citizenM London Bankside hotel

Such an idea would, until relatively recently, have met with a dose of British skepticism around these parts. That was before citizenM burst onto the London hospitality scene. Now that the citizenM concept is producing tangible results, it’s quickly converting the non-believers.

The rooms

The rooms at citizenM London Bankside hotel, while far from palatial, are attractively designed and surprisingly comfortable. King beds span the width of the rooms at their far ends, and the showers, though somewhat spacecraft-like when comes to their size, get the job done.

Indeed, one could say that there’s a bit of an air of sci-fi utopianism about the place, and it’s only reinforced by the MoodPad, the touch-screen device with which guests control the room’s not an inconsiderable array of electronics.

Canteen and Art

Complimenting the space-age gadgetry are copious amounts of the hip, contemporary art. The work of revered artists is featured in and out: the Turner-nominated artist Mark Titchner has a piece on the exterior of the building, and inside there are artworks by Mario Testino, Hans op de Beeck, Gavin Turk.

A sensible and stylish canteenM café completes the package. Designed to feel like a cosy, open style kitchen and coffee bar (and morphing into a cocktail bar at night), the canteen offers delicious baked goods in the morning and light lunches and simple dinners later in the day. It’s a place that will get you out the door in high spirits.

Review with a contribution by Tablet Hotels. 

in our opinion

What we love

• Great location. The backside of Tate Modern is only about three streets away
• The hotel is full of light, with an open-plan lobby, designed to resemble a “living room of a well-traveled person”. This striking space is furnished with taste and flair
• The bakery-style kitchen/canteen, where guests can order light meals (including sushi) and beverages, around the clock. Come the night, the adjacent coffee bar changes into a cocktail bar
• A pop-up bookshop at the hotel, created in partnership with the Amsterdam-based Mendo bookstore
• Space-age: the rooms are equipped with an impressive array of gadgets, electronic controls and lighting features, including a bespoke touchscreen tablet that controls lights, LED TV, music system, blinds, temperature
• Rates are low, given all the comforts and the hotel's central location.

What you should know

• This is very much a help-yourself place: there is no room service, no front desk (self-check-in is done on tablets in the lobby), and the restaurant is a self-serve canteen.
• Wi-Fi and movies on demand are complimentary
• The rooms are not big — clearly, the CitizenM concept is not for spending much time in but to explore out. That said, they are well designed and do make good use of the available space — and the thing that really matters, the bed, is an XL size!
• Hotel rules: Pets are not allowed. Early check-in, based on availability, is available with a surcharge.

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