TL;DR

Eco focus: Converted historic building with sustainability at its core.
Green choices: Cork floors, bamboo linens, eco-friendly shop.
Contemporary vibe: Mix of modern and inconsistent styles.
Prime location: Downtown Grand Rapids, easy access everywhere.
Check prices here

Horrific squashed typography notwithstanding, this Downtown Grand Rapids eco hotel is a nice example of creative hospitality.

It’s not the first nice hotel undermined by branding choices, but we’re more disappointed here – CityFlatsHotel, as one of the more authentic sustainability-focused hotels out there, deserves better.

It’s an old building converted into a sustainable space, recently welcomed into the Ascend Hotel Collection.

Some cool decisions related to sustainability include cork flooring, bamboo linens, and a shop devoted to eco-friendly products used at the hotel.

The vibe is definitely contemporary, despite the building, if a bit inconsistent between the various rooms.

At the very least, we’d say CityFlatsHotel is a good way to discover how nice eco-friendly bedding can be.

And at most, it’s a chic, modern space to enjoy a stay in the center of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 48 total.
Street-facing rooms: Bright, spacious, and stylish.
Interior rooms: Small, basic, and less inspiring.
Comfort: Soft beds, quality linens, TVs, desks, and air con.
See each room in detail here

Some rooms, the larger ones that face the street, are bright, charming spaces with cute geometric art pieces or armchairs that match the bed frame.

Others though are basically small boxes with a bed and a toilet, a colorful headboard for zhuzh and views of next door’s brick wall.

Of course, it all depends on what you need. If you just need a space to crash for a night, you’ll be happy with the latter.

The linens are great, the beds are soft, and it’s easy to get to anywhere you need to go in town.

CityFlats prices are reasonable though and, more than in most hotels, the larger, street facing rooms really don’t cost that much more.

All rooms include TVs, work desks and air con.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

On-site dining: Farm-to-table restaurant CitySēn Lounge with vegan options.
Drinks: Creative cocktails, large wine list, and local craft beers.
Salon: Chic onsite blow bar and nail services.
Eco shop: Bamboo bedding and sustainable products for sale.
Fitness: Small but available gym space.

Unsurprisingly, the on-site farm to table restaurant/gastro pub, CitySēn Lounge, is a locally-focused spot and has some nice vegan and vegetarian options.

They’re open for dinners and weekend lunches, serving New American cuisine with a lot of variety in flavors.

They have a nice variety of cocktails too, and extensive wine list. The usual beer standards are also there alongside a rotating selection of local craft beers. Ask your server, they’ll be happy to recommend.

We like The Parlour, their super-chic onsite salon. Visit the blow bar, schedule a mani-pedi, give yourself a good pamper in a bright, friendly atmosphere.

Their on-site shop sells pretty much all products used in the salon, as well as the bamboo and eco-conscious bedding materials used in the rooms.

A very small fitness center then rounds off the facilities at CityFlats.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Central location: Downtown Grand Rapids convenience.
Music scene: Steps from GLC Live, Van Andel Arena, and more.
Arts & culture: Art Museum next door, Ford & Public Museums nearby.
Outdoor spaces: Riverfront park just 15 minutes away.
Food & drink: Bridge Street bars, cafés, and restaurants close by.
Exploration: Walk to Heritage Hill and Eastown for local flavor.

Downtown Grand Rapids is relatively small, which makes a hotel in the center of it very convenient.

Many choose CityFlatsHotel for the proximity to music. Pick a genre, any genre; the hotel is within 5 minutes from the GLC Live, the Van Andel Arena, St. Cecilia Music Center, and the more underground Skelletones.

There aren’t many other attractions you won’t be able to walk to, from the Art Museum next door to the museums across the river.

We love a water feature, and the Grand River has a nice riverfront park just 15-minutes away.

From there you can visit both the Gerald R. Ford Museum and the Public Museum.

The nearby Bridge Street neighborhood has a nice collection of bars, cafés and restaurants, for a little gastrointestinal adventure.

If you like to simply wander, head east towards Heritage Hill and Eastown. Neither boast the city’s top tourist sites, but they are lovely places to get a feel for the city.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“Great location for a concert or game. We had just a couple minute walk to our concert which was perfect. The area is beautiful. Parking could be an issue but we lucked out and were able to get a close spot. Our room was nice. The bed was super comfy. Overall we were very happy with our stay and would stay again….”

“This hotel was the most comfortable, cleanest and quiet hotel I have ever stayed in. The rain shower was fantastic, and I love the style. Customer service was wonderful!…”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”It was nice, but our room didn’t even have a fridge so anything we bought had to be eaten within a few hours or get thrown away. Some of the towels had some stains on them but otherwise room and bed were clean. It was really close to a lot of good food places…..”

”Two things that could improve on which are, better firm beds and parking. We paid $50 for overnight parking in the Walkway garage. Other than that, love the staff and accommodations….”

See all the reviews right here