Eco hotel review: CityHub
CityHub is a small European chain with pod ho(s)tels in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Kรธbenhavn and Reykjavik. After my sister went to 3 out of 4 different CityHubs and kept recommending it, I finally stayed in CityHub Rotterdam a few months ago. And now I’m a fan, too! The location could not be better: it’s in a lively street just 10 minutes from the central station. Did I mention CityHub is pretty sustainable, as well? Scroll down to read my full review.
The hubs
CityHub is full of 2-person pods called hubs. You can choose a top or bottom hub, which fit together as a rectangular unit. To get and idea of what this looks like, have a peek at the animation on their website. Your hub is a tiny space that consists of a bed and luggage storage, nothing more! Because I was bikepacking with multiple little bags full of clothing and toiletries, I ended up spreading my luggage all over the stairs up to the bed, as well. If I were travelling with a large suitcase, I would have opened it on the bed or in the wide corridor outside the hub. Inside, you can adjust the lights and play music over the built-in speaker. The bed is comfy and it gets really dark at night when you close the blinds, so I slept really well.
Sustainable concept
I have just been sharing some posts on Instagram about how smaller rooms in tourist accommodations are more sustainable. Pods in particular are space efficient, meaning that less space is needed to host tourists. Because CityHub is located in popular cities, this makes a big difference. The amount of buildings used for tourist accommodation is quite problematic, especially in Amsterdam. So I’m all for small rooms and pods. On top of the space efficiency, CityHub only repurposes vacant buildings. They are not building new ho(s)tels, but using existing empty spaces. Of course CityHub also tries to be as efficient as possible with water and electricity use. And, during off-season, they provide a warm place to sleep and shower to homeless people through collaboration with local charities. It’s not surprising they’re a certified B Corp!
Hostel or hotel?
Bathrooms are shared at CityHub (again, to save space), but they have a much more luxurious feel than most hostels. Especially the bathrooms in Amsterdam and Kรธbenhavn are quite fancy, according to my sister. I was also impressed by the cleanliness of the bathrooms in Rotterdam. Because the hubs feel really private, I definitely got more of a hotel vibe. Another factor that contributed to this are the attentive hosts. CityHosts are available 24/7 to answer questions and give you tips using their local insight. In terms of food and drinks CityHub collaborates with nearby restaurants. At CityHub Rotterdam you can pre-order a small vegetarian breakfast (sadly no vegan option) or get a discount voucher to use at Baker & Moore. In Kรธbenhavn, my sister hung out and ordered pizza with some fellow travellers in the communal space. Taken together, I would therefore say CityHub has the characteristics of both a hotel and a hostel.
Deals
Instead of offering flashy deals, CityHub aims to be affordable all the time. When booking via CityHub’s own website, you can always cancel up to 24 hours in advance at no cost. There are also 2 automatic discounts: 8% for direct bookings and up to 14% for booking at least a month in advance.
Conclusion
After staying at CityHub Rotterdam for 2 nights, I am curious to try the other locations. Apparently Hamburg is going to be the home of the fifth ho(s)tel in this small chain, so I will keep an eye out for that. The good experience with the hubs has made me more open to other pod ho(s)tels as well. As said, it’s space efficient, and CityHub Rotterdam was very clean and well-maintained.
* This post is not sponsored or endorsed by CityHub in any way.