citizen M: Tower of London

This July sees the grand opening of the new citizenM hotel in the heart of one of London’s most historical sites. Right opposite the world famous Tower of London, this new 370-room hotel will officially open its doors on July 11. In order to fully appreciate the ancient splendour of this UNESCO World Heritage site, and home to the Queen’s Crown Jewels, citizenM has crowned its new 8-storey property with a jewel itself; a dramatic double height space with floor to ceiling windows and a wrap around terrace that offers a stunning 360° view on London and its famed skyline. 

citizenM’s second property in London marks another milestone in the history of this young and innovative Dutch hotel brand. Since it was founded in 2008, the company has been a disruptive force, breaking the rules of traditional hospitality with its belief in offering an outstanding experience and advanced thinking, treating all guests equally and seeking to give them what they really want – contemporary design, technology that enables a streamlined experience and friendly, efficient service at a very smart price.

Designed by the acclaimed Amsterdam-based creatives of Concrete, the property’s airy glass and limestone facade blends in with its surroundings and mirrors the buildings neighbouring the hotel. Entering the hotel through its signature style red glass box, guests will be immersed immediately into the group’s philosophy of redefined luxury for modern travellers. The ground floor is the heart of this hotel. Here guests can rest, work, get together by the fire place, watch TV or pamper their souls or stomachs. The concept of this area sees five different yet connected spaces that cater to the needs of both modern business travellers and tourists.

In the centre of the new hotel are the self check in terminals, arranged in circles around small sapling trees, which allow a swift and easy check in and out in seconds. Furniture from Vitra, citizenM’s long-term partner, is used throughout the hotel, showcasing classic pieces from designers such as Verner Panton, Charles & Ray Eames, and Jean Prouvé. Oversized shelves let the guest enter the humorous world of citizenM. Filled with travel and art books and unique objects that reflect aspects of traditional British heritage, citizenM’s love for quirky details will delight guests from all over the world. A stuffed boar’s head surveys its surroundings while vintage cricket bats, antique riding boots and silver sports trophies adorn the communal spaces.

One of the new features of citizenM Tower of London is the concept of coffeeM. Close to the entrance, and right next to the exit of one of the city’s busiest tube stations, both guests and locals will be able to get freshly brewed coffee and pastries from one of the baristas. canteenM, the open kitchen format with its signature style bar is open round the clock to satisfy the appetites of hungry travellers. From sushi to salads, from opulent carrot cakes to spicy curries, canteenM offers a selection of delectable grab and go hot food while in the evening guests can discover a fine selection of cocktails.

With the opening of this new flagship, citizenM also introduces the brand new retail concept collectionM to the world, which came about in response from guests wanting to buy items they had seen at the hotels. An exclusively curated collection showcases travel accessories, art, books, interiors and cute design objects – over 100 items from more than twenty innovative and creative brands. These can be delivered to each traveller’s home, when ordered online, or bought outright at the table of desire in the new Tower Hill hotel. For the launch of its retail concept, the group has also collaborated with The Public House of Art to present ‘The Awesome for citizenM’, a capsule collection of limited edition artworks, which will also be on display in each of the guest rooms.

Continue through the lobby and discover a workspace furnished with beautiful custom made communal tables, where iMacs and printers are free for guests to use. At the back of the hotel is an outdoor terrace, furnished with bright red picnic tables, which looks onto an ancient Roman wall, a reminder the capital’s rich history.

Upstairs, the Concrete design team has created a winning approach to the much-loved bedrooms ensuring that every element packs a punch. Each room has large wall-to-wall windows and a huge and extremely comfortable bed with crisp linens that is the main focus of the room. The bathroom offers a Rain Dance shower to soothe and enliven the most tired traveller with toiletries specially made for citizenM with a choice of AM or PM. citizenM also offers a full range of free on demand movies and Skype-based phone rates – and if you want to watch your own choice of films, you can stream them from your mobile device. Add to this an iPad that controls everything in the room from themed wake up alarms to coloured ambient lighting, and it’s clear that at citizenM, it’s the guest who is in charge.

It’s at the top of the hotel that you will discover the most spectacular space of all. The cloudM bar with its outstanding terrace, is a wraparound double height space offering what must be one of the most dramatic views of London’s skyline with the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and its iconic skyscrapers including the Gherkin and the Shard.

Located on the top two floors as well is societyM, the hotel’s popular business meeting rooms that are both creative and functional, with whiteboards, blackboards, free super fast Wi-Fi. Styled to evoke a 1950s design ethos, with vintage typewriters, telephones and Bakelite radios, these eight meeting spaces are designed to encourage imaginative thinking and innovative ideas.

This hotel is brilliantly placed for visitors to London whether travelling for business or pleasure, and has enviable connections for exploring the best the capital has to offer. It is the perfect hub for all mobile travellers who need a creative and inspiring environment to start into their new adventures.

citizenM Tower of London is the eighth citizenM hotel, and joins London Bankside, Glasgow, New York, Paris, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. citizenM Shoreditch is set to open in September 2016 and construction is currently taking place on two hotels in Paris, New York, Taipei and Shanghai. New hotels will also be built in Seattle and Los Angeles.

Room rates start from £109 with a maximum rate of £269 

Photo credits: Richard Powers