On the one hand, it’s very cool to be able to say we stayed in a palace. We could easily tell one of the larger meeting rooms had been a place to entertain many guests, maybe even a ballroom. The yard behind the hotel is lovely and inviting. The staff were helpful. The breakfast buffet was typical for European hotels, and we found the variety of Dutch breads, cheeses, and sprinkles a nice touch. The location in the center of town can’t be beat. Our bed was comfortable, as were the pillows. Being able to open the windows was wonderful, since we like to sleep cold. They even provided a fan that we could use both to keep the room cool and give us some white noise On the other hand—someone needs to put a lot of money and love into this place. It is in desperate need of a major facelift. We stayed on the first floor and the carpeting in the hallway was terribly stained and worn—sometimes right through to the floor. While the carpeting in our room was a tiny bit better, it looked so bad, I didn’t want to walk barefoot on it. The walls in the hall and in our room desperately need to be painted. I wouldn’t even sit on the furniture upholstered in cloth in our room. Everything was saggy and worn. I was also put off by the door locking with a key that only worked part of the time. There was no safe in the room and because we only had an old-fashioned key, we carried everything of value with us wherever we went. For quite some time, I wondered if I just didn’t have an adventurous spirit and needed to remember that perhaps standards in other parts of the world are different from what I’m used to. And yet… While having to park 500 meters away was a pain, I completely understood that Leeuwarden wasn’t constructed to accommodate parking lots near hotels. That’s simply the hotel and town’s historic roots. Would I have liked plush towels? Yes. Not a dealbreaker. But I still can’t get past how many areas hadn’t had attention for so long and what amazing potential the hotel has if someone would put some loving care into it.
Very Good
69 Reviews