Function Over Fashion: My 3-Night Stay at the citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen in Denmark [Review]

I’ve been curious about the citizenM hotel brand for a while, but I’d never stayed at one until my 3-night stay at citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen in early February 2026.

Marriott’s acquisition of the brand added a few perks to my stay, thanks to my Marriott Bonvoy elite status, but these added benefits wouldn’t sway my decision about what hotel to stay at in the future.

Moreover, citizenM hotels focus more on location and common spaces than on guest rooms — more function, less finesse seemed to be the goal here. For solo travelers or a group of friends who don’t plan to spend much time in the hotel room during their stay, and who just want something centrally located, the citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen makes exploring Denmark very easy. Those who want cushy benefits won’t find those here.

Here’s a look at my stay so you can see what this property is like.

Booking citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen

In April 2025, Marriott acquired the citizenM hotel brand, and by late November 2025, all of the properties were integrated into Marriott Bonvoy.

The citizenM brand focuses on central locations and fun public spaces in major cities. The rooms run on the smaller side, which is expected in these city centers. During my 3-night stay at citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen in early February, cash rates started at $150 per night, including taxes and fees, for a standard room with 1 king bed.

Now that citizenM properties participate in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program, you can also redeem points for these stays. I redeemed 55,200 points for my 3-night stay (18,400 points per night, on average), giving me a redemption value of 0.82 cents per point — a little better than our average valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each.

Hot Tip:

When it’s time to pay for on-property charges or your room rate at citizenM hotels, you can use a Marriott Bonvoy credit card to earn extra rewards on the payment. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card earns 6x points at Marriott properties and an annual free night award as an ongoing perk — and there’s just a $95 annual fee for the card. I pay for my Marriott spending with this card.

Location of citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen

The citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen is near Copenhagen’s town hall square, the Rådhuspladsen. There’s a metro stop here, served by lines 3 and 4, and the hotel is also just a few blocks from the central train station. This makes getting to the hotel easy from the train station and the airport (which takes about 25 to 30 minutes).

With this central location, exploring the city and venturing further into Denmark are both easy, thanks to the abundant subway lines and nearby train connections. There are also numerous buses, bike rental stations, and walking areas around the hotel.

The Lobby Is on the Top Floor

The entrance to citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen is on Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard, not the smaller side street, and I was glad for the sign. Otherwise, I would’ve thought I was at the wrong place.

Inside the entrance, I found a jump lobby (where the check-in area isn’t on the ground floor and requires an elevator to access it) with tables and chairs. There was a luggage storage room here, as well, and the far end of this space had 3 elevators. Signage directed me to the seventh floor, the building’s highest.

I’ve stayed at hotels with jump lobbies in the past. However, I can’t remember the last time I stayed at a property where the rooms were between the jump lobby and the reception area.

Out of habit, I kept pushing the down button on the elevator when I wanted to go to the lobby rather than going up to the lobby (seventh floor) from my room (sixth floor).

Common Spaces Were Excellent

The seventh floor, the building’s top floor, served not just as a reception but also provided spaces for lounging, working, hanging out, watching TV, eating, or getting a drink.

Near reception, there was a large block of sofas and seats that made a great area for groups to gather.

On the other side of the reception desk, there was a fully stocked bar where a bartender could whip up cocktails and mocktails as well as beers, wines, coffees, and more.

Along with varied seating, the public spaces on this U-shaped top floor featured plenty of art. Seating ranged from barstools to lounge chairs, dining tables to sofas.

There was also seating and a handful of tables on the balcony off the lobby. Given the snow and temperatures during my February visit, this area wasn’t used much.

The seventh floor had public restrooms and several meeting rooms, the largest of which was this conference room in the far corner, past the coworking station.

In the jump lobby, there were also umbrellas available for rent, though hotel guests could use them without charge if they returned them within 48 hours.

You Aren’t Supposed To Spend Time in Your Room

I stayed in a 1 King, High Floor room on the sixth floor. This is the top floor for guest rooms, with only the hotel’s common area and reception above it. This room offered a standard room layout, just on a higher floor.

And these rooms are compact — there’s no other way to describe their size. These rooms offer just 151 square feet of space.

The hotel admits that they’re intentionally small, and I got the impression that you weren’t meant to hang out in your room, just sleep, shower, get dressed, and leave.

