CitizenM
218 W 50th St., N.Y., Citizenm.com, 212-461-3638, 230 rooms from $250 (U.S.).
Strolling along Manhattan’s West 50th Street, it’s hard to miss this new hotel, the North American debut of a funky upstart that has outposts in London, Paris, Glasgow, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Alongside the entrance, a shelving unit stretches a few storeys, arrayed with red and white tchotchkes, most notably one of a horse’s head. Curio cabinets such as these, it turns out, are a staple of the brand – another such quirkily curated assemblage is found inside the lobby. The odd name stands for Citizen Mobile, melding a democratic commitment to affordable luxury with an acknowledgment of today’s mobile lifestyle through touches such as 24-hour self-service check-in.
Location, location
The hotel boasts that it has “landed in the Big Apple – right in the middle of it.” With a locale that’s steps from both Rockefeller Center and the theatrical lights of Broadway, it’s the perfect place to hole up for a few days’ stay around the holiday season.
Design
Each of the hotel’s 230 minimalist rooms are dominated by an extra-large king-sized cocoon of a bed that resembles a daybed on steroids. Laden with downy pillows, it fills the wall that faces the door and is backed by a huge window. A commodious drawer is built into its platform, making up for the room’s lack of a closet. It seems the jet-setting guest doesn’t really need to unpack – she can just toss her entire suitcase into the drawer. That may be, but I found the additional hanging space provided a welcome opportunity to let my dresses, blouses and slacks lose their wrinkles.
Laminated wood covered the front of the bed, as well as the floors, and ceiling, adding warmth to what, except for a few judicious pops of red, was otherwise an all-white space. My narrow room was a model of ship-like efficiency. On one side, a curvy, futuristic pod enveloped a rain shower and toilet. Across from it, a sink was set into a rounded unit that also held a mini-refrigerator, towels and a table lamp.
If I could change one thing
On a small end table at the foot of the bed, the room’s command central was a touch screen tablet called a Mood Pad. Theoretically, its purpose was to control the television, lights and blinds. It was fun for a while to change the colour of my glowing shower pod from purple to orange to pink but, honestly, I found the Mood Pad glitchy and ultimately useless.
Best amenity
I loved how the hotel’s public spaces kept unveiling themselves, from the happening, art-filled lobby to several outdoor terraces to a mezzanine that featured an army of Mac computers and still more comfy seating areas in which to cluster. With so many nooks and crannies, ripe for exploration, I never felt confined to my tiny room.
Eat in or eat out
One of the best public spaces is the hotel’s grab and go, canteenM, which is open all day and operates as espresso bar, deli and cocktail bar, wrapped in one. Still, those hungry for more will want to move outside where, obviously, an enormous variety of choices await.
The writer was a guest of the hotel.