GoneTrending

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Love Is Blind: UK episode will be found below.)

Five months after the sixth and very dramatic season of Love Is Blind concluded, Netflix decided it was time to take the show across the pond for an inaugural season of Love Is Blind: UK. The new series premiered earlier this month with four new episodes that ended with the pairing of five couples: Bobby & Jasmine, Freddie & Catherine, Ollie & Demi, Tom & Maria, and Steven & Sabrina. The five couples successful made it out of the pods together after finding a connection with each other. Sam and Nicole seemed like they would join the cast of engaged couples, but, as the end of episode four revealed, they both confessed to not fully feeling the connection they had and decided to end their engagement.

The next four episodes of Love Is Blind: UK will reconnect viewers with the engaged couples as they enjoy a honeymoon in Corfu. This marks the first moment that the couples can spend time together and see if their physical connection is as good as they emotional one they formed in the pods. Here’s what to know about the upcoming Love Is Blind: UK episodes:

When Do Love Is Blind: UK Episodes 5-9 Come Out?

Episodes 5-9 of Love Is Blind: UK season one will be available to stream on Netflix on August 14 at 3am EST/12 am PST. This follows a weekly release schedule that began with episodes 1-4 premiering on Netflix back on August 7. Episodes 10-11 of Love Is Blind: UK will air on August 21, while episode 12 — the season finale — will be released just four days later on August 25.

‘Love Is Blind: UK’ season 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Episodes 1-4 are out now.

On the surface, It Ends With Us seems like just another tumultuous love story for the post-Nicholas Sparks generation. The novel was first released in 2016 only to generate a large fan base after going viral on TikTok in the early days of pandemic lockdowns in 2020. The book, written by Gen Z whisperer Colleen Hoover, follows Lily Bloom, an aspiring florist who embarks on a turbulent relationship with the aggressive Ryle. For the movie adaptation, Justin Baldoni signed on to direct and star as Ryle, while Blake Lively secured her spot as Lily. But the on-screen drama is only half of the story.

Fans noticed that while promoting the film, Lively and Baldoni had not taken any pictures together. This isn’t that unheard of, but fans took notice. Then, some internet sleuths also realized that Lively, Hoover and most of the cast had unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram, which is the 21st century equivalent of telling someone to “lose my phone number.”

After fans started to draw their own conclusions, suddenly the cast was under a microscope, not unlike the infamous Don’t Worry Darling drama of 2022. Not only was Baldoni absent from various press days, but Lively would barely even mention him. Instead, she praised her husband. “The iconic rooftop scene, my husband actually wrote it,” Lively told E! while on the red carpet. “He works on everything I do. I work on everything he does. So his wins, his celebrations are mine and mine are his.” The screenwriter had no idea about this, furthering suggestions that there might have been some tension during production.

Baldoni doesn’t seem to have any issue with Reynolds. When speaking with TODAY, Baldoni praised the actor. “Ryan was so generous…he’s a creative genius, that guy,” he said. But when asked by ET if he would return for a sequel, Baldoni said, “I think that there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct,” he said. “That’s what I think.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two might have disagreed about the final cut of the film. Lively reportedly commissioned a cut of the movie from editor Shane Reid, who was an editor on Deadpool & Wolverine, when she was unsatisfied with the direction, but it’s unclear if that contributed to the final cut.

Even Jenny Slate, who stars as Lily’s friend Allysa, dodged questions about Baldoni while at the premiere, as did Hoover. “I think he did a great job. They all did a great job,” she said, before moving into the next question.

Just when you thought the drama might be over, a source told Page Six that Baldoni created an “extremely difficult” set for the cast, and made Lively “uncomfortable.” The source added, “It’s not just Blake. None of the cast enjoyed working with Justin…They certainly didn’t talk to him at the premiere.” Meanwhile, Baldoni has been out and about doing his own promo…by himself.