The room seemed to unfold into an L shape as I stepped into it, with the bed wrapping around the small bathroom. At the far end, I had both day and blackout curtains, controlled by wall switches. There was storage and even a safe in drawers under the bed, but the room’s layout meant I had to crawl onto the bed from the foot, not enter from the side.

Opposite the bed were a desk, a TV, and plenty of outlets for charging devices. Here, I also found the tablet that controlled much of the room, including not just the TV but even room service requests.

Immediately next to the room’s door, there was a small closet with a shelf and a handful of hangers.

Even the hallway leading to my room gave a utilitarian vibe. Its plain walls didn’t invite you to stick around, and that aesthetic extended into my room.

My Room’s Bathroom Was Weird

I was surprised to find the sink in the middle of my room, not behind the door in the bathroom. There were several shelves and lots of counter space for storage, as well as pump bottles of soap and lotion. However, this spot just felt odd to me.

The bathroom itself was small, and there was only 1 light, which was above the toilet. There wasn’t any light in the shower stall, making it rather dark. I left the door to the room open, trying to let more light into the bathroom while showering.

That said, the shower had excellent pressure, got hot quickly, and had both rainfall and handheld shower heads. Pump bottles of conditioner and a body wash-shampoo mix were available. The shower door only opened in, not out, and it passed through the stream of water as I stepped into the shower.

The bathroom didn’t come with any drinking glasses. I went to the bar and asked for one, and the employee gave me both a drinking glass and a carafe to fill up at a water station near the bar.

Technology Was Central

Technology played a key role during my stay. For example, the thermostat and housekeeping requests in my room were controlled by the tablet.

Technology was also a key figure in my check-in experience, though it was used awkwardly.

The check-in desk had a station for an employee, but also multiple tablets. I was directed to a tablet to check in, using my name and reservation number. There were no other guests present, and the employee stood there watching me check in with the tablet. Why not just check me in yourself, since you’re standing next to me and chatting with me the whole time?

Additionally, I had to ask the employee questions during check-in, so it wasn’t like sending me to the tablet freed up his time to do other things. If 6 people are checking in using tablets rather than an employee helping 1 guest while 5 wait in line, I think this is awesome. In my situation, it felt silly.

On the last page of my check-in experience, I was able to tap the screen to reveal my room number and was told to take a picture of it before it disappeared, so as not to reveal my room location to others who might be nearby. You didn’t get a printout or anything of the sort with your room number written down on it.

I love a technology-forward hotel stay. The use of technology should make sense, though. I didn’t think it always made sense at this property.

Marriott Bonvoy Elite Perks Were Basic

When Marriott started integrating citizenM properties, it announced the elite perks Marriott Bonvoy members could enjoy during upcoming stays.

Benefits for Marriott Bonvoy elite members on these stays don’t include complimentary breakfast, free parking, or suite upgrades at most properties (as many don’t have suites).

As a Titanium Elite member, I was given a choice of 500 Marriott Bonvoy points or a $10 daily food and beverage credit for my welcome benefit. I asked the employee to confirm this was a daily, not a once-per-stay, benefit, and then took the credit instead of the points.

I also received a scratch-off card as an elite member. Potential prizes included free drinks, a complimentary 4-night stay at a citizenM property, points, and other offerings. My prize was a complimentary tea or coffee from the lobby bar.

With my daily credit toward food and beverages during my stay, I could purchase items from the snack shop near the bar, available in the afternoons and evenings each day.

I could also use my credit toward breakfast, found in the same nook near the bar, which was available in the mornings. The breakfast cost 199kr. ($32) per adult, so the $10 credit only covered one-third of the cost.

In the evenings, the bar had a menu with snacks, burgers, salads, and more, and I was able to use my daily credit toward items like carrot cake and lattes.

Final Thoughts

This was my first stay at a citizenM property, and my 3-night visit gave me a pretty good idea of what the brand feels like, based on this experience and what I’ve read about it. Rooms are small by design, while the main focus is on common areas with a fun atmosphere and amenities for guests. The location and affordability are the key selling points.

Now that Marriott Bonvoy has incorporated the citizenM portfolio, I might wind up at more of them if the location and price make sense for upcoming trips. I didn’t have any moments at the citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen that made me say, “Wow!” The few parts of my stay that I didn’t like weren’t bad enough to make for a bad experience, but I can readily admit this type of property doesn’t appeal to everyone.