citizenM opened its second airport hotel at Paris CDG in 2014. The key criteria for its airport locations are that they are terminal-linked, and the Paris CDG hotel is right at the heart of the airport and close to the RER station.
Michael Levie, Chief Operations Officer, citizenM Hotels, interviewed by Ross Falconer.
There’s a wave of disruption sweeping across the travel landscape. Customers are asking for personalised journeys that deliver what they want, when and where they want it. The opportunities are huge, and the pace of change is unprecedented.
Perhaps the most famous disruptor in the hospitality industry is Airbnb, and citizenM could have a similar impact. It is challenging traditional perceptions of luxury in the hotel space, with an emphasis on appealing to the mobile, connected traveller. Indeed, the ‘M’ in citizenM stands for ‘Mobile’, and this approach resonates through all aspects of the hotel experience, from the one-minute check-in that is reminiscent of self-service check-in at an airport, to the free unlimited WiFi, and the in-room tablet mood pads, which control the TV, music and ambient mood lighting.
citizenM currently has nine hotels operational and nine under construction across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. It primarily acts as owner-operator of its hotels, but is also open to joint ventures, leases and management agreements. The strategy is to create a global portfolio of hotels in prime metropolitan locations and, crucially, at major international airports. The very first citizenM Hotel was, in fact, opened at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in 2008, and Paris CDG was added to the portfolio in 2014. Key metropolitan locations, meanwhile, include Glasgow, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Seattle, Shanghai and Taipei.
Michael Levie is co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of citizenM. In conversation with Airport Business, he speaks eloquently about appealing to “a frequent traveller that is social, tech-savvy, worldly, and urban.” A career spent with international hotel chains, including Sonesta Hotels and NH Hotels, has helped inform this approach, identifying and responding to the needs of today’s urbane travellers.
Michael Levie, Chief Operations Officer, citizenM: “We are continuously looking at potential new airport locations. The key criteria is that the hotel must be terminal-linked – that’s the showstopper.”
Levie draws an interesting parallel: “If Tesla is a car, citizenM is a hotel.” Innovation is at the heart of this comparison. “It is a distinct parallel,” he says. “Tesla was a point of departure for the automotive industry, more in tune with what the contemporary car owner is looking for. If you look at the reaction of the automotive industry, the manufacturers all have a hybrid vehicle now.”
citizenM is striving to create a similar point of difference in the hospitality industry and, in doing so, is attracting brand evangelists in the same way as companies like Tesla and Apple. “citizenM, like any hotel, sells a night of sleep. But we are different in service proposition and focus,” Levie explains. “Frequent travellers understand how to use technology, so we use it to facilitate efficiency. Our one-minute kiosk check-in eliminates the frustrations of a long check-in process. It’s in line with what airports are doing in streamlining the whole end-to-end process.”
Stylish surroundings are similarly important. The citizenM hotels are characterised by full glass facades and contemporary art and photography that convey the creative energy of the location. Light-filled communal spaces form the social heart of each hotel, and Levie emphasises the social aspect, which is so important to modern “mobile citizens”. Indeed, there are no tea or coffee-making facilities in the rooms, to encourage travellers to utilise the communal areas and 24-hour food & beverage offering.
The social aspect extends to a proactive social media and digital communications strategy. This includes a digital magazine, and citizenM encourages bloggers and other social media influencers to visit its hotels and share their experiences. citizenM has almost 180,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook and about 30,000 followers on Twitter, which it uses for promotions as well as real-time advice and support.
Looking ahead, Levie explains that the strategic expansion plan envisages doubling in size within the next five years, focusing on Europe, North America and Asia. “We are continuously looking at potential new airport locations. The key criteria is that the hotel must be terminal-linked – that’s the showstopper. We’re working on a couple of opportunities as we speak,” he concludes.