The cast has been quiet since the movie hit theaters last week, and they likely won’t acknowledge the behind-the-scenes drama. Instead, Lively and Reynolds are probably heading to the bank with their buckets of money from both Deadpool and Wolverine and It Ends With Us. Perhaps this was all a long con to make up for their last film together.

As for the movie itself, the drama surrounding the cast is overshadowing the fact that this is a story touching on abuse that should not be taken lightly.

December 2023 brought some news that might have concerned Blackpink fans: The group’s members — Jennie, Lisa, Rosé, and Jisoo — all left Blackpink’s label YG Entertainment for matters related to their solo careers. A key bit of info about the situation, though, is that Blackpink has renewed its group contract. But, if there was any lingering doubt about the band’s future, Lisa just offered a reassuring update.

In a new Elle feature published today (August 12), Lisa said, “Of course we’re continuing, for sure. We’re so proud of Blackpink, and I love Blackpink. It is not just because of our fans, it’s for ourselves.” In Korean, she added, “There was no doubt. This is our life.”

Blackpink’s most recent album is 2022’s Born Pink, a chart-topper in the US and beyond. Since then, Lisa has released a pair of solo singles, both this year: “Rockstar” and “New Woman” with Rosalía.

She also landed an acting role in the upcoming third season of The White Lotus. In the same Elle interview, she said that while the acting experience is “pretty new” to her, she thinks having done a bunch of Blackpink music videos gives her a foundation to build on. She also said of getting the part, “I think I cried. I was with my friends, my mom’s friends, and my mom as well, but I didn’t tell them that I auditioned for it. I’m super excited and nervous, because it’s my first acting project. So I was happy for a second, and then I was like, ‘Oh, wait, wait, how am I going to deliver this?’”

Steven Seagal will forever hold the title for Hardest SNL Host to Work With, but a recent celebrity made the show’s cast members start crying.

Current cast member Bowen Yang appeared on a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live, where he played a game of “Truth or Kink” with his Las Culturistas podcast co-host Matt Rogers. The premise is simple: if Yang declined to answer one of host Andy Cohen’s questions, Rogers would get zapped by vibrating underwear (wait, that’s not simple, it’s actually torture). Thankfully for Rodgers, Yang was forthcoming about a nightmare SNL host.

Yang was asked for the “worst SNL host behavior” he’s ever seen. “This man who — this person, this host — made multiple cast members cry on Wednesday before the table read because he hated the ideas,” the Wicked actor replied, adding that he was “terrible.” Yang didn’t name names but I’m sure someone on the SNL subreddit is hard at work going through every male host since he joined the show in 2018. In the unlikely scenario it was Brendan Gleeson, he gets a pass; it was method acting for The Banshees of Inisherin.

You can watch the Watch What Happens Live video (which ends with Yang zapping Rodgers instead of sharing his least favorite Ariana Grande song) above.

We are just over two months away from the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, and now that the Olympics have ended with Team USA’s thrilling run to a gold medal, the attention of the men’s basketball world has shifted its focus to the first day of the new season, October 22.

The NBA’s schedule release is expected to come in the next week or two, but games on key dates are starting to leak out. We already got the Christmas slate, which features the expected big teams and star names, with the biggest surprise being the NBA already putting Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on the Christmas schedule in place of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks, who have been Christmas standbys for years. Aside from Christmas, the two other marquee dates on the schedule are opening night and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

On Monday, Shams Charania brought word of the four teams that will play the opening night doubleheader on TNT, with the Boston Celtics being the only team we knew for sure would be playing on October 22 to get their championship rings. Per Shams, it will be the Knicks traveling to Boston for the opener, while the Minnesota Timberwolves will start their season in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

It’s not a real surprise that the league would put LeBron James and company on the opening night schedule, but to not have either of the opening games be playoff rematches of any kind seems a bit unusual. That said, the Knicks are now expected to be one of the top contenders to Boston in the East after adding Mikal Bridges, and the Wolves have cemented themselves as a top contender in the West with a star in Anthony Edwards the league is happy to put on the marquee alongside LeBron for opening night.

