A new hotel in South Beach is drawing a tech crowd. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside
Miami Beach may have been eclipsed by hipper areas like Wynwood and Brickell with the tech and finance boom of recent years.
But a chic global hotel still sees plenty of appeal in South Beach.
Since opening in August and through the first week of November, citizenM Miami South Beach has sold out “almost every single weekend,” Dagmar Alers, manager of the hotel, said in an interview with the Miami Herald. On weekdays, average occupancy is 70% to 80%, a significant improvement from 60% in September.
Room rates are now about $250 a night. They will continue to rise as the region enters peak tourism season. But if you’re still on the fence about attending Art Basel in December, the hotel is only about 60% full, Alers said. So, you still have time to make reservations. Rooms will run about $600 a night then, she estimated.
What’s the lure inside the hotel?
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The citizenM Miami South Beach, 1200 Lincoln Rd., is one of the company’s three hotels in Miami-Dade County. The brand debuted in Brickell in 2022 and opened in the Miami Worldcenter in 2023.
The hotel is popular among the tech crowd, especially remote workers, targeting mobile-savvy travelers looking for budget accommodations with a lot of high-end amenities. “Somewhere with superfast free WiFi, tech that makes life easy, and world-class art that isn’t ‘hotel art’” is how the hotel describes itself.
The six-floor citizenM Miami South Beach has 168 rooms, each one 150 square feet. That may seem small, but many travelers find that plenty.
“They don’t feel cramped,” said 52-year-old Onward Porunoza of the Washington, D.C., area, who visited for a week in September “It’s sort of an intimate space.”
Rooms start at $139 in off-season, which is when Porunoza and his partner came. Laid out on a red and white striped towel on a pool chair, he said, “We found the prices low in September. We were surprised.”
What guests will find at the hotel
The citizenM’s self-check-in via an app and travelers can make requests via cellphone or an iPad in the room.
Despite the torrent of tech, the hotel has a warm and human side.
A hotel employee greets guests 24/7.
When you enter the lobby you’ll find a comfortable living room with sofas and leather lounge chairs. There’s also a large co-working space.
A canteen and bar provide specialty drinks like citizen Jasmine and Spicy Mango. Soothing tropical fruits like pineapple and lemons abound. The rooftop pool with terrace and bar encourages socializing.
Take a tour through the hotel
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find inside:
ROOMS
▪ Extra-large king-size bed
▪ Room iPad and phone app control lights, temperature, TV and blinds
▪ HDTV with streaming; 4K widescreen
▪ Hangars attached to wall but no enclosed closet
AMENITIES
▪ Workspace area/Co-working space
▪ Living room with books, local art and designer furniture
▪ Canteen area has open-plan dining area with 24/7 grab-and-go food and drinks
▪ Rooftop infinity pool open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
▪ Rooftop terrace and bar with cushions, lounge chairs and high-top tables
▪ Two meeting rooms
▪ Self-service ironing rooms on all guest room floors
▪ 24/7 gym
What to know about the hotel company
CitizenM was founded in 2008 as an attempt to change the high-end hotel market. The first one opened in 2008 at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The company now has 36 hotels in 21 cities. Miami is one of 10 cities in the U.S, which include Seattle, San Francisco, Menlo Park, Austin and Boston.
South Florida is providing the company with a lot of its growth, executives said, and the region will likely see more citizenM hotels in coming years.
“South Florida remains an important target market for citizenM,” said Rani Gharbie, citizenM’s managing director for investment and development in the Americas. “We are continuously monitoring the market for new development or acquisition opportunities.”
Discounts and reservations
Global membership in mycitizenM+ costs $120 per year. You get discounts on hotel stays, food and beverages and use of co-working space. Apply on the hotel’s website where you can also find out more details and make reservations.
