1. Rijksmuseum The Rijksmuseum is probably the most known of…
A place with a story to tell: Hotel New York, Rotterdam
What do you look for in a hotel? Comfort, design, individuality – a home away from home?
The Hotel New York has that all, plus it has a very extraordinary story to tell.
First impression
When entering the wooden revolving door to the Hotel New York I can almost hear the voices of those people that left on big ships on there journey to America in the past. There voices filled with excitement, hope and maybe a bit of fear. This building is full of history: It was once the office of the Holland-America line that organized those big journey to the „New World“.
I am looking around the lobby and what catches my eye first is the iron staircase, a beautiful relic from the past. Then I spot a pile of old suitcases, all just waiting to be loaded up to the ship.
The reception also has this vintage look, I check in and get handed… a proper old-fashioned hotel key instead of those key cards which are common nowadays. Everything to the smallest detail is perfectly thought through.
My Room
I am taking the lift to the first floor and unlock the door, not quite sure what to expect.
The room is bright and has very high ceiling making it appear even more spacious. The room is equipped with modern designer furniture: The king size bed looks very inviting especially after a long day of exploring Rotterdam.
The desk and a comfortable lounge chair can be reached by going up a few steps to a little plateau. Something which I have not seen very often in hotel rooms. The higher platform divides the room into two parts, a living/working area and a sleeping area.
On the desk there is a Nespresso machine, which I love to have in a hotel room. In the morning before going down for breakfast, I always like to prepare myself a cup of coffee and have a little moment to myself before the day officially starts.
The bathroom all covered with the black and white tiles was something to get used to at first glimpse, but then very funny. Also the amenities like the small soaps, lotions and shampoos were designed to look retro proving again the love for detail.
When booking the room make sure to ask for one with a view of the harbor. I loved to sit by the window and watch the ships pass by during the day and see the harbor lid up at night time.
The other rooms
The next morning I get a tour through the other rooms of the hotel. Each room is slightly different and there is also a logic explanation behind it. While the idea was to design each room individually, there was also the problem how to turn the offices that already existed into a hotel room. This required creativity but worked out wonderfully in the end: For example one bathroom was built in a former lift. A genius idea and a fun little detail for the guest.
I especially liked the board room suites, the spacious former offices of the board of the Holland-America line that are in the corner of the building and have the best view. With a lot of historical elements, but also modern design and nice extras like a bathtub in front of the window, this room has all the luxuries you could wish for while the eventful history of this building is still visible.
The restaurant
The restaurant of the „Hotel New York“ is not only visited by hotel guest, but actually a local favorite to have lunch or dinner. It is known for the great selection of sea food, as well as hearty meals.
It is open from 7 am until 1 am and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and also has a large drink menu.
Since it can get quite busy, the best thing is to tell the receptionist in advance that you would like to eat in the restaurant and they make sure that a table will be reserved for you.
If you are not staying in the hotel, but are curious, I can only recommend to have a drink or food there and have a look around the beautiful hotel. There is so much to discover, from old paintings, maps, suitcases etc. All of those items with a special story to tell.
Information:
Hotel New York, Rotterdam
Rooms from 99 Euros
Disclosure: Traveler’s Little Treasures was a guest to this hotel. Please note that my opinion is as always, my own.
Thanks a lot for sharing this with all folks you actually know what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Please also visit my website =). We can have a hyperlink exchange contract among us|