As for when we’ll get our NBA Finals rematches, Charania reports they’ll come in a two-week window before the All-Star break, with the Celtics going to Dallas on January 25 and the Mavs going to Boston on February 6 (which is also the trade deadline).

Donald Glover’s New World Tour officially started this past weekend. The multihyphenate’s final turn under the Childish Gambino moniker is sure to produce a slew of memorable moments for his fans, but he’s not going it alone. He’s joined on his latest tour by an opening artist every bit as multitalented as he is: Willow, who is promoting her sixth studio album, Empathogen, which dropped on May 3 and received an enthusiastic reception from both critics and fans. If you’re planning on catching Willow’s set, you’ll have to arrive by 8:00 pm, according to fans on Reddit, which is when she takes the stage, rocking until 8:45. After that, Glover’s set runs over two hours, beginning at 9:15 and ending after 11.

For more information about the tour, you can see below.

Childish Gambino Tour Dates: The New World Tour

08/14/2024 — Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum *
08/15/2024 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center *
08/17/2024 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena *
08/18/2024 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *
08/20/2024 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena *
08/21/2024 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center *
08/23/2024 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden *
08/24/2024 — Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Arena *
08/26/2024 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center *
08/27/2024 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center *
08/29/2024 — Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena *
08/30/2024 — Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena *
09/01/2024 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena *
09/02/2024 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena *
09/04/2024 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena *
09/05/2024 — Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena *
09/07/2024 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center *
09/08/2024 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center *
09/10/2024 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center *
09/11/2024 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center *
09/13/2024 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena *
09/14/2024 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center *
09/16/2024 — Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center *
09/18/2024 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *
09/19/2024 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *
09/21/2024 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center *
09/23/2024 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *
09/24/2024 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center *
09/25/2024 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena *
09/27/2024 — Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome *
09/29/2024 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place *
10/02/2024 — St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center *
10/03/2024 — Chicago, IL @ United Center *
10/31/2024 — Lyon, FR @ LDLC Arena #
11/02/2024 — Milan, IT @ Unipol Forum #
11/04/2024 — Cologne, DE @ Lanxess Arena #
11/06/2024 — Hamburg, DE @ Barclays Arena #
11/08/2024 — Oslo, NO @ Oslo Spektrum #
11/10/2024 — Copenhagen, DK @ Royal Arena #
11/12/2024 — Prague, CZ @ O2 arena #
11/13/2024 — Berlin, DE @ Uber Arena #
11/19/2024 — Paris, FR @ Accor Arena #
11/21/2024 — Munich, DE @ Olympiahalle #
11/23/2024 — Brussels, BE @ ING Arena #
11/24/2024 — Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome #
11/26/2024 — Manchester, UK @ AO Arena #
11/28/2024 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro #
11/30/2024 — London, UK @ The O2 #
12/01/2024 — London, UK @ The O2 #
12/03/2024 — Birmingham, UK @ Utilita Arena #
12/05/2024 — Dublin, IE @ 3Arena #
01/28/2025 — Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena #
02/01/2025 — Brisbane, QLD @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre #
02/04/2025 — Sydney, NSW @ Qudos Bank Arena #
02/07/2025 — Melbourne, VIC @ Rod Laver Arena #
02/11/2025 — Perth, WA @ RAC Arena #

* with Willow
# with Amaarae

Bones, the David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel-starring chemistry cocktail that spanned 12 seasons ending in 2017, thrived within the fine procedural tradition of lead characters hooking up and more. That kind of appeal keeps the biggest Law & Order question relevant and has led to NCIS: Tony & Ziva being in the works from a revival standpoint. So of course, that leaves Bones wide open for more, too.

Star David Boreanaz, who is currently promoting the final SEAL Team season for Paramount+, has been fielding questions on the subject. Would the Buffy and Angel star ever be interested in doing more Bones, in which he portrayed FBI Agent Seeley Booth opposite Deschanel’s virtuoso-level forensic anthropologist, Temperance “Bones” Brennan?

