Boutique Hotels In Holland

Holland's pretty towns and cool cities are full of great little boutique hotels that are perfect for weekend breaks. And I have for you here a guide to the best boutique hotels in 10 of the loveliest destinations - beyond Amsterdam - for mini-breaks in Holland by train.

You'll find everything from luxury style and characterful canal-side lofts to cool urban design. And the hotels are all handy by foot and public transport for both train stations and not-to-be-missed sites.

So if you are planning a quick get away or to tour Holland by train do check out these picks.

And for more tips read my guide to Weekend Breaks In Holland By Eurostar

Rotterdam

Holland's old port of Rotterdam has been regenerated and is buzzing with new architecture and design hotels in the central districts between Rotterdam Centraal station and the striking Erasmus bridge.

• Hotel Light : a youthfully, cool great value hotel close to the museums.
• Super Nova : a super stylish "non-hotel" covering a range of budgets.
• Hotel Mainport : a big 5 star design, hotel in the harbour near Erasmus bridge.
• Hotel James : a 3 star design hotel with some good value rooms
• Roommate Bruno : just over Erasmus bridge, part of a Spanish chain of bold, boutique design hotels across European cities
• Sudemar Boat: stay on a traditional Dutch sailing boat moored close to museums, Markt Hal, the Erasums bridge & metro stops.
• Hotel Santa Maria : not at all grand but characterful and exceptionally good value close to the major museums.

Delft

The key things to see in pretty, little Delft are all within 20 minutes walk of each other and within 10 or so minutes of the station :

• Johannes : bright lofts above a fun cafe.
• Hotel Arsenaal : a cool but characterful hotel in the old Delft Arsenal.
• Casa Julia : simple, beautifully light rooms in a very good value B&B just a few hundred metres from Royal Delft.

Den Haag

These boutique hotels are all within 20 minutes walk of Den Haag Centraal station around the Hojvijver pond in the centre of Den Haag. The hotels are all just minutes from tram stops direct from Centraal station :

• De Salon Van Fagel : spacious rooms in this small boutique hotel, some with private roof terrace and garden.
• t' Goude Hoft : over 400 years old Den Haag's oldest inn is primarily a restaurant but also some stylish boutique rooms.
• Park Hotel : a central hotel with a range of rooms from singles to junior suites and a large garden.
• Paleis : 20 traditionally styled, reasonably priced rooms.
• Bacan : a simple, tiny B&B less than 5 minutes from the Hofvijver.
• Des Indes : den Haag's landmark grand old hotel hardly counts as boutique but is worth knowing about as backup.

Leiden

These boutique hotels and B&Bs are all within 10 minutes walk of Leiden's many world class museums and 20 minutes from Leiden station, from which there is a good bus service :

• Huys Van Leyden : traditional but characterful luxury styling.
• De Barones Van Leyden : sister hotel a few 100 metres away.
• Ex Libris : 8 bright rooms in the midst of the museums.
• NR22 : simple but charming B&B with a cool loft room.
• Steenhof Suites : 14 luxury suites in two beautiful old canal houses.

Eindhoven

If you're after Dutch urban and modernist design rather than pretty canal side strolls, Eindhoven is the place to go and these boutique hotels capture the Eindhoven vibe :

• Kazerne : stunningly designed, (if expensive), boutique hotel suites in a design exhibition space with achingly cool restaurants and bars.
• Marienhag Hotel : a good value boutique design hotel innovatively built into old abbey buildings.
• Hotel Match : bold, eclectic, industrial chic styling in the heart of the city.

Middelburg

Little Middleburg is tucked away in Zeeland but has some fantastic little boutique hotels which make a wonderful base for exploring the dunes and dikes of the Dutch coast :

• Roosevelt : a beautifully converted hotel opposite the Abbey with individually designed rooms that can be good value. You can bring your own bike or hire one.
• Loskade 45 : simple, bright rooms in a small family run boutique hotel with a brasserie serving organic food.
• Logement t'Oude Bierhuys : a little coffee house and cafe with rooms including an adorable one bedroom "house" in a courtyard.
• Poorthuys : a smart little B&B in an old Doctor's house in the centre of Middleburg.

Zwolle

Head to Zwolle, an old Hanseatic league town east of Amsterdam, for amazing food. These hotels are all within 20 minutes walk of the station:

• De Librije : one of the world's best restaurants with gorgeous rooms and suites.
• De Pelsertoren : cool styling in a historic tower.
• Oldenburg : simple good value near the museum.
• Grand Hotel Ter Borch : part of a small Dutch luxury hotel chain

Dordrecht

Holland's oldest city, Dordrecht is a wonderful place to really explore the Dutch waterways. You can even get there by water bus from Rotterdam and these boutique places are all about the water :

• Villa Augustus : an uber cool hotel & restaurant in an old water tower with an amazing tower top, lantern room, secret garden room and floating rooms on the water.
• Ecolodge : these floating rooms are in the Biesbosch national park which you can reach by boat from Dordrecht and then canoe around.

Breda

Home of one of Europe's largest and oldest jazz festivals, Breda isn't awash with independent boutique hotels but if you're there for the festival try ...

• Hotel Nassau : striking rooms, with some big views in an old converted church.
• Bliss Boutique Hotel : luxury suites in the centre of town.

Haarlem

Haarlem is a lovely, relaxed town just outside Amsterdam that makes a perfect base for exploring both the capital, the coast and pretty towns north of Amsterdam and has some very attractive boutique hotels within an easy walk of the station.

• Staats Hotel : a beautifully styled boutique hotel with restaurant just a few minutes from Haarlem station.
• Hotel ML : another individually styled boutique hotel with attached restaurant just off Haarlem's market square.
• Boutique Hotel Brass : a range of 17 attractive suites, (including some small, very affordable ones), in central Haarlem.
• Hotel Malts : a small characterful B&B in an old building in the centre of Haarlem

If you really want to chill for the weekend and just potter around Haarlem's beautiful canal side museums and cycle across the dunes to the beach you should also check out the lovely 't Vosje Boutique Hotel a 15 minute cycle from the station.

So there you go, a list of the best independent boutique hotels across Holland that are perfect for weekends away by Eurostar.

Original image sources : canal side, windmill, houses.