France: CitizenM Paris at Charles de Gaulle, Airport Hotel

Airport hotels with their deserted lobbies, lifeless guest rooms and sad and stranded travelers, can be depressing places, but the CitizenM Paris at Charles De Gaulle airport shattered every airport hotel stereotype from the moment we walked inside.

Natural light streamed in from all sides of the whimsically decorated lobby, which held bright red chairs and sofas, ceiling-height black bookshelves crammed with books and tchotchkes, and subtle nods to airplanes. More refreshingly, there were actual people hanging out in the lobby-- watching TV, working at one of the many tables, having drinks at the bar or reading a book/tablet in a quiet nook.

Given that the rooms upstairs are tiny, it makes sense that guests would choose to socialize downstairs but if you want to hunker down in your guestroom, you'll have a giant king bed, a Samsung tablet next to you that controls everything in the room from the blinds to the TV and mood-lighting, free movies, free WiFi, a narrow desk to work at or to place all your gadgets on for charging, a wide shower berth, and just enough space on the floor to do some squats and sit-ups.

Best of all, the hotel windows are triple-glazed, meaning you won't hear the rumble of the airplane engines unless you step outside.

In short, the world's airport needs more of CitizenM Hotels, which are genuinely fun (and not some forced corporate idea of fun) and make that random layover actually enjoyable.

Here's a quick breakdown of your stay at the CitizenM Paris at Charles de Gaulle:

· Easy to Get To: Arrive on Air France at Terminal 2 and take CDG VAL, the airport's shuttle train, to Terminal 3. This is also where the Ibis and the Hilton are located. But there was plenty of CitizenM signage as well. Once at T3, walk outside under a covered walkway directly to CitizenM.

· The Lobby: You will be surprised by how many people are there on a random Tuesday afternoon. But it is not a boisterous scene. People keep mostly to themselves, working, reading, watching TV, eating or just looking through their phones.

· The Bed: The king-sized bed is tucked right up against the window, giving you prime airport views.

· The Amenities: Free WiFi is the most important amenity but the room has plenty of outlets for charging your device, along with free movies , a mini-fridge stocked with two small bottles of water and a hairdryer. Oh and this Do Not Disturb sign, too.

· CanteenM: CitizenM has a canteen that is open 24-7. Meant to be an open kitchen, you can grab prepared foods and snacks from the refrigerators or you can indulge in their breakfast and dinner buffets which range from 15 to 23 Euros. The bar is open until midnight and serves coffee, wine, beer and cocktails.

· The Staff: The young and fresh-faced employees are extremely helpful and friendly. And they speak great English. They definitely help create the happy vibe in the lobby and the bar.

What A Guest here Didn't Like

· Check-In: I was hoping to check-in via the CitizenM kiosks at the front of the lobby. But for some reason, they weren't working. An employee tried several times for me but no dice. So she checked me in herself. That's when we found out we were being charged an extra 2.50 Euros for paying my credit card. Nominal but still annoying as I thought I had pre-paid my reservation to avoid this fee. She did ask me what floor I wanted to be on and I said, whatever one has good airport views.

· Walking to CitizenM: The walkway that leads to CitizenM from the terminal is about 40-50 yards and it is lighted at night. I walked it during the day but as a woman traveling alone, I was a little paranoid that someone was going to jump out of the bushes and attack me. The next morning, I walked back to the airport at around 7:30am and I felt a bit more confident since there were more people walking around.

· CanteenM Prices: On the one hand, I loved having the Canteen downstairs because I arrived at a little past lunchtime and was able to get some snacks and then later on, at dinner a real meal. But between the dinner (with a glass of wine) and the breakfast buffet plus snacks, I easily spent close to 50 euros at the Canteen. (I also bought two bottles of water, not realizing there were two in the mini-fridge.) I would happily pay this again because it was so convenient (you can take items up to your room too) and the food was good, but if you're watching your pennies, it's something to be mindful of.

· The All-in-1 Wash: The showers are in the middle of the rooms (enclosed of course) at CitizenM but that didn't really bother me. Instead, I was frustrated by the all-in-1 body, hair and face wash. True, there are two different kinds--one for morning and one for night, each with their own scent--but my hair felt dry as straw after the shower.

· Location: This hotel is extremely close to Charles de Gaulle but it is not close to Paris. That's about an hour away, two with traffic and three (or much more) with strikes.

Bottom Line
Unless you have loyalty points to burn at the nearby Hilton or Ibis hotels (or the Sheraton within Terminal 2), do book a stay at CitizenM. You will leave this hotel feeling energized and excited about the next part of your itinerary. Rates are being advertised from 79 Euros a night but I paid 118 Euros including VAT and tax. That was the special 15 percent off "Citizen" rate given to folks who join CitizenM's membership program. All that's required is signing up with your email address.