Sure sounds like he’s into it. Boreanaz told PEOPLE how “trippy” it feels to have a younger generation approaching him as fans of the show. He also told TV Insider that Bones “was lightning in a bottle,” and “I just can’t tell you how much love and admiration we get from fans for these two characters. And to see them come back would be great.” He then added, “I mean, it’s an easy one to do because it’s so fun.”

Could this happen? In 2023, series creator Hart Hanson spoke with Variety and declared that “everybody” involved with the original show is interested in a revival. However, he admitted that Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox has made the process more “complicated” yet not out of the question:

“It would take a million agents and lawyers to figure out who owns what and what platform it would show on. But we do keep talking. And every once in a while, we are all nostalgic enough to think, ‘Maybe we should do it again.’ Who knows? Maybe this will bump-start us.”

The timing of a revival, if it happens, might never be better than now with Boreanaz finishing his physically grueling gig of SEAL Team. In fact, throwing on a suit and cracking jokes for more Bones could be just what the doctor ordered. We’ll be watching for updates on the situation.

Bones, which also starred Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley, TJ Thyne, and Michaela Conlin, can be streamed on Hulu and Disney+.

Upon releasing “Why Why Why” and “Isn’t That Enough” as singles from Shawn, his newly announced LP due out on October 18, Shawn Mendes recounted his mother’s reaction. “I remember when I played her the song and video, the first thing she said was, ‘Oh, wow, babe, you found yourself,’” Mendes told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe

Most artist can’t take the time needed to truly find themselves. But increasingly, musicians are changing that narrative. This can even come in the form of canceling or postponing tours and taking hiatus from the public eye, citing mental health. Extending grace to human beings chronically subjected to superhuman expectation is a long overdue development in the music industry. Mendes, 26, has been at the forefront. He has always been transparent about anxiety — wishing he could find himself outside of the pop star spin cycle — since he ascended from his Canadian bedroom to international stages as a teenager.

“My personal wellness journey started a couple years ago when I was going through a really dark time,” Mendes told GQ in the fall of 2021. “I had so much anxiety that I actually couldn’t sing anymore. It was all in my throat, which a lot of men experience. We often experience those emotions as tension in our back, neck, and as pain in our bodies. I couldn’t sing anymore, and I always had a thing about quitting. I didn’t want to quit. And I was in this dark place, and I had to do something. And I was taking it out on other people, like in my relationships. I didn’t want to be that person. So, I started reading. I started meditating and journaling. I worked with a coach, Jay Shetty.”

In July 2022, Mendes hit the breaking point. The multi-platinum-certified musician initially postponed and ultimately canceled his Wonder world tour. “At this time, I have to put my health as my first priority,” he wrote, in part, on social media. “This doesn’t mean I won’t be making new music, and I can’t wait to see you on tour in the future. I know you all have been waiting so long to see these shows, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but I promise I will be back as soon as I’ve taken the right time to heal.”

What is the most difficult thing to do when you’re on top of the world, possessing the power to do whatever you wish and riding momentum to the moon?

To pause.

And what’s the bravest?

To trust that pausing isn’t quitting. To decide you’d rather temporarily lose it all than permanently lose yourself. You’d rather have inner peace than external validation. You’d rather admit that your health is teetering on the edge, even if your career is right on track, before it’s too late.

It’s quite poignant to rewatch Shawn Mendes: In Wonder, his November 2020 Netflix documentary, after watching Mendes’ 2020-24 unfold.

The Grant Singer-directed film opens with Mendes narrating his racing thoughts during his 2019 global arena Shawn Mendes: The Tour, explaining, “You first get on the stage, and ego comes rushing in, and it goes, ‘Don’t mess up.’ Because you’re the man. Everyone’s saying you’re the man. So, don’t mess up.” Mendes lets loose and lets the music wash over him, remembering he’s “just a guy” who loves music. “Drop the ego,” he says. “Time to surrender.”

