HOTEL REVIEW
Could a tiny hotel room meet my big expectations for a fabulous New York weekend
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CitizenM New York Bowery Hotel had me at the view. When your first experience of a hotel is the New York City skyline from a rooftop bar, your stay is off to a glittering start. That said, rooms here are tiny — 150 square feet. They are incredibly well-designed, like a little cabin on a ship, but only come with King beds. We loved our weekend stay, but CitizenM might not be for everyone.
CitizenM is a Europe-based hotel chain which offers what they call “affordable luxury”. The rooms are identical in size and style. And not just in New York, but in all of their hotels. There are now 34 locations, primarily in Europe, with a few in the U.S. and Asia, (and more in development). There is a second location in New York, the CitizenM New York Times Square. I’ve now stayed in three CitizenM hotels — Bowery New York, and two in Paris.
The idea is that they can charge less for smaller rooms and service extras such as a concierge. Hence, affordable luxury. My experience was great, but CitizenM New York is not for everyone. Here are some pros and cons.
Pros and Cons of CitizenM New York Bowery
Pros
- Smart contemporary design
- Very comfortable bed
- Great views of NYC skyline
- Lovely lighting
- Mini-fridge
- Nice common "living room" workspace
- Excellent rooftop
- 24-hour dining onsite
Cons
- Only king beds
- Bed next to wall limits access
- Small rooms
- No concierge
- No room service
- Prices vary a lot and can be high
Rates vary, typically in the $300+ range. Sometimes they offer an extra discount for stays of three-nights or longer. I had booked a couple of months ahead; I noticed the price did creep up closer to the date. I’ve seen this in Paris as well.
TIP: book well ahead with a rate you can cancel, in case it drops just before you go.
We arrived just in time for the last call so we enjoyed the twinkling lights of lower Manhattan from CloudM, CitizenM’s 20th-floor rooftop bar. (More on the rooftop below).
We made our way down to our room on the 7th floor. I opened the door and the first thing I noticed was the soft lighting was a distinct shade of mauve. The walls are actually white but you can add color with the touch of a button on the in-room “MoodPad” (iPad). We had fun choosing a color for the lighting, settling on blue.
The next thing I noticed was the stunning view of NYC at night. Since CitizenM is the tallest building in New York’s Bowery area, room views are amazing. We had a west-facing view and I’ve heard that the east facing views are even better.
Small but Smart - the Rooms at CitizenM
Yes, the room was tiny, around 150 square feet. But it reminded me of a cabin on a ship, in that every square inch of space seemed to have a clever purpose. The open closet was just big enough for our items and and there were open shelves above it.
The bed was a very generous sized king. I will say that the position of the bed could be a sticking point for some people. It is enclosed on three sides – between the two walls and next to the window, so there’s only one side to get in or out.
If there are two of you one will have to climb over the other, in the middle of the night for example. It was no problem for us. I was with my husband and having to navigate a bed tucked next to an epic view of New York City was one of the easier things we’ve had to do in 23 years of married life and kids. The bed had built-in drawers beneath it; I was able to easily fit my non-hanging items, with lots of room to spare.
The vanity was separate from the shower and toilet area and had lots of shelves as well. With only a single sink, sharing might be an issue for two people, if you are used to double sinks and like to spread out. I have my own sink at home, but I didn’t mind sharing here.
There were also some really clever design touches that made it feel like an adorable apartment in Tokyo or Hong Kong where square footage is in short supply. The table lamps don’t have bases for example. But perhaps my favorite thing was the mini-fridge in the vanity. It was wisely left empty rather than stocked with pricey mini-bar items. I added a bottle of Chablis and still had space for the doggy bag I brought home the next night, when I couldn’t quite finish my delish dinner.
The bed itself was an XL King and one of the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve slept in. That said, I would have liked a sheet under the summer-weight duvet to give more options for anyone (me) who tends to get hot.
The room’s iPad/MoodPad controls the lighting as mentioned, as well as mood music and temperature.
I liked that the shower and toilet were separate from the vanity and the rainfall shower head was enjoyed by my husband; I prefer a traditional shower head so was glad there were both. I also liked that the toiletries were large refillable bottles, rather than the little single-use disposable ones.
Other touches I appreciated were the full-length mirror and hooks at the entry, and the flattering vanity lighting. The beautiful lighting throughout the room made me appreciate how great lighting creates atmosphere. (I’d love the CitizenM lighting genius to work their magic in my bathroom at home.)
There was also a Nelson-style pendant light in the corner, a small desk with a comfy, contemporary armchair and a small bench. Although there were no bedside tables, the desk served that purpose on one side and a ledge that runs parallel to the window did the job on the other. Am I the only one who has a lot of items that need a spot on my bedside table?
Amenities at CitizenM Bowery Hotel
I found the service to be friendly and efficient at CitizenM Bowery. Check-in was quick, although we were the only ones there. After your first stay, you can use the same key for future contactless check-ins – you even select your room on the CitizenM app.
CitizenM is unconventional to be sure. There’s no concierge for example. But there is a “living room” — essentially a stylish and art-filled common area for working and socializing. On Friday it was full of people on laptops but more empty on the weekend.
There is also a Canteen next to the living room which serves food 24 hours (no room service, however). A breakfast buffet is available for an additional charge. The food looked tasty and was well-priced for Manhattan. I didn’t get a chance to try anything this time. (It’s New York and I had restaurant reservations.) There’s also a gym which I didn’t use; it’s supposed to be small but well-designed, like everything else here.
CloudM Rooftop Bar - CitizenM Bowery
I mentioned that the CloudM rooftop bar made an excellent first impression. It was a huge perk of this hotel. In fact it’s quite large with both an indoor and outdoor space.
CloudM can be enjoyed year-round and the floor-to-ceiling windows offered equally gorgeous views from inside. Like most New York rooftop bars the cocktails are pricey, but I think cocktails with a fabulous view are always worth the splurge.
The decor throughout was creative and colorful and I liked the emphasis on local artists. If you prefer a more serene aesthetic it might not appeal to you. But I felt the rooms were very serene.
We had a wonderful long weekend in New York. And there’s another reason I am pleased I loved CitizenM Bowery even more than expected — a travel-related ulterior motive. I also like affordable hotels in Europe. When I left CitizenM Bowery I booked a stay at the CitizenM Champs Élysées Paris which I also highly recommend.
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