By Shari Hartford

When I visit a resort – island, mountain or seaside – I look forward to a large luxurious room with every accoutrement, lots of relaxing space and, best of all, a sumptuous bathroom.

However, when I’m in a city, my needs change greatly. I want convenience and quiet. Space, storage and the giant bathroom go to the bottom of the list.

The brand-new 349-room Moxy Chelsea checks all my boxes for a city hotel.  Centrally located on West 28^th Street in the heart of the historic flower district, Moxy pays homage to the neighborhood by situating it’s entry through the Putnam & Putnam Flower Shop. You can stop to purchase a stem or two or three for your room or just inhale the fragrant aromas. Check in is a snap but don’t be in such a rush that you miss the digital art installation on the ceiling.

The Moxy Chelsea is 35 floors of well-designed public and private space. There are three room types: king, two doubles and a quad (two head-to-foot bunk beds). The hotel is an interesting mix of micro space rooms and max public space. I had a king room for the night and while it was, indeed, micro, I never felt closed in or claustrophobic. There are pegs along one wall with sturdy wood and leather hangers in lieu of a closet, storage under the bed in lieu of a dresser and a cleverly tiled shower in place of a tub/shower combo. Additionally, there’s a foldup table and chair hanging from the pegs, should you want more surface space. Floor to ceiling windows and 10-foot ceilings contribute to the open and airy feel of the smallish rooms.

The public spaces at Moxy are your work and gathering places. Grab your laptop, head to the elevator and find yourself a comfy spot to finish a business report, send email or just people watch. There are also meeting spaces throughout that have sliding walls for big and small gatherings.

And speaking of public gatherings, Moxy Chelsea invites guests to participate in carefully curated events and classes designed to get you out and about and keep you entertained. Some recent activities have included local tours, pizza making classes, trunk shows, DJs and weekly meditation sessions.

Hungry yet? Feroce Caffe and Feroce Ristorante will feed your Italian soul morning, noon and night. My favorite part of the hotel is the garden terrace – Bar Feroce. Take your pick…you can belly up to the bar for an aperitif, enjoy the lush foliage wall in the glass enclosed Conservatory or stay put on the all-season terrace and indulge in a pizza from the outdoor terra cotta oven.

I admit to being a terrible sleeper. Slumber eludes me sometime around three or four each morning. But here at Moxy Chelsea I had one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a very long time. Was it the extra soft bed linens, the perfect room temperature, the hum of street activity that was both soothing and non-distracting? Don’t know and don’t care. It all worked.

Morning came very quickly and after grabbing a warm Italian pastry at the café, it was time to leave Moxy and stroll down the street, passing giant houseplants and vendors hawking in-season flowers. Ah, NYC, how do I love it?

For more information, contact moxychelsea.com

Shari Hartford is the former managing editor for Diversion magazine, where she wrote about travel in the northeast and cruising. She is currently a freelance writer and editor based in her hometown of New York City.