Later in the documentary, Mendes struggles to surrender — visibly devastated to cancel a São Paulo, Brazil show due to laryngitis and swollen vocal cord. “If I tell the world that I’m just a normal human, are they going to stop coming to the shows and listening to the music?” Mendes wonders aloud in the doc. “Then you’re like, ‘Wait, maybe I shouldn’t tell them. Maybe I should keep the trick up.’”

If only 2019-20 Shawn Mendes could listen to the 12 songs on the Shawn tracklist — to know that he would fully surrender and be better than ever because of it. Nobody can question Mendes’ honesty in his songwriting throughout his discography, but in the past, Mendes admittedly fixated on saying the right thing. It wasn’t a given that Mendes would be freed to write what he describes as the most honest and natural songs of his life. He could have kept riding the rocket ship, and his talent alone would have produced chart-topping albums and songs. He chose to go find Shawn.

“Why Why Why” signals that he’s no longer interested in keeping the trick up. The acoustic-laden, folk-tinged song resonates like a joyful shrug. He isn’t concerned with blemishing any perceived clean image — divulging he “thought I was about to be a father” and “stepped off the stage with nothin’ left” because “all the lights were f*ckin’ with my head.” He still has unanswered questions, and “Isn’t That Enough” shows he has accepted that: “My hands still shakin’ / My mind’s still racin’ / My heart’s still breakin’ in two / I’m still changin’ / My friends stay patient / My mother still calls for the news / Isn’t that enough?”

“I think the process of working through your sh*t and starting to heal, there’s certainly these moments of feeling like you’re past something, and then there’s moments where it all catches up with you, and you feel like you’re not past a single thing,” Mendes told Zane Lowe. “It’s kind of this cyclical nature. Something I learned in therapy that’s helped me so much is not everything has to have an end-line period solution or end-line period reason. It’s just like, it is. It’s acknowledging it. […] This is also what it’s like to be human.”

Typically, an artist relishes in one self-titled album moment. In May 2018, Mendes released the Grammy-nominated Shawn Mendes. Subtly, dropping his last name for Shawn feels like his strongest statement yet. The album stands to possibly become his fifth No. 1 on the Billboard 200. People will likely always project unto Shawn Mendes, whatever version of his persona to which they’ve attached, and that will never be fair to him. But he won’t hesitate to show them the truth. Being Shawn is enough.

Donald Glover — aka Childish Gambino — is due to finish off his run with the alter ego on his New World Tour, which kicked off over the weekend. Thanks to the first two shows, we know what songs the setlist includes and what’s on sale at the merch table. Meanwhile, thanks to fans in attendance, we know exactly what time Gambino hits the stage so you won’t miss a thing.

According to attendees who shared their experience on Reddit, Glover hits the stage at 9:15 pm and the show runs about two hours, ending just after 11:00 pm. Meanwhile, his opening act, Willow, performs from 8:00 pm to 8:45. For more information about the show, see below.

Childish Gambino The New World Tour Setlist

01. “H3@RT$ W3RE M3@NT T0 F7¥”
02. “Survive”
03. “I. The Worst Guys”
04. “Talk My Shit”
05. “Got to Be”
06. “In the Night”
07. “Yoshinoya”
08. “To Be Hunted”
09. “Witchy” (Kaytranada cover)
10. “Steps Beach”
11. “I. Crawl”
12. “Cruisin’”
13. “Feels Like Summer”
14. “Human Sacrifice”
15. “A Place Where Love Goes”
16. “No Excuses”
17. “Me And Your Mama”
18. “Do Ya Like”
19. “This Is America”
20. “IV. Sweatpants”
21. “Sober”
22. “L.E.S.”
23. “Heartbeat”
24. “Bonfire”
25. “Freaks And Geeks”
26. “Saturday”
27. “V. 3005”
28. “Redbone”
29. “Lithonia”

