PHOTO: Stephen Smith-imaginare co. 2013

In big cities, space is at a premium, and the cramped hotel room is something travelers to cities like New York and London are familiar with—oversized and excess furniture in a too-small space. But there’s a new breed of small hotel: the microhotel. While the actual rooms might be small (think 250 square feet or less), the design is smart and sleek, with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Plus, the rest of the hotel is spacious and comfortable, promoting relaxation and mingling with new friends.— Devorah Lev-Tov

PHOTO: Hub Hotels

WHERE: London, England

Located in the theater-friendly Covent Garden area, The Hub by Premier Inn houses tiny but sophisticated rooms with underbed storage, Smart TVs, pull-out desks, and comfy Hypnos beds. Perfect for the tech-savvy guest, you can use the hotel’s app to book a room and check-in—or use one of their easy kiosks. The app also syncs with your room to control the lights, temperature, and television. You can even use it to order breakfast. There’s complimentary tea and coffee and super-fast Wi-Fi. The lobby and the ProvenDough Deli and Bar are perfect places to hang out or get some work done. The Hub brand has three other locations in London, with a fourth opening in August, plus one in Edinburgh, Scotland, and a second one there on the way.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s London Guide

PHOTO: Nikolas Koenig 2016

WHERE: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Yes, they call themselves a hostel, but what that means in this case is twin or quadruple rooms with en-suite bathrooms for budget-friendly prices. In a former university building adjacent to Oosterpark, Generator Hostel’s tiny but modern rooms surround spacious social areas including a coffee shop and bar in a former lecture hall, a game room in the former library with grab-and-go coffee, and a café that utilizes honey from the rooftop bee colony. There’s an outdoor terrace, and the original boiler room is now a late-night bar. Perks include free Vanmoof bike rentals (with a deposit), beer tastings, movie screenings, and other tailored programming for guests. Generator is currently in 11 cities across Europe, with two more locations opening soon in Miami and Madrid.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Amsterdam Guide

PHOTO: Courtesy of CitizenM

WHERE: Glasgow, Scotland

Small but chic, the soundproof rooms in CitizenM feature XL beds and wall-to-wall windows with blackout blinds where everything from temperature to colored lighting to the alarm is controlled by a Moodpad. But the room is just for sleeping: if you want to relax, head down to the lobby, which feels like a comfy but modern living room with iconic Vitra furniture for lounging. Hungry? Go to CanteenM, open 24 hours and fully stocked with yummy treats and drinks from coffee to expertly mixed cocktails. There are also large meeting rooms equipped with audiovisual gear and wipe-clean walls. And there’s free Wi-Fi throughout the building, plus free movies. With other locations in New York and across Europe, CitizenM is poised to become the hottest microhotel chain.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Glasgow Guide

PHOTO: Stephen Smith-imaginare co. 2013

WHERE: New York City, New York

This small chain’s NYC location in Midtown is a great example of what the microhotel brand represents: mini hotel rooms (aka “cabins”) that feature convertible beds that glide to any position at the touch of a button, a workstation with free Wi-Fi, and a Technowall featuring a flat screen TV with the ability to stream audio. Traveling with kids? They offer rooms with bunk beds, too, as well as free tea, coffee, and muffins at breakfast. Yotel NYC partners with Mott Street Cycles to provide free (with a deposit) bike rentals in Central Park and they often have quirky events for guests, like the recent Coloring & Cocktail event, with custom cocktails and coloring books created in collaboration with artist Ian Sklarsky.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s New York City Guide

PHOTO: Best Western® Hotels & Resorts

WHERE: Chicago, Illinois

This upcoming brand from Best Western aims to attract a younger crowd with a stylish design focused on convenience and technology. The 74 200 square-foot guestrooms feature platform beds with storage below, Smart TVs, and LED-lit rain showerheads. The multifunctional lobby will include a café and bar, fireplace, a kiosk for electronic check-in, and a virtual concierge. There’s also gaming pods, Zen Zone, and a 24-hour fitness center. Other locations in the works include Miami and Bangkok.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Chicago Guide

