If you’ve ever walked down Lavington Street, you know it’s a bit of a weird spot. It sits in that sweet pocket of Southwark where the glass-and-steel corporate world of the City bleeds into the grit and art of Bankside. It isn't as loud as the Southbank, but it’s definitely not quiet either. In the middle of it all sits citizenM London Bankside.
Most people just call it the "citizenM on Lavington Street."
I remember when this place first opened. At the time, the idea of a "luxury budget" hotel felt like a massive contradiction. How can you have MoodPads and Vitra furniture but no bellboy? Honestly, it sounded like a gimmick. But a decade later, this specific location remains the blueprint for what a modern city stay should actually look like. It’s efficient. It’s a little bit loud. It’s very, very red.
The weirdly perfect location of citizenM Lavington Street
Let’s talk about the geography first because that’s why you’re actually booking this place. You aren't staying here for a massive bathroom—you're staying here because you can walk to Tate Modern in five minutes.
Lavington Street is tucked just behind the main drag of Southwark Street. If you head north, you hit the Thames. If you head east, you’re at Borough Market in ten minutes, smelling roasting coffee and expensive cheese. It’s perfectly positioned for people who want to feel like they live in London rather than just visiting it as a tourist.
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The street itself is a mix. You’ve got the Ewer Street salt warehouse nearby, some newer office developments, and the constant hum of the railway lines heading into Blackfriars. It feels industrial. It feels real. Unlike the shiny, sterile hotels in Canary Wharf, the citizenM Lavington Street feels like it’s actually part of the neighborhood's fabric. You see locals walking their dogs past the floor-to-ceiling windows while guests sip overpriced (but good) flat whites inside.
What actually happens inside those tiny rooms?
Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. The rooms are small. If you are traveling with three suitcases and a golf bag, just don’t. You’ll hate it.
But for everyone else? It’s basically a high-tech spaceship pod.
The bed is huge—XL king-size—and it’s pushed right up against the window. There is something deeply satisfying about waking up, hitting a button on an iPad (the MoodPad), and watching the blackout blinds slowly reveal the London skyline. You can change the lighting to "Party" or "Relax" or "Business," which basically just turns the room different shades of neon. It’s fun for ten minutes, then you just settle on "Normal."
- The shower is a circular pod.
- The sink is in the main room area.
- The toilet is behind a frosted glass door that doesn't exactly offer 100% acoustic privacy.
If you’re traveling with a new partner, you’re going to get to know each other very quickly. That's just the reality of the citizenM Lavington Street layout. But the water pressure? Incredible. The AM/PM scents in the shower gel? Genuinely nice. They don’t give you those tiny, annoying bottles either; it’s all full-sized dispensers because sustainability isn't just a buzzword here, it’s actually built into the operations.
The "Living Room" is where the magic happens
If the rooms are for sleeping, the ground floor is for everything else. This isn't a lobby. It’s a "living room."
The first thing you notice at the Lavington Street entrance is the art. They have a massive collection, including works by Julian Opie and Mario Testino. It doesn't feel like a hotel lobby; it feels like a very wealthy, very trendy friend’s lounge. There are bookshelves filled with Taschen coffee table books, Eames lounge chairs, and communal tables where everyone is hunched over a MacBook.
The CanteenM bar is open 24/7. This is a lifesaver. If you’ve ever stumbled back from a late show at the Old Vic or a long night at a pub in London Bridge, knowing you can get a decent grilled cheese or a pint at 3:00 AM without calling "room service" is a game-changer.
Honestly, the staff (they call them Ambassadors) are the best part. They don’t stand behind a mahogany desk. They’re usually just walking around in jeans and t-shirts, helping people with the self-check-in kiosks or making a surprisingly good negroni. There’s no "sir" or "madam" fluff. It’s just... easy.
Why it beats the "traditional" London hotels
London hotels are notorious for being either ridiculously expensive or depressingly beige. You usually end up in a Victorian conversion where the floorboards creak and the Wi-Fi dies if you move two inches to the left.
CitizenM Lavington Street kills those problems.
- The Wi-Fi is actually fast. Not "hotel fast," but "I can stream 4K and take a Zoom call at the same time" fast.
- No hidden fees. You don't get charged for a bottle of water or a sneaky "resort fee."
- The location vs. price ratio. You are in Zone 1. You are near the Jubilee Line (Southwark station) and the District/Circle lines (Blackfriars). Getting anywhere in London from here is a breeze.
Is it perfect? No. If you need a gym, you’re out of luck, though they usually have partnerships with local spots. If you want a quiet, secluded romantic getaway, the vibe might be a bit too "tech-startup" for you. It’s busy. It’s buzzy. There’s almost always music playing.
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The Southwark / Bankside vibe
The area around Lavington Street has changed so much. It used to be a bit of a no-man's land after the office workers went home. Not anymore.
Right around the corner, you’ve got The Libertine or the Anchor Bankside for a drink. You’ve got the Menier Chocolate Factory for theater. You can walk across the Millennium Bridge and be at St. Paul’s Cathedral in under 15 minutes. It’s a walkable neighborhood, which is the greatest luxury London offers.
I’ve seen people complain that the citizenM is "souless" because of the self-check-in. I disagree. I think it’s respectful of your time. I don’t want to talk to three different people just to get a room key. I want to scan a QR code, grab a key, and go eat some pasta at Padella.
Actionable Advice for Your Stay
If you’re planning to book the citizenM London Bankside on Lavington Street, here is how to do it right:
Download the app before you arrive. You can use it to check in while you're still on the train from Heathrow. More importantly, you can use the app to control the room temperature and the TV. No more touching a greasy remote control that’s been handled by a thousand people.
Ask for a room on a higher floor. The lower floors are fine, but the higher you go, the better the view toward the Shard or the Tate. Since all the rooms are the same price and size, it’s first-come, first-served in terms of allocation. Check in early.
Don't eat breakfast every day in the hotel. The hotel breakfast is decent—standard buffet style with good pastries—but you are literally a 10-minute walk from Borough Market. Go to Monmouth Coffee. Get a ginger pig sausage roll. Experience the actual food scene of London rather than staying in the hotel bubble.
Use the "Living Room" as your office. If you’re a digital nomad or just need to catch up on emails, don't stay in your room. The downstairs area has plenty of power outlets and the coffee is actually drinkable. It’s one of the best "unofficial" co-working spaces in Southbank.
Join the citizenM "Citizenship" program. It sounds cheesy, but it’s free and usually knocks about 10% off the price. In London, that’s the cost of a pint, so it’s worth the 30 seconds it takes to sign up.
Ultimately, citizenM Lavington Street works because it knows exactly what it is. It’s not trying to be the Ritz. It’s trying to be a highly functional, aesthetically pleasing basecamp for people who actually want to see London. It’s smart, it’s compact, and it’s located exactly where you need to be.