What Are citizenM Hotels Like?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- A couple of weeks ago I spent a night at the citizenM hotel in Bankside in London. And I thought I'd make a video about what the experience was like.
citizenM is a Dutch hotel group which is aiming to disrupt the sector by offering quirky and innovative rooms at a good price - some might even describe the brand as edgy. I'd previously stayed in their properties in Glasgow and New York so have some experience of their offering and I can confirm they offer a very consistent experience across the globe. I mention McDonalds a couple of times in this video, but to be clear, citizenM has no relationship with McDonalds!
Also I should reiterate that I paid for my own room, and citizenM did not know I was staying. Not that I would have expected them to do anything if they had known I was staying, but its important to make the point!
www.citizenm.com
⭐ #citizenm #citizenmbankside #MattsPlanet ⭐
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⏰ Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
2:32 - The Room
8:00 - The Chain
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Have stayed in CitizenM both solo and as a couple. The bed is configurable either way - as per the FAQs:
"The bed is wall-to-wall, do I have to climb over my companion to get out? Of course not! The beds are square. To sleep, put the pillows by the window. Genius!"
We stayed at the CDG hotel and also didn't manage to check in completely staff-free but the bar, bar snacks and breakfast were all good. Strangely we couldn't get the ipad controller screen to be upright in the docking station but otherwise it was all entirely adequate.
Thanks Geoff. Good point re the bed - if you rotate then a) the tv doesn't really work, b) the bed's not square so you lose a couple of inches of length which as I'm 6' 4" would make a difference and c) both occupants are inconvenienced when getting in and out rather than one person being really inconvenienced. But it is an option!
I'm stayed at the CitizenM on Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, since the flight I took to Dubai was leaving around 07:00am and so I just had to walk straight to departures early in the morning, instead of leaving from home 03:00 in the night. (Don't judge me being cheaply flying to Dubai for €300 return with Transavia on a B738, haha) They indeed do have a branding layout and interior! I would recommend them highly for 1-2 nights stay, but for a full holiday, I'd look elsewhere due to the lack of space in the small rooms. In my experience it was a friendly hotel, clean and had a nice cold draft beer late at night before going to bed at the bar. Certainly not bad, at all!
Ps. CitizenM Amsterdam Airport is located next to the H-pier with excellent direct apron view of the Easyjet gates and taxiing aircraft. Not a punishment at all for an AvGeek!!
Sounds perfect! I think I had 3 or 4 nights in the New York one, but if you're spending more than sleepy time in your hotel room in New York, you're doing it wrong! Particularly in the Summer, when I was there.
this was so helpful and fun to watch! thank you ☺️
Thanks for watching
Thanks for another great video Matt. My wife and I stayed at their Glasgow property (a couple of years back), and found it quirky and pretty good - although the room size IS a bit claustrophobic for my personal tastes. While I always appreciate a hotel room where I can open the window (even a little) for some fresh air, it's not usually an issue for me if it's a slightly bigger hotel room. Found the bed to be comfy, and I liked the niche aesthetics to the lobby and dining/bar area. I think i'd probably still be inclined to lean towards a Hilton chain for my own preference, but if the location (like your comment about their New York property) was in a really good spot, i'd likely give them a go again.
Thanks - quite a mixed reaction in the comments so far - nice to have another positive vote!
Hello Matt, good video as always. Having worked in Westminster for years I occasionally had to stay in various hotels, have to say the Hub by Premier Inn always came up trump's although similar issues with your stay re the bed in a standard room, much better bed in the larger rooms. It's also one of the best breakfasts in a 'budget' hotel I've ever had.
Thanks Colin - that's a couple of votes for Premier Inn now!
Very fair review, have stayed in multiple Citizenm hotels (NY, Shoreditch, Amsterdam) and have always really enjoyed them. Worth noting that the beds themselves are 2x2 meters, so you can in-fact just move the pillows so they are behind up behind the window, and that would mean for less hassle if you are needing to get up frequently at night.
Cheers Ashley. I'm irritated that I cut the bit that talked about rotating the bed experience as I'd run out of footage to use while I explained it in voice over and I don't like to repeat footage in videos... You can do that but then both occupants are inconvenienced by having to shimmy down to exit at the foot of the bed. Still not ideal but better for one and worse for the other!
Hey Matt, I was searching out this video as I'm contemplating staying at the one in Seattle in November (Seattle is quite expensive for hotels I'm finding). This was really useful for me to get a feel for what they're like and, as I'm going on my own, I think it'll be fine for me. I think Seattle's one of those places as well where I was trying to seek out something a bit less traditional than the normal kind of hotels but still be in quite a central location and a little bit cheaper.
Just on the price, I know you mentioned they don't do a loyalty programme, but I'm sure most of us collect Avios and this hotel is available to book on the British Airways Hotel Partners website. It's a slightly higher price than booking direct (+£19.31 for 5 nights) but I can get 6560 Avios for that which I think is a pretty good return!
