BusinessNov 29, 2025
Hotelier citizenM Shook Up Hospitality With Its Subscription — After Being Acquired By Marriott, Who Is It For?
Loyalty Pivot
Noah Weidner
Discover
Any time a promising new hotel chain starts gaining traction, it usually feels like a countdown until a giant like Marriott, Hilton, or IHG swoops in. That’s been especially true in recent years as major hospitality brands have been putting their capital to work.
The M now stands for Marriott: What began as a quirky airport hotel in the Netherlands ended up selling for $355M — 37 hotels, 8,312 rooms, across 20 cities. Beyond sleek rooms at sweet prices, citizenM made waves with something rare in hotels: a subscription. It started with a “global passport” — sometimes cheaper than rent in major cities. Post-COVID, it evolved into a “paid loyalty program” that offered hefty discounts on rooms, upgrades, late checkout, and food and drink — all for an attractive $120/year. It was a fantastic alternative to traditional hotel status. But now that Marriott owns it, the question is — who is this subscription for?
Before the acquisition, I considered myself one of citizenM’s biggest fans — I subscribed to citizenM+ and stayed at their hotels almost exclusively. The loyalty program offered some unbeatable value: $90/night in Seattle, $144 in Chicago, $210 in New York City. Sadly, those days may be numbered.
Is anyone else doing this? I can see a world where citizenM+ becomes a better experience under Marriott, but as someone only looking for a halfway decent, affordable room when traveling, I’m curious about what other travel brands are doing. It still seems mostly international — Accor’s ALL Plus, Wyndham’s new Insider Program, and YOTEL’s free club are some of the few experimenting in this space. Maybe someone will eventually combine real value, perks, and a premium feel into something that really works.
