When I first got invited to stay at the CityHub in Rotterdam, I was a little hesitant. I am not a hostel type of girl. The thought of having to share a bathroom with a couple of strangers gives me the chills. But then I remembered surviving a bedouin desert camp with a shared bathroom in Jordan and after checking the CityHub website, I was convinced it was worth the try. It all looked very modern and clean and the hubs looked very cool! So a few weeks later I boarded the train in Antwerp to Rotterdam.

Checking in at CityHub Rotterdam

The Arrival

After a short train ride from Antwerp I arrived at CityHub and received a warm welcome from a staff member, who showed me how to check in using the self-check-in machine. I received my digital wristband that would give me access to all the hotel facilities.

High Tech Hotel

Everything in the hotel functions by using this digital wristband. Not only does it unlock the door to your hub, it is also needed to use the elevator and to get drinks and snacks from the self service bar. Also the luggage lockers work with the digital chip in the wristband. The wifi connection was strong throughout the hotel. CityHub also has its own app to communicate with the hotel host and containing other features such as changing the color of the lights in your hub.

The Hub

As soon as I exited the elevator on my way to my personal hub, I got the feeling as if I was on a space ship on its way to a galaxy far far away! The doors don’t touch the ground just like on a boat and the colored lights shining through the little windows of the hubs made it look very spacy.

After opening the hub door I immediately found the robe and slippers on the shelf and had to admit that the hub itself was a little bigger than I expected. It consisted of a small standing area where you can store your luggage and hang your coat and a large bed of about 180 cm wide. You can easily sit up straight on the bed, so it didn’t feel claustrophobic at all. At each side of the bed were electrical and USB sockets. The bed itself was very comfortable and had the best pillows (which I think is often a problem in hotels, they are mostly too flat).

The Bathroom

After dropping everything in the hub I decided to check out the bathroom. I have to admit it was super clean, spacious and after discovering the Rituals products I was sold! I smelled like a Happy Buddha during my complete stay!

The showers were quite big and had enough space to place your needed items without them getting wet. What I also loved was the music that was constantly playing in the bathroom. Etta James, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and other old school singers kept me company while taking a shower or while I sat on the toilet.

Maybe you don’t want to know about this, but the music actually made it more comfortable to go to the toilet. Normally I can’t “go” on a public toilet, because I am always worried about someone hearing me. But not only did the music overrule the bathroom sounds, these toilets had full doors, so no one can hear you doing your thing. Brilliant! (I went to a hostel once in Paris, where the (dirty) toilet was in the hallway where everyone passed… I wasn’t able to go for 3 days and I ended up with a very painful full belly. When I arrived back home, the first thing I did was visiting the toilet and spent a relieving full hour there!)

But enough bathroom stories…

The Facilities

Like I wrote before, everything works with the digital wristband. So I found it pretty cool to “shop” at the self service bar, where you can even tap your own beer! The common room had a cozy vibe and there were plenty of games available to play. There were also plenty of lockers available for use to store your luggage.

Location

CityHub Rotterdam is located in the Witte de Withstraat, a street packed with restaurants, bars and art galleries. During the Summertime this street must be buzzing with life! The nearest metro station “Eendrachtsplein” is a short 200 meters walk away.

Breakfast

If you added breakfast to your reservation you will receive a token for breakfast during check in. Breakfast is served at the Nieuw Rotterdams Café, just three doors away from the CityHub hotel. You just give the token at the waitress and she gives you a “breakfast in the box”. This means your breakfast is served in a wine crate containing orange juice, yoghurt, muesli, bread, a croissant, jam, cheese, smoked ham, an egg, butter,… basically everything you need to be able to start your day of exploring. The NRC opens at 8:00 during the week and at 9:00 during the weekend.

After my one night stay at CityHub Rotterdam I need to admit that I will reconsider my idea of hostels/pod hotels. Because I had a perfect stay and enjoyed it very much!

I hope you enjoyed this “Checking in at CityHub Rotterdam” article! Don’t hesitate to leave your comments down below! 
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World Wanderista got invited by CityHub Rotterdam as a guest, however my opinion is my own, as always.