Childish Gambino Tour Dates: The New World Tour

08/14/2024 — Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum *
08/15/2024 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center *
08/17/2024 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena *
08/18/2024 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *
08/20/2024 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena *
08/21/2024 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center *
08/23/2024 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden *
08/24/2024 — Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Arena *
08/26/2024 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center *
08/27/2024 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center *
08/29/2024 — Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena *
08/30/2024 — Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena *
09/01/2024 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena *
09/02/2024 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena *
09/04/2024 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena *
09/05/2024 — Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena *
09/07/2024 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center *
09/08/2024 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center *
09/10/2024 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center *
09/11/2024 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center *
09/13/2024 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena *
09/14/2024 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center *
09/16/2024 — Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center *
09/18/2024 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *
09/19/2024 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *
09/21/2024 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center *
09/23/2024 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *
09/24/2024 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center *
09/25/2024 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena *
09/27/2024 — Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome *
09/29/2024 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place *
10/02/2024 — St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center *
10/03/2024 — Chicago, IL @ United Center *
10/31/2024 — Lyon, FR @ LDLC Arena #
11/02/2024 — Milan, IT @ Unipol Forum #
11/04/2024 — Cologne, DE @ Lanxess Arena #
11/06/2024 — Hamburg, DE @ Barclays Arena #
11/08/2024 — Oslo, NO @ Oslo Spektrum #
11/10/2024 — Copenhagen, DK @ Royal Arena #
11/12/2024 — Prague, CZ @ O2 arena #
11/13/2024 — Berlin, DE @ Uber Arena #
11/19/2024 — Paris, FR @ Accor Arena #
11/21/2024 — Munich, DE @ Olympiahalle #
11/23/2024 — Brussels, BE @ ING Arena #
11/24/2024 — Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome #
11/26/2024 — Manchester, UK @ AO Arena #
11/28/2024 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro #
11/30/2024 — London, UK @ The O2 #
12/01/2024 — London, UK @ The O2 #
12/03/2024 — Birmingham, UK @ Utilita Arena #
12/05/2024 — Dublin, IE @ 3Arena #
01/28/2025 — Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena #
02/01/2025 — Brisbane, QLD @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre #
02/04/2025 — Sydney, NSW @ Qudos Bank Arena #
02/07/2025 — Melbourne, VIC @ Rod Laver Arena #
02/11/2025 — Perth, WA @ RAC Arena #

* with Willow
# with Amaarae

Austin, Texas has a long history as an epicenter of live music — even earning the title “Live Music Capital Of The World.” With the city hosting its famed annual SXSW, curated events and parties, Austin City Limits, and rotation of warehouse-style raves, Austin is truly a city that lives up to its reputation as a haven for music lovers. Because of that, people from around the globe flock to Austin to get their dose of great music, great food, and even greater accommodations.

Austin’s newest hotel, citizenM Austin Downtown, provides it all. Deemed “the pioneer of affordable luxury hotels,” citizenM’s goal is to create affordable luxury for the traveling music fans of the world and accommodate what it calls its “mobile citizens” as they conduct business, party, and explore world offerings.

Started in 2008, the Netherlands-based hotel chain has since opened and operated 34 hotels across North America, Europe, and Asia. With 14 within the United States across nine cities, it was only a matter of time before it would set up shop in Austin.

WHY IT’S AWESOME

The hotel is located deep in the heart of Austin, allowing guests to have direct access to the best of what this city offers. Better yet, they flex to your schedule — you have the option to check yourself in without needing to wait in line at the check-in counter. You can stroll straight into the second-floor lobby at 2 am to get drinks and snacks at its signature canteenM, and personalize your room to your own aesthetic. This hotel isn’t for relaxing, it’s for socializing and it is buzzing with creative, trendy travelers who operate at their best at night.

Did we say that you can personalize your room? Just making sure you didn’t miss that bit.

While many hotels offer a slew of hotel rooms to choose from – sometimes leading to decision paralysis – all of citizenM Austin Downtown’s rooms are identical and designed for two adults to share its XL king-sized bed. While I’m not usually one to geek out on ultra-tech aspects, the included iMac allows you to easily personalize the “mood” in your room with colored lights, blinds, and even mood-enhancing music. Activating the deep red lights for solo sexy time or the cool blue for a light and airy atmosphere with a friend can certainly impact the space.

