ Erni Vales - USA - northside - Dream theme - woman and butterflies
https://www.instagram.com/ernivales/
▪ Lady Pink - USA - northside center- Robot woman
https://www.instagram.com/ladypinknyc/?hl=en
▪ SKE - Puerto Rico - East Building Face Side Divers in shark tank
https://www.instagram.com/theamazingske/
▪ Ledania - Colombia - Breezeway ceiling
https://www.instagram.com/ledania/
▪ Hot Tea - Hotel Lobby Bar gantry
https://www.instagram.com/hotxtea/?hl=en
▪ Stephen Palladino - Piece above hotel lobby elevators
