Story at a glance:
- Check in, check out, control your room’s temperature, and more at this new hotel using an app.
- The new citizenM Washington, D.C. hotel is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification.
- The hotel overlooks the Capitol building and offers a rooftop bar experience designed by Concrete Amsterdam and furnished by Vitra.
A new Washington, D.C. contactless hotel has combined energy-efficient measures with design for safety so travelers can rest easy, pandemic or not.
Achievements in Sustainability
The new citizenM features an open-plan dining area with 24/7 grab-and-go food and drinks. Photo courtesy of citizenM
Opened in October 2020, the new Washington, D.C. citizenM hotel (from Dutch lifestyle and hotel company citizenM) is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification for its thermal envelope design and overall energy efficiency—26% better than the baseline requirements—as well as water use reduction of 35% than baseline requirements.
This green hotel features water efficient landscaping, uses 20% recycled content materials and 20% regional materials, features low-emitting materials with FSC-certified wood, and includes individual lighting controls for 90% of building occupants by providing enhanced commissioning of building systems.
Contactless Check-in
The one-minute self check-in and check-out process at Washington, DC’s citizenM hotel is completely contactless. Photo courtesy of citizenM
Contactless stays are available at all citizenM hotels via an app launched in July 2020. Guests can check in, check out, open doors, order food, control the room ambience, and pay for purchases while touching nothing but their own smartphone. Plus, guests can choose from tailored experiences, collectable badges, and city guides with the app.
The app-based hotel experience both caters to people needing a daytime break from the outside world with a “room for a day” $50 flat and travelers making frequent visits or needing long-term stays with programs like their global passport by citizenM and corporate subscription by citizenM.
Local Art and Design
CitizenM in Washingto, DC opened in 2020 and was designed by Concrete Amsterdam and FX Collaborative. Photo courtesy of citizenM
All citizenM hotels are built with a distinctive façade of floor-to-ceiling window panels accented by artwork from a local artist, according to Claudia Abt, citizenM’s global managing director of design and technical services.
“As a brand we are known for our lifestyle, art, and the best of design, yet each location also incorporates proven technologies in our hotel concepts, which contribute not only to our environmental impact but also to making the stay all the more enjoyable for our guests,” Abt says.
Local artist JD Deardourff’s work brings life to the living room walls and ceiling alongside illustrations of former presidents by artist Amit Shimoni.
In the guest rooms you’ll find artwork from STABLE artists Damon Arhos, Matthew Mann, Andy Yoder, and Melvin Nesbitt. Each of these American-born artists creates work built on strong structuralism—from queer culture and social activism to consumer culture and the environmental crisis.
The new citizenM Washington DC Capitol ascends 12 floors, has 252 guest rooms, seven societyM meeting rooms, and a cloudM rooftop bar with exterior terrace—all designed by Concrete Amsterdam and furnished by Vitra.
Project Credits
Project name: citizenM Washington, D.C. Hotel
Location: Washington, D.C.
Completion: October 2020
Size: 96,649 square feet
Architects: Concrete Amsterdam, FX Collaborative
Contractor: Donohoe
Co-developer: City Partners
A red, spiral staircase at the Washington, D.C. citizenM leads to the meeting rooms (for up to 18 people) on the second floor—designed to fuel creativity with bold colors, walls to write on, and free, fast Wi-Fi. Photo courtesy of citizenM
The new citizenM hotel in Washington, DC has seven designer meeting rooms open to the public. Photo courtesy of citizenM
The citizenM living room is open to the public, with books, art, designer furniture, and designated working areas. Photo courtesy of citizenM
The cloudM rooftop bar at Washington, DC’s citizenM hotel. Photo courtesy of citizenM
