This is an iconic building. The management office of the former Holland America line. This location is the starting point of the crossing people made between 1800 and 1971 from Rotterdam, NL, to New York, USA. The hotel can be reached both by road and by water taxi.
The hotel is located at the head of the Wilhemina pier, this is without doubt the most famous hotel in Rotterdam.
Because it is an old office, the facilities are limited. There is no pool or spa in the property. There is also no fitness room, although it is easy to achieve.
Room (#113)
We have room 113. In many hotels there is no room number 13 in terms of numbering, here the Dutch sobriety predominates. The room we have is a Maas room and therefore has a view of the river. Most rooms in the hotel have a water view, you pay here which water view you want.
The room is large, has a herringbone floor, a large bed and a desk in the form of suitcases. I appreciate that the stylists carry the style of the old office use throughout.
The room is clean and in our view recently upgraded. There is a large bath in the bedroom, which also functions as an eye-catcher.
The bathroom is functionally furnished. A toilet, a walk-in shower and a sink. The walk-in shower provides more than enough water and can be set wonderfully warm. I can stand in a shower like that for hours.
The bed sleeps very well. We were lucky that a window could be opened. Understand that not every room has windows that open.
The view of the Maas is great from the room.
Common areas
You see you are in an old/historic building. Many unique details such as the steel staircase, the floor, the wainscoting, etc. We think it is a shame that many details such as the white tile wall have stands. For example, there is merchandise in front of a door and there is a rack with folders in front of a very beautiful wall. As a result, the hall comes into its own less. Pity. Let the old lady shine.
There is a backlog in maintenance, which is also a pity. For example, the building needs painting, there is a lot of damage on the walls, there is different carpet on the stairs and the floor has cracks. This is easy to fix and then the hotel would be top notch.
The general area is very nice and very characteristic. This property in its former glory would be magnificent. An eye-catcher in Rotterdam.
Restaurants
The grand cafe / restaurant is located on the ground floor. The interior is industrial, which fits very well with this building. Superb! Breakfast is served here as well as lunch and dinner. A large open space. It reverberates slightly because of the industrial design. Here you can meet up with groups of friends for a cup of coffee or a drink.
Basement is located in the basement, this is a trendy restaurant and cocktail bar. It’s more fine dining here. A total of 150 guests can eat at Basement.
The terrace outside has been one of the hotspots of Rotterdam for years. We had coffee and cake here when we arrived. The terrace is almost always full. A view of the Maas, the Euromast and the building make the terrace a unique location.
Breakfast
Breakfast was not included in the room rate. Breakfast is served in the grand cafe. It is completely self-service; from coffee to bread. The breakfast is good, but we expected a little more. Because there is a patisserie in the hotel, the croissants are very fresh, but unfortunately the bread is not freshly baked at the location. We also missed elements such as freshly fried eggs and jam. This was not present due to Corona.
Overall the breakfast is good, but we had slightly higher expectations, especially after the pastry the day before and the fact that we thought the bread would come from our own kitchen.
Overall
A unique hotel in a beautiful location. The service from the reception and in the restaurant / terrace is very good. The building needs maintenance because of the years it has been there. When it is ready it will be even more beautiful than it already is. We will gladly come back.
Score
- Ambiance : Unique location, no 10 due to overdue maintenance. Great classic look. 9.5
- Room : Large room, nice view, great bed. 9.7
- Price : Price – Quality well balanced. 9.5
- Service: Good service, specially that from the reception. 9.8
- Cleaning : Room very clean. It could be better in the general areas, but this is also related to maintenance. 9.4
- Overall impression: 9.6
Like this article a lot. Will stay here next time I am in The Netherlands/ Rotterdam.