PHOTO: Bruce France

WHERE: New Orleans, LA

A new millennial-friendly chain started by Marriott, The Moxy features smaller rooms than a typical Marriott and a brighter, more modern design aesthetic. All rooms have mobile check-in and keyless mobile entry and TVs with screencasting featuring Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Pandora, and Crackle. Focusing on self-service, there’s food and beverages for sale 24/7, a bar, and a fitness center for guests. Take a ride in the selfie elevators, complete with props. Currently there are three other Moxy locations: Milan, Munich, and Tempe, AZ, with more in the works.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s New Orleans Guide

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Jane Hotel

WHERE: New York City, New York

The Jane Hotel offers small but stylish accommodations. All of the 208 rooms at this former sailor’s haven are designed like luxury train cabins with a single or bunk bed, built-in drawers, luggage rack, personal television, and river views or a balcony. The famous 50 square-foot Standard Room has communal bathrooms down the hall, while the larger Captain’s Cabins feature ensuites. Steeped in history, the rooms originally housed sailors and were used by Titanic survivors in 1912, but now have modern amenities like free Wi-Fi and iPhone docks. The hotel has an intimate rooftop with food from beloved Café Gitane and offers a complimentary bike program where guests can borrow Firmstrong Urban Beach Cruisers for use along the nearby Highline.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s New York City Guide

PHOTO: Leo Byrne

WHERE: Dublin, Ireland

This ultra-hip boutique hotel has 52 beautifully furnished, Brooklyn-chic contemporary rooms, some of which are quite large. But the Dean also offers budget-friendly “Mod Pods” and “Punk Bunks,” both of which measure 135 square feet and feature original Irish art, a fully stocked mini SMEG fridge, free Irish snacks, a Marshall amp, and a Smart TV with Netflix. There are several amusing places to hang out aside from your room: The Dean Bar in the lobby that hosts DJs on weekends; the Games Room in the Dean Penthouse, where you can play records on the Rega turntable, enjoy a game of foosball, and snuggle up by the cozy fireplace; Sophie’s, the rooftop restaurant and bar with a beautiful terrace; and Everleigh, the club in the basement. Don’t stay here if you’re not looking to party!

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Dublin Guide

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Pod Hotels

WHERE: New York City, New York

The first microhotel concept in New York City, Pod manages to make bunk beds cool thanks to bright colors, individual TVs, and just enough space. (There are also rooms without bunks.) The 366-room hotel is home to Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield’s Salvation Taco restaurant and one of the hottest rooftops in NYC, which is framed with brick arches and surrounded by terra cotta columns. There’s a concierge, and guests can also join one (or all) of three weekly walking tours in three different neighborhoods, where the guide even takes the time to teach visitors how to use the subway. There’s a second Pod at 51st Street (Pod51, home to Salvation Taco’s sister restaurant Salvation Burger), Brooklyn, Times Square, and Washington, D.C.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s New York City Guide

PHOTO: Abdo Development

WHERE: Washington, D.C.

Hotel Hive is located in the heart of the district. Featuring 125 crisp, minimalist rooms with either a king, queen, or bunk beds, Hive is D.C.’s first pod-style hotel. During building, construction focused on sound-dampening measures and all rooms have en-suite bathrooms and heating and cooling systems that are triggered with infrared and ultrasonic motion sensors. Room locks can be encrypted to have keyless entry accessed through guests’ smartphones, and guests can also choose to check in with their phones, although regular check-in is also available. The hotel is primed for communal interaction, with plenty of social spaces for guests, including The Hive restaurant, where customers can design their own rustic pizza and sip craft cocktails; a rooftop deck; and a bi-level outdoor patio in the front of the hotel. Design touches include original exposed brick and wood and an all-glass elevator with each level featuring a mural painted by a different local artist.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Washington, D.C. Guide