Another thing that directly stood out to me was the incredible array of art. Scratch that – this whole hotel is a work of art. As soon as you walk in, you shimmy your way up a chrome red wide spiral staircase that leads to two open floor separate living spaces that are adorned with European-styled art, eccentric furniture, and color palettes. I can’t ever recall a time when I actually wanted to spend a lot of time in the lobby area of a hotel, except here. In fact, I opted to eat my 2 am dessert from the canteenM in one of the living room areas instead of my room just because it felt so inviting and almost natural to bask on the red couch, prop up my feet, and listen to a record that I put on.

FOOD & DRINKS

The hotel hosts its signature canteenM in the heart of its second-floor lobby. You can find warm “light bites” until 11 pm each night while cold food, snacks and drinks are available 24/7, allowing you to satisfy any late-night cravings. Draught beer, sweet treats, wine, coffee, spirits, and aperitifs are aplenty here.

This is where you also pay for your breakfast in the morning, if that’s your thing. With breakfast offered until 11 am, you have plenty of time to sleep in and then start your day with an anti-American breakfast. Why anti-America? While it’s still self-serve, you’ll find a fresh assortment of eggs, bacon, sausage, and potatoes in red Le Creuset cast-iron pots. There’s also lox and cream cheese, capers, cheese, European and French breads and pastries, and actual fresh berries and fruit to choose from. According to my tastebuds, everything about the breakfast solidifies citizenM’s Netherlands-based influence over almost everything in the hotel, which is a good thing.

A few highlights of canteenM:

• Crispy Chicken Dumplings: Comes with five decently-sized dumplings, making this a full-blown dish. The ponzu sauce was a great complement.
• Crispy Tempura Shrimp: Again, this could be considered a full meal if you wanted it to be. It comes on a bed of crisp arugula so it’s almost like a shrimp salad!
• Crab Cakes: Ordering crab cakes in Austin could be considered out-of-the-box, but I just had to. The two crab cakes themselves were huge and moist, but the broccoli kale mix they were placed on wasn’t doing it any favors.
• Jeni’s Ice Cream: Coming across a whole mini freezer dedicated to Jeni’s ice cream is a rarity. But Austin loves Jeni’s ice cream. I loved the wide selection of single-serve cups or full pints to have throughout your stay at the hotel. I’ll be dreaming of the gooey butter cake ice cream forever.

citizenM Austin Downtown also features a rooftop bar (cloudM) to accompany its rooftop pool. Offering the same snacks and drinks as canteenM, it’s a basic little setup with poolside drinks and a small selection of snacks.

AMENITIES

• XL king-sized beds
• 24-hour canteenM bar
• 24-hour gym
• Rooftop pool
• Rooftop bar
• European and Netherlands-inspired art
• Free Wi-Fi
• Colored mood lighting
• Widescreen TV
• Power shower
• Books & records to browse (and try!)
• Stylish living rooms
• In-room iMacs
• In-room fridge and freezer

ROOM TYPES

citizenM Austin Downtown features 344 rooms, all of which are the same. The cool thing about this is that it prevents choice overload or price gauging. Everyone in the hotel is staying in the exact same room as you. The choice is yours on what color mood lighting you want to come back to.

THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK

You’re in Austin, what isn’t there to do within a 15-minute walk? Depending on when you stay here, you’re about a half mile from the Austin Convention Center where most of the main programming for SXSW takes place. Heading to Austin for Austin City Limits in October? You’re literally just a couple of blocks away. Want to head out on a nature meets city trail? Lady Bird Lake is also just five blocks away.

A direct two-minute walk from the hotel is Sixth Street. Sometimes fondly known as Dirty 6th, you’ll be steps away from Austin’s lively and eccentric nightlife, boasting famous live music venues, bars, and restaurants. A part of the entertainment district in downtown Austin, you can easily walk to see a show at Antone’s or the Moody Amphitheater, eat some authentic barbecue and watch a live performance at Stubb’s BBQ, and more.

