CitizenM to build the first hotel in the Metaverse

The first digital hotel will appear in The Sandbox gaming world. Netherlands-based hotel developer citizenM announced plans to buy a piece of virtual land and build a hotel that only online guests could visit.

CitizenM is the first-ever hospitality company to invest in virtual real estate. Digital worlds provide users with an experience parallel to the physical one: you could buy a home, hang out with your friends and even visit a fashion show.

The hotel chain plans to finance the construction by selling 2,000 NFTs that come with real-life rewards. According to the company, all NFTs will be priced equally but will be randomly assigned based on three levels: 1,500 “regular” citizens, 450 “special” citizens, and 50 “legendary” citizens. The rewards include free drinks and discounts that could be redeemed at any real-world citizenM hotel location. 

"We are thrilled to be the first hospitality company to build in the Metaverse," Robin Chadha, CMO of citizenM, wrote in the press release. 

"As a brand that has always pushed the boundaries and challenged traditional models, this new venture in The Sandbox fits not only with our brand strategy but also the commitment we have to the creative community and to our guests both online and in the real world. We're excited to further explore opportunities in the Metaverse in the years to come."

The Sandbox users could “work, sleep and play” in a new hotel, Dezeen reports. Once the construction is completed, citizenM will collaborate with digital artists to display their NFT art pieces on the hotel walls. If the virtual hotel project succeeds, it could eventually have a real-world location. 

Image credit:

citizenM

Resources:

“citizenM to become "first hospitality company to build in the metaverse",” by Cajsa Carlson (Dezeen, 2022)

“citizenM Announces New Venture into the Metaverse,” by citizenM (PR Newswire, 2022)

“CitizenM Plans Hotel In The Metaverse,” by Dees Stribling (Bisnow, 2022