5 Reasons To Stay at the Moxy Boulder in Colorado

The Moxy Boulder opened in June 2024 and is one of the closest hotels to the downtown Boulder area, making it the perfect place to stay if you’re visiting University of Colorado at Boulder students or exploring the pedestrian-friendly shopping area of Boulder.

While Moxy is one of Marriott’s no-frills brands, this hotel offers decent amenities for the area, and you’d likely be pleasantly surprised at what it offers. I had a very pleasant stay at this hotel, and I found the room comfortable. The location is fantastic, and the property is a welcome addition to the Boulder hotel scene.

1. It’s Close to the University of Colorado at Boulder

During my visit to the Moxy Boulder, I attended a conference at the University of Colorado at Boulder, so this was the main reason I booked this property. The university is right across the street, though the campus is so big that it may not be as convenient to access buildings on the opposite side.

Overall, it’s one of the closest possible hotels to the college campus, and you can walk to most places within about 20 to 25 minutes. The proximity of this property is especially valuable if you’re visiting college students, want a place to retreat from the school at night, or have meetings where you don’t want to move your car.

However, the proximity to the University of Colorado has its downsides. Just down the street is a string of bars and restaurants that can get noisy at night, and during the school season, you see many students in the area, especially with several fraternities and sororities nearby. While the area is still relatively quiet, expect there to be students when the university is in session.

2. It’s Close to Downtown Boulder

The Moxy Boulder is about a 10-minute walk from downtown Boulder, with its famous pedestrian-only thoroughfare with higher-end shops and numerous restaurants. The walk downtown is on a paved sidewalk, and there are a few intersections you need to cross, and all those have crossing lights. There really aren’t any hotels right in the downtown corridor, so this is one of the closest to the shopping and dining area.

There is a large farmers market on Saturdays, and several great running and biking paths meander throughout the town and toward the mountains. Boulder is a great place to visit if you’re into the outdoors and hiking, and this hotel is close to the downtown area and several national and state parks.

It’s worth noting that rooms at this hotel don’t have a view of downtown Boulder, as the hotel is just far enough away where you can’t see the town itself, but some views have views of the surrounding mountains. As a Marriott Titanium Elite, I wasn’t upgraded to a larger room or a room with a view, but the hotel was almost fully booked during my visit.

3. Street Parking Is Easy and Free

The Moxy Boulder charges a whopping $40 a night for valet parking, the only parking option available at this hotel. That’s a steep price to pay for a hotel that’s in the suburbs of Denver and is typical of pricing you may find in the center of a major city! If you ask the front desk staff, they’ll even tell you it’s extremely high and will highly recommend that you park your car yourself to save the charge.

One of the great things about where this hotel is is that the parking on the side streets, which are in a residential area, is free and comes with no time limit! So, just a few feet down from the hotel (literally), you can park on the street, won’t be charged, and won’t have to worry about moving your car every few hours or days. It’s one of the things that I love about this hotel.

While I’d prefer a self-parking lot without any charge, this is the next best thing. I stayed at this hotel for about a week and never had trouble parking or finding a spot. Along the streets near the hotel were college residential apartments, Greek housing, and other single-family homes. While I thought it would be busy, it wasn’t, and it was always easy to find a spot.

4. You Can Go to the Stash Rooms for Extra Supplies

One of the cool things about some Moxy hotels is that there is a “stash room” near the guest rooms. This closet, normally on a guest room floor, contains many of the essentials you need during a stay, including extra bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, blankets, toothbrushes, toothpaste, irons, and small ironing boards.

If you need something, you walk down the hall, open the closet, grab what you need, and then put it in your room. This is a great feature for guests who don’t want to have to interact with housekeeping or the front desk. Some hotels aren’t great at responding to guest requests, and it’s much easier just to grab an extra towel yourself, so I really appreciate that this hotel has a stash room on every floor.

5. There’s a Hot Tub With a View

The Moxy Boulder doesn’t have a full-length pool but does have a hidden gem on the third floor all the way at the end. This is where you find the outdoor patio and deck with a hot tub overlooking the mountains! It’s a stunning little overlook, and though you can still see the street below, you also take in the surrounding mountains and city skyline, which makes for a pretty cool evening soaking in the tub.

If you’re not the type of person to take a dip, there are also lounging chairs nearby where you can sit and work or relax with the same terrific views.

Once you’re done soaking, there’s a nearby closet with some towels, and you can easily walk down the hall to access the elevators to head to your room. This hot tub is a nice touch for a hotel that otherwise doesn’t have any other outdoor activity spaces.

Final Thoughts

If I needed to stay in Boulder again, I’d definitely book the Moxy Boulder. It’s well located, only a short walk from the downtown area and the University of Colorado at Boulder, and within steps of nearby restaurants and shops. The hotel has a modern aesthetic, with plenty of open areas and seating, making it an inviting place to walk around inside, and I thought the rooms were decently sized for a Moxy property.