While I’m not big on politics, it’s worth walking and taking a self-guided tour of the Texas State Capitol. It is an iconic landmark after all, surpassing the size of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens make it worth the walk. Should you decide to take a self-guided tour, there are plenty of photo opportunities within the grand marble hallways and ornate staircases.

At the hotel itself, walk yourself to the elevator and head to the 17th-floor rooftop pool. I will say there were less than 10 chairs up here when I went so they are scarce, but if you can secure one, it provides a refreshing “work from home” view.

THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A $20 TAXI RIDE

Because the hotel is in the middle of downtown and doesn’t offer any parking, taking an Uber or Lyft to get around outside a one-mile walk is definitely encouraged.

Boasting over 350 acres of land, Zilker Park is beautiful to spend a day at! You’ll find an abundance of green space to walk, bike, or picnic in. The city’s natural spring swimming pool Barton Springs Pool is also located here. I loved renting a kayak for two hours and going out through Barton Springs into Lady Bird Lake for amazing views of the city.

Zilker Botanical Garden is a great way to wander through some really beautiful flora and fauna. Austin is already a green and lush city but there’s something about peaceful garden trails and Japanese gardens that just hit different.

If you’re looking for something a little less chilled out, Congress Avenue Bat Bridge is seriously so cool. The Congress Avenue Bridge is home to the world’s largest urban bat colony. Between March and November, approximately 750,000 Mexican free-tailed bats roost beneath the bridge and emerge in a mass exodus flying out into the city at dusk.

Pro tip: If you don’t have AllTrails downloaded yet, you’re missing out. While Austin isn’t a mountainous city, there are some pretty great hiking trails at McKinney Falls State Park. Located just 10 miles from citizenM Austin Downtown, you can explore 700 acres full of waterfalls, limestone bluffs, and regional plant and animal life.

BED GAME

Each room is outfitted with an XL king-size bed pushed up horizontally against the back wall. I loved that it was right up against the the wall-to-wall window, allowing you to lay down and look out to the city skyline (unless you like to sleep like a vampire with the blackout curtains shut tight).

The fluffiest pillows and European down cotton sheets certainly made it hard to get out of bed in the morning. Because it is flush up against the wall, you do only have one bedside table, so unless you’re traveling solo, this could pose a problem for a lot of people. It also raises the question of just how this bed was made by the housecleaning staff.

If you are sleeping with someone and they are trying to get past you in the middle of the night… well… you’re going to face challenges.

Rating: 6/10

SEXINESS RATING

The personalized mood lighting in each room was very sexy. As a solo female traveler, I very much enjoyed having the room to myself and settling into my own sensuality with the deep crimson red lighting and the calming energy of the lush green. The sexiness rating could’ve been higher if they made the shower see-through into the rest of the room, but I suppose if you’re traveling with a friend that would be less than ideal. (Depends how fun your friends are, obvi.)

Rating: 7/10

THE VIEWS AND PHOTO SPOTS

The 17th-floor rooftop pool, accented mood lighting with a full body mirror, and European-styled living rooms and furniture lent plenty of space for Instagram-worthy photo spots and city views.

Rating: 8/10

BEST SEASON TO VISIT

This depends on what you’re looking for. March if you want to be a part SXSW, the world’s biggest music, tech, and business conference. October if you want a full-fledged Austin music experience at Austin City Limits. It’s probably best to avoid Austin (and all of Texas) in the dead of summer due to three-digit temperatures.

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING

I’ve had this complaint in other hotels and it still remains: stop making showers over complicated. I consider myself a pretty smart and savvy person, but the shower was overly complicated to figure out how to get hot water. I literally took a cold shower the first night because I thought the hot water just didn’t work.

BOOK HERE

Rooms at citizenM Austin Downtown start at $150 per night.