Interesting - that's a pretty good avios earning rate! CitizemM is a great option for 1 person. Seattle in November - take your galoshes! Saw a mid-roll ad in the Malta video so I guess you got the monetisation working?
@Matt's Planet Yeh, managed to sort it pretty quickly really after all the horror stories of it taking ages. It's been paying for about a week now - can't wait to spend it all😂
Good and interesting video Matt, thanks! It certainly would be one for me to consider in future. Did you mention the cost? I'm also not a huge fan of hotel breakfasts. They can, however, be quite convenient in certain situations, so it would be enlightening in future hotel reviews if you could include some footage of the breakfast even if you're not having it! Having the wash basin in the hallway isn't really my cup of tea and I totally agree with you about the uncomfortable bed layout. What worries me is the fact that whoever makes the bed probably has to clamber over it in order to make it properly! Are all their rooms configured like this or do they some twin setups too?
£75. Which was probably as low as you'll ever see. Let me share a secret on this stay... I had a fairly big night and wasn't up in time to see the breakfast!!! But point taken! All the rooms are like this as far as I know - certainly every one I've stayed in and every one I've seen on the internet. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for a good vibe that spreads to the viewer
Thanks!
I checked into the one in the Bayside area in Miami - right across from the Kaseya center - the sports / entertainment arena where Miami Heat play.
This is a harbor area (lots of boats)- not a beach area (lots of sand). My overall experience was very pleasant. They didn't have a room to get your laundry done. I hope that's not a standard thing with them. But there's one item to be aware of (and I don't think it's unique to this hotel chain) - you're constantly being tracked.
Your movements are being logged. It's being done with a combination of motion detection, thermal sensors and that dual purpose key card you're handed - also can serve as a luggage tag. You would think that the primary purpose for that would be - security (for your safety). That's actually the secondary purpose. The primary purpose is (to protect the hotel - from you) in the rare event where you decide to take them to court - if you're accused of doing a crime there. They will be able to prove, hands down, that it was only you that could have done it!!!! Ex. "You exited you're room, on the 4th floor, at exactly this time and you got on the elevator at exactly this time. You then got off the elevator on the 2nd floor at exactly this time and you walked into her room at exactly this time!!"
Anyway, just as important but not as serious - I'm laying in my bed at night.. Every single time that I shifted my position in the bed, I'd hear a clicking sound in the ceiling above - a click when I start to move and a click when I stopped moving. When I go into the toilet section - another click in the ceiling above me in that spot. When I then decide to move from the toilet section into the shower section, I hear a click in the toilet section (signifying a switch off of that thermal sensor) and a new click in the shower section (signifying a switch on of that thermal sensor). So back to the court scene - "So, you watched TV for exactly this much time. Then you were on the toilet for exactly this amount time and then you took a shower for exactly this amount of time."
I had taken a bed and breakfast real estate investor class a long time ago and the teacher told us of this security company he hired that wired up his places - where they logged every move a person made. They knew exactly when anyone opened any window or door , how long they had it open and when they closed it. His whole singular focus was "If you think that you're going to win in court against me - think again." This has to do with years of bad experiences with deceptive people who rent - who are actually running their own shady businesses in the hotel - like prostitution or drug dealing.
After telling you this, this chain (as well as others) are probably going to re-vamp their systems to get rid of all those clicking sounds (out--of-sight-out-of-mind) - but the game will continue. The investors in these chains have to do whatever it takes to protect their income streams in court against shady characters with their on agendas.
Guessing you won't stay with them again....
@@MattsPlanet I probably will. My only real gripe was the lack of a laundry room at that location. I hope they have one at other locations. I had to go to a shady pat of town to find a laundromat. .The surveillance stuff is being done by almost all the big brand name chains (there may not be clicking sounds with them but it's there) - so we're not going to get away from it
Thank you! Booked a CitizenM in Seattle for a summer vacation. Looking forward to it as a solo traveler.
Brill - glad I could help. Seattle is fun - if you're into planes there's a cracking museum plus the Boeing factory which can be visited... A bit North of Seattle so perhaps best visited by car but something hopefully to think about....
We stayed in one and just moved the quilt and pillows so the head of the bed was at the window.
I feel that moderately inconveniences both occupants rather than severely inconveniencing just one!!! Did I mention my knees? Thanks for watching!
Looks a bit more classy and fancier than the Ibis Budget I used in Toulouse! I want to try the Amsterdam one someday, solely for the views of Schiphol.
Quirkier for sure - classier? Possibly... Hope it helped prioritise a stay!
@@MattsPlanet the toilet in my Ibis budget (I did a video) was a tight squeeze in a lot of ways!
Big Fan of Citizen M. Thanks Matt for your lovely review.
Have a trip coming up where I may be able to stay with them again...
