citizenM New York
Fast-growing, family-run citizenM aims to democratize the luxury-hotel experience, inspired by cheap-fashion chains such as H&M that bring high design to the masses. With rates starting at less than $200 per night, almost anyone can relax on a $10,000 Vitra armchair in the hotel's eclectic lobby and admire Julian Opie's 26-foot-tall installation Walking in Times Square. Catering to a time-zone-hopping, tech-savvy clientele (the M stands for "mobile"), the Amsterdam-based company has devised a new model informed by its founders' travel frustrations, while eliminating high-overhead amenities such as room service.
After a long flight, self-service stations expedite check-in (friendly "ambassadors" are on hand if you get stuck), and the 24-hour canteenM serves cocktails, coffee, and all-day breakfast alongside other dishes and snacks, so you're not limited to set mealtimes. The rooms are stripped of germ-trapping bedspreads and carpets to focus on the essentials: a custom-made, extra-large king-sized bed, a fridge stocked with free bottled water, and a powerful Hansgrohe rain shower (in a cool cubicle illuminated with colored ceiling lights). Using a Samsung tablet, you can control the hue and everything else in the room, from the blinds and temperature to the DJ-curated playlists and artworks displayed on a digital wall panel.
Price: $122 per night
Google rating: 4.6/5.0
Address: 218 W 50th StNY10019
Phone: 212-461-3638
Website: citizenm.com
