CitizenM arrives in Taiwan

Located in cosmopolitan capital directly opposite the historical North Gate, citizenM Taipei North Gate is within short walking distance of both Taipei Main Station and the Airport Express terminal, which offers an efficient 35-minute direct train service to Taoyuan International Airport. Also near the popular shopping and tourist area of Ximending, the 267-room property boasts stunning view of the Tamsui River, a contemporary design, good service and cutting-edge technology.

A significant milestone for the young and innovative Dutch hotel brand, the debut Asian property in Taipei is the eleventh citizenM hotel to open worldwide since its 2008 launch. A concept brought to life by award winning Dutch designers, Concrete, citizenM Taipei North Gate breaks the rules of traditional hospitality, with just one room category ingeniously designed around sleeping and lounging on the comfy, XL size bed. An intuitive and handy in-room tablet moodpad controls everything from the television and themed wake up alarms, to room temperature, blinds, and ambient lighting – leaving guests in charge to tailor their experience. Prices range from 4000 to 6000 TWD (around Bt4,500 to Bt6,700) per night.

A Living Room concept replaces the traditional lobby – instead, guests walk into a stylish entrance area featuring an oak-cladded spiral staircase, a signature style citizenM cabinet filled with local items and souvenirs, books and inspiring art, and the latest collection of iconic Vitra furniture pieces.  A welcoming space created for relaxing, socialising, working or reading, the Living Room of all citizenM properties offers guest’s a unique immersion into local culture and a homelike experience on arrival. High-tech kiosks enable a smooth and efficient one-minute guest “self check-in” process and by the time the machine has programmed the guest’s personal RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Data) card, the room is ready to enter.

“Taipei is a very exciting city for us to launch the first citizenM in Asia. North Gate is a central and vibrant location full of good food, retail and culture, a perfect playground for the modern traveller and citizen of the world. We look forward to further regional expansion in 2018 – our next citizenM hotels will open in key gateway cities including Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur next summer,” says Allan Yip, vice-president of marketing, distribution and brands of Artyzen Hospitality Group.

To celebrate local culture, the exterior entrance wall presents a vibrant anime and pop culture art piece by Taipei’s up and coming local graffiti talent, ANO. The focus on art and style is prominent throughout the hotel, which includes works from famous Taiwanese photographer Chou Ching Hui’s “Animal Farm” collection and Taiwan contemporary artist Hung Tung-Lu’s interactive art piece “Lightbox”.

 Other facilities include a dynamic dining and cocktail space, canteenM, available 24-hours a day for hotel guests. Located on the first floor with outstanding city views through a large glazed facade, the bar is the lively heart of the hotel with beer on tap and Champagne and cocktails to order.  The large open kitchen with a kitchen island, high and low seating and tables, is located behind, serving fresh fare throughout the day in a laidback dining environment. Barista made coffee and pastries are on hand for those waking up from a good night’s sleep, light sushi lunches, signature sandwiches and hot feasts are available for those wanting something more substantial, and a range of additional treats are offered throughout the day, including Asian cup noodle flavours topped with fresh tasty ingredients for the late night snackers.

“Following successful global expansion over the past decade and rapid growth in the USA and Europe in the last year alone, we are extremely excited to bring the citizenM brand to Asia. We are confident that our brand proposition of affordable luxury will resonate well with the modern Asian travellers,” adds Robin Chadha, chief marketing officer at citizenM hotels in Amsterdam