The Dutch hotel group citizenM announces the grand opening of their first hotel at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

On the 24th of June the doors will officially open for all mobile citizens of the world: frequent, travellers that are globally aware, value conscious, contemporary and tech savvy. According to the group’s bold founding philosophy of “Affordable Luxury for the People”, citizenM hotels are tailored to meet the discerning expectations of today’s modern traveller – a high quality and unique design experience at reasonable prices, starting at 69 Euro per room and night.

Designed by award winning Dutch architectural firm Concrete, citizenM’s first property jumps into the hotel arena with an ultra stylish splash. Situated at one of Europe’s most important airport hubs, the team has designed a fully forward-looking 230-room hotel using the innovative “Industrial Flexible Demountable” (IFD) design concept. IFD means that all rooms are fully created and assembled offsite – from the flooring to the lampshades. Only the ground floor is built in the traditional way, with the rooms then stacked above. By manufacturing the rooms at their own factory, citizenM is able to accelerate the building process, outfit the rooms with high-end materials and furnishings and still reduce costs – savings that are passed directly on to the guest.

The Rooms

Transparency and light play a pivotal role in the interior concept, which is inspired by accommodations on luxury yachts and private jets. Space is maximised in the 14 m2 rooms through bright colours and sleek materials such as Corian®, glass and steel. The themes of airiness and coolness are offset by dark Zebrano wood flooring and juicy red Vitra furniture to create a cosy atmosphere. A floor to ceiling window allows the room to be flooded with natural light. The super king size bed dressed with the finest pillows and Frette linen, guarantee a perfect nights rest. Magnificent to-the-point functionality and design eliminates the need for extra fixtures and furniture. A revolving stainless steel frame contains a full-length mirror on one side and a make-up mirror with theatre lights, storage compartments for beauty supplies and international plugs on the other side. The power rain shower is contained within a translucent cylinder, and a white Corian® cylinder comprises the washbasin and extra space for toiletries. In-room entertainment includes free movies on demand shown on a large Philips LCD TV, free high-speed internet access, and VOIP (Voice over IP) telephone rates.

A highlight is the touch-screen mood pad exclusively designed by Philips. It allows guests complete personal choice in lighting, temperature and music and provides them with an unprecedented level of simplicity and customization, completely altering their hotel experience. Mood lighting ranges from ‘romance’ to ‘relax’, with six theatrical settings. The audio features include an alarm clock that can be programmed with options such as ‘wake me gently’ and ‘wake me wildly’. Once personalised, guests benefit from their own key card, which stores personal room settings for future visits.

The Lobby

Refuge from the bustling city can be found by stepping through a red glass box into the lobby, which features three distinct areas. Situated next to this entryway is a cutting- edge and easy to use system of self check-in terminals that speeds the process of arrival. Specially designed living rooms cater to both business and casual travellers, offering environments with bright lighting and workstations or cushy sofas and coffee tables. citizenM’s exclusive partnership with design giant Vitra turns this place into a revolving showroom, regularly renewed with masterpieces from the latest collection and renowned design classics created by legends such as Eames, Panton and Prouvé. Bold colour contrasts turn this vibrant and versatile space into the social heart of the hotel.

CanteenM

Relax and reload would be the perfect motto for canteenM. A lively, upscale eatery, with oversized bar tables provides guests on the hop with fresh, fast and healthy dishes day and night. What is a bright red coffee bar in the morning offering custom made drinks by the team of in-house baristas, evolves into a stylish evening lounge serving only fine spirits, champagne and cocktails.

The six-storey building is a gleaming metal box, dominated by the glass windows of the rooms that protrude at different angles and distances. Specially commissioned artwork adorns the exterior of the property with two huge pieces created by up-and-coming local talents.

The Future

citizenM knows that today’s traveller is very discerning, seeking modern luxury combined with sustainability and awareness. With their mission of “Affordable Luxury for the People” the Dutch hotel group has paved the way for international expansion.

The first priority of the roll-out strategy is the European market. The aim is to open 20 hotels in prime metropolitan locations such as London, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Milan, Moscow and Stockholm during the next five years. Their second property in Amsterdam’s city centre is already under construction and will open early next year; a first-rate location in central Glasgow has just been confirmed. citizenM continues development plans further afield in the Americas, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

citizenM hotels aims to provide a new type of hotel experience for a new type of traveller. The group’s founding philosophy is held central: to offer “affordable luxury for the people.” Continuous innovation is a critical component of citizenM. The efficient building system combined with a dedicated offsite factory allows the company to consistently maintain high quality standards, while accelerating the building process. Headquartered in Voorschoten, citizenM’s founders include professionals from both the hospitality and fashion industry. Together with an experienced management team, citizenM is preparing itself for a rapid European expansion. citizenM hotels are opening 2 properties in 2008, with plans to open 20 properties throughout Europe in its first phase of roll-out.

Birgit Schmoltner
Head of PR, citizenM
citizenM Hotels

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