Checking In: citizenM Seattle South Lake Union

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Editor’s Note: This is the latest instalment in our Checking In series, which profiles hotels from both staycation and weekend getaway perspectives.

It seemed fitting that when we went to check in at Seattle’s citizenM we were directed to a bank of computer screens that walked us through a self-check-in process. The boutique hotel is in the heart of the South Lake Union district, home to some of the world’s largest technology companies, from Google to Amazon, and from Microsoft to Facebook, and dozens and dozens of smaller companies, many of them startups hoping to be the next unicorn. Just as technology is at the core of this neighbourhood, it’s in the DNA of citizenM South Lake Union.

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If you’re unfamiliar with the citizenM hotel chain, it was founded by Rattan Chadha, the creator of the Mexx fashion brand. The first hotel opened at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in 2008, and today the global company counts 20 properties, including one in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighbourhood. The philosophy is ‘affordable luxury for the people,’ and art and design are integral to each hotel’s distinct personality.

And so, given its locale, the citizenM in South Lake Union leans heavily into local art and global technology. The first taste of that distinct homegrown art you sample occurs before you even enter the hotel. The façade is wrapped in a massive innovation-themed artwork by Jesse LeDoux, the former art director of Seattle’s legendary Sub Pop Records. That’s just whetting your appetite however, as once you enter the big lobby of citizenM you’re immersed in a world of colour, Scandinavian design and cultural technology touchstones from the past few decades. The idea is to provide a sense of an inviting living room, and the collaboration between architecture company concrete Amsterdam and luxury furniture supplier Vitra creates a unique, comfortable and in an odd way, soothing space.

Once upstairs and in our room, it became readily apparent why we hadn’t seen any families in the lobby or in the elevator. Each room is approximately 14 square metres, most of it taken up by a very big bed, a tight shower stall and with no proper bathroom per se, a sink and vanity in the room itself. Oh, and a small desk, though one not designed for any kind of extended work. What the room lacked in stretching-out size made up for in design and decoration. But the small room really made us want to return to the large living room lobby and restaurant area, which is in fact an age-old concept when it comes to luxury hotels. I recall a stay at the L.A.’s historic Biltmore Hotel, which turned 100 last year, and was surprised at how small the guest rooms were. The concierge explained that back in the day, certainly before television, guests spent very little time in their rooms and instead socialized, drank and ate in the beautiful, well-appointed and impressive lounges, ballrooms and dining rooms of these grand old properties. The citizenM taps into the same philosophy.

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As to the technology, once you’ve checked yourself in and programmed your door key cards, one of the hotel’s ‘ambassadors’ — a citizenM term for employees who wear many hats, from receptionist to barista to mixologist — will suggest downloading the citizenM app. This bit of smartphone tech is designed to put many hotel functions in your hand, from check-out to full control of your room lights, entertainment, blinds and temperature, and from service requests to exploring nearby activities and attractions. One of the most helpful aspects of the app, at least for us, was the ‘walking distance’ search filter that took the guess work out of strolls to Pike Place Market, the Museum of Pop Culture and the Westlake shopping district (respectively, 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 10 minutes). As it turned out, we could have also used the app to check-in prior to arriving, but it was still interesting to experience what citizenM refers to as its ‘famous one-minute check-in’ procedure. And if you are a bit ‘tech challenged,’ one of the ambassadors is there to help check you in.

My past few visits to Seattle have found me staying in the South Lake Union district, and I’ve really come to enjoy it, particularly the youthful vibe. Many of the young tech workers who work in the neighbourhood also live there, and that has resulted in the opening of a diverse range of restaurants, bars and cafes. It’s also created a new tourist district that is starting to surpass the traditional area to the south encompassing Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square and the stadium district.

The citizenM does a wonderful job of reflecting much of the emerging hip atmosphere of South Lake Union, and only adds to the area’s art, culture and technology charm.

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