Page 390 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

388  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

WHERE TO STAY

The Netherlands offers a variety of hotels, hostels or B&Bs. Campers, too, will
accommodation to suit every traveller’s be spoiled for choice here, with numerous
tastes and needs, ranging from inexpensive campsites and caravan parks, often situated
backpacker hostels to pricey château in stunning locations. For those who intend
living. Visitors can choose to stay in one to stay in a particular area over a longer
of the luxury chain hotels here, which period of time, camping is an especially
vary from bland to spectacular, but there economical option. Visitors who need more
is also good accommodation to be found spacious or convenient accommodation
in historical castles, convents, prisons, can book one of the 350-odd bungalow
mansions – and in one case, a harbour parks in the country, or rent an apartment
crane – that have been converted into in one of the many coastal towns.
Hotel Types Hotel Chains
There is a huge variation in Most major hotel
the price, quality and facilities chains are represented
offered by different hotels. The in the Netherlands,
choice is greatest in Amsterdam including Best
and the larger cities, where Western, Golden
there is something to suit every Tulip, Hilton,
traveller’s pocket. There are also Holiday Inn,
plenty of choices further afield, Mercure, NH and
generally at lower rates. After Radisson. Most of
hotels, bed-and-breakfast (B&B) these can be found
accommodation is also plentiful. in the bigger cities,
As these lodgings are offered although some are
by individuals rather than by situated in country
chains, this type of accom- areas also. Chain Stylish interiors of the Het Arresthuis, Roermond (see p401)
modation may vary greatly in hotels range in
nature and level of comfort – quality from fair to excellent, Categories
one night you might be staying and in size from large to All hotels in the Netherlands
in a family home, and the next massive, and cater to tourists are categorized according to
in a chic country estate. The and business travellers alike. international standards under
least expensive form of Their scale, and often their the Netherlands Hotel
overnight accommodation internationally recognized style, Classification system, which
is in a hostel. Stayokay runs mean that chain hotels are awards each hotel with one to
25 well-appointed hostels generally less personal than five stars. Hoteliers class their
throughout the country, individually operated hotels, but hotels themselves, after which
ranging from a house on the when you spend the night in an inspection is carried out by
top of a dune to a medieval one of these, you are usually an independent organization.
castle, and featuring dormitories assured of a competitively The number of stars awarded
or private rooms. priced and hassle-free stay. to each hotel depends on the
facilities it offers: the more stars
it has, the more luxurious it is. A
one-star hotel is basic and may
or may not offer breakfast. In
two-star hotels, at least 25 per
cent of the rooms will have their
own bathroom or shower and
WC. These hotels will also have
a guest lounge, and a lift if they
are more than three storeys high.
Three-star hotels are considered
middle of the range. Their rooms
have central heating, and at least
half have their own bathrooms.
Four-star hotels will have a night
bar; also 80 per cent of their
rooms will have en suite bath-
Château De Havixhorst (see p400) in De Schiphorst rooms, and all of them have
A typical boat restaurant in South Holland

388-391_EW_Netherlands.indd 388 14/03/2017 15:04
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.7)
Date 5th March 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm