[Ed. Note: Our Scandinavian correspondent Coulter returns again for the complete review of the first-ever CitizenM Hotel. Enjoy.]

Even from the outside there seems to be something a bit different about the CitizenM at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. Unassuming from a distance, as you follow the embedded lights in the sidewalk, you'll start to notice that there is something a bit different about this hotel.

It looks like a stack of a few hundred individually made concrete cubicles with wall-to-wall windows.

The reason, because that's exactly what it is, CitizenM's prefab hotel units are at the very core of what this hotel strives to be. The same hotel experience no matter where you go, with each

[Ed. Note: Our Scandinavian correspondent Coulter was on the scene for the opening party of the first-ever CitizenM Hotel. Enjoy.]

Last week CitizenM opened it's first hotel at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. This location is one of 20 new hotels CitizenM plans to roll out through Europe in the coming months and years.

This being the hotel's first major event, CitizenM did their best to impress and after a few hours of non-stop drinking, I found myself fairly well-impressed.

For Rattan Chadha, founding partner and CEO Michael Levie, this event was all about branding and from the multiple speeches to the increasingly drunk PR people walking around, you couldn't escape the words "affordable luxury."

With

Yet another hotel opening this week....

As promised we had a spy attend the opening of the CitizenM Hotel near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Tuesday and he's reported back with this killer snapshot of the lobby area. The full review will come next week and it involves dolls on the bed and capsule showers. Yeah, it's very interesting.

Remember, if you stay at any of these new hotels send in your review or post a comment on the hotel pages.

It must be nice to be Jennifer Aniston or John Mayer, whose days end inside a $1015-a-night Netherlands hotel room replete with the finest relaxation-enhancers Amsterdam has to offer...such as a view of the Amstel river, of course.

Splash news reports the two were bunking together at the ultra-posh Intercontinental Amstel last night. The historic hotel boasts mega-luxurious digs and unbelievable views (and lots of privacy) -- perfect for the undercover couple to unwind.

John is in Manchester today for his next gig. No word on whether or not Jen is gonna be in tow, but the paps are probably on the scene right now; we hope Mayer brought along some "relaxation assistance" from Amsterdam to

It seems like just yesterday (actually it was September 2007) that we were examining CitizenM Hotels, the "affordable luxury hotel," and its planned outpost at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

Though the chain's first property hasn't opened yet, you can make reservations for its June 26 debut. Here's what you can expect from the funky budget-friendly chain, all things that have us intrigued, for better or for worse.

Wanna fly green? Fly on coconut oil. That sounds pretty environmentally friendly, which is no doubt the impression Richard Branson was hoping to give us with the weekend's biofuel test flight on a passenger-free Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Amsterdam.

The maiden voyage using a mix of coconut oil, babassu oil and normal, nasty kerosene was a success, especially as plenty of press reports failed to mention the kerosene. Some, however, reminded us that the plant matter made up just 20% of the fuel in just one of the four engines. Doesn't sound like a lot.

But Branson is already talking about research to use other fuels, including one made from algae. What we can't understand is why he isn't researching an even more environmentally friendly (and convenient) method of getting around, like, say, teleporting.

Related Stories:
· Biofuel-Powered Jet Makes Test Flight [CNN]
· Virgin Atlantic To Fly Biofuel 747 [Jaunted]
· Virgin Atlantic coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: TigerPuppala]

Though one expects to have one's expectations challenged while transitioning to a foreign continent, I did not sufficiently recalibrate my concept of the 'hotel' to prepare myself for the Chic & Basic.

And so begins Nick Martens' account of the boutique hotel Chic & Basic Amsterdam over at BygoneBureau.com.

With rooms "the size of an average refrigerator box" and all-white modern minimalist furnishings and décor (reminiscent of an Apple store), the Chic & Basic should possibly be renamed, the Chic & Peculiar.

Starting with the arrival, as most rooms are up a very narrow, steep winding staircase (and no elevator). OK for this oh-so-young-and-fit traveler, but any one with mobility problems would find it challenging

Ah, Amsterdam, a city better known among college-age backpackers for its XXX district and marijuana cafes than its beautiful canals and Anne Frank legacy. But not for long, if Mayor Job Cohen has his way.

Cohen announced today that the city's year 2000 legalization of prostitution didn't have the intended effect of making sex workers any safer. It's time, he says, to try a new tack including permits for brothels, a higher minimum wage for sex workers (21, from 18) and a crackdown on sex-trade businesses with Mafia ties.

Can this be a good idea? Will it lead to a precipitous drop-off in Amsterdam tourism, or will visitors simply avail themselves of what remains--a la the New York City of 2007? And will libertarian and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul comment on it?

Related Stories:
· Amsterdam to Clean Up Red Light District [Yahoo]
· Anne Frank's Tree Gets Reprieve [Jaunted]
· Amsterdam Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: goobertron]

Since the city has more than one million bicycles, traveling by foot can be hazardous in Amsterdam. Step unknowingly into a bike lane--and there're so many of them it's not hard to--and expect to incur the wrath of dozens of oncoming cyclists. So rather than spend your visit fearing a painful collision, why not adopt a "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach and hop in the saddle with Mike's Bike Tour.

Now in its 11th season, the company's guided tour will take you on a four-hour journey from city to country, taking in sights from the Red Light District to a cheese farm and clog factory.

The ride is leisurely rather than strenuous, and at €22 ($32) for a four-hour tour, it's an inexpensive and enjoyable way to acquaint yourself with the city. Just one word of advice: Save that coffee shop visit for after the tour.

Related Stories:
· Mike's Bike Tours Amsterdam [Official Site]
· Amsterdam coverage [Jaunted]
· Biking coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Incase Designs]

Competition is heating up at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, where every hotel chain seems to want to open a hotel. The Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has been hanging out there for a while, but it's about to get a heap of company.

For one, the Yotel chain of airport capsule hotels plans to open a 56-room Yotel in Schiphol by the end of the year. It will be after passport control so transfer passengers can stay there without immigration problems, and passengers departing from Amsterdam with early morning flights will be able to check-in and go through passport control the night before.

Not so close to the departure gate but still near the airport, the Marriott chain