Had you ever thought of moving both of the pillows to the window side of the bed so that you're both sleeping with your heads towards the window? It would mean one of you doesn't need to crawl over the other if you need to get out of bed during the night. I thought the same as you but for the price and look of the hotel, I've booked this hotel in Downtown Los Angeles for a couple of nights in March 2023.
That's been noted... I find it inconveniences both bed occupants somewhat versus inconveniencing one occupant significantly so isn't a solution that is perfect...
Another interesting video, sadly no facilities for kids, so it would not work for me, but if I am ever travelling without them then it looks like an interesting option... I have stayed in other similar places, very cost effective if you are staying in a city and only really want somewhere to sleep!
No facilities for kids? What about that spacious drawer? Looked perfect for kids to me... But seriously, thanks for watching!
Came here after watching Flip Flop Traveller's review of the citizenM at the Tower of London. There are some aspects of the concept that I like - such as the public spaces - but what I find off-putting are the room rates for their London hotels. Staying in London for a week or two and wanting to spend about the same? I'd choose a better full-service hotel, north of the river, and to the west. Wanting to save? I'd go for a value hotel, with good rail/Tube links, in a place like Bromley. Missed my last train after a night out in London? I'd look for the nearest Premier Inn or Travelodge.
I tend to agree. CitizenM started as a low cost option, but I sense they are trying to leverage their branding and quirkiness into raising prices so they're actually not really a cheap option any more. Which, for them, is quite sensible!
Stayed at Amsterdam (AMS) CitizenM, very quirky, but functional, as you say alone no problem, and the tech side innovative. But traveling as a couple the bed positioning, agreed, problematic, and as you mentioned particularly for those of us, (me) who need trips to the ablutions more and more each night with each passing year (month).
Getting old ain't all its cracked up to be, eh? We gain wisdom, I suppose. And experience. But the challenges of age can mount up!
I had never heard of them. I usually travel alone so will consider staying with them. Cheers 👍
I think I captured the experience pretty accurately so hopefully you'll have a good basis for making a decision! Cheers
I travel a lot and might try this hotel. I usually travel with the bigger chains to get loyalty benefits .
Thanks V C. Those free breakfasts can be valuable... I think a compliment to CitizenM's approach is that the big chains are trying to copy the concept, so you may be able to find a happy medium - a quirky and innovative experience with loyalty program benefits?
Going to try this at the newly opened one in San Francisco, Personally I think the design is a nice change of pace from the usual designs of hotel rooms
Fantastic - the experience should be very similar!
How was your stay in San Francisco?
@@vtaitr1945 it was fantastic, citizen M is definitely my go to hotel now! Full disclosure everything in the room is controlled by an iPad (lights, windows, tv) and it’s actually very convenient if you’re even a little tech savvy
Afraid this hotel brand is not for me either Matt, good video all the same.
Like your last poster like the Premier Inn if in London, they usually have quite large rooms plus the one we stayed in near King's Cross Station had the self check in desk which worked perfectly. But if abroad, try and stay at the Accor group hotels but unlike you like to get my points with them, everyone to there own.
Cheers Peter - if it helped you exclude options the video's done its job!
Yes, it’s a chain hotel. All chains have all their hotels basically the same, of course. That’s a very thorough and helpful review, except for not showing the breakfast.
Thanks Miss May. I actually went round the corner to the Breakfast Club which was a place I'd wanted to eat at for some time so didn't really pay any attention to what was on offer inside the venue, but I realise that's important intel for viewers that I'll be sure to include next time I do a video like this! Thanks again.
I am impressed with the 3 country prongs for AC power (+USB)
I am not impressed with the room being 2 meters wide! (and I'm 1.80m)
I think the "worst" hotel experience would be the EasyHotels (of EasyJet fame) as the walls are paper thin.
It's fun to be able to touch all 4 walls of your hotel at the same time isn't it???
This guy this guy knows what he talking about
I agree!!!!
Devastatingly, very recently CitizenM scrapped all of the movie entertainment in the room, one of its main selling points. Now they only have workout videos and porn! I previously enjoyed booking CitizenM for the superb entertainment and relaxing in bed, watching movies. So with my recent stay, I experienced no in room entertainment and the chrome cast didn't work. Now I don't really see any point in booking a tiny pod room with no privacy in the bathroom and a lack of kettle. I sadly won't be staying with CitizenM anymore.
Cheers for that... Interesting choice - presumably solely to save money... Wonder what they would have had to increase their pricing by to recover the costs of the films? Certainly a less attractive proposition now...
No ketlle, coffee mugs etc?
No facilities. You could get a coffee in the lounge downstairs - I'm not a coffee drinker but I'd imagine it would be better than what you could make yourself, even if it costs extra.
Did not like it, no conditioner, no lotion, rooms are small and stinks, feels like I’m in a boat. The reception is neat
Thanks - tend not to look too hard for conditioner myself these days....