The Collector hotel is an artsy boutique hotel in Dan Haag (The Hague), Netherlands themed as a collection of collections from tapes to old cameras. The front desk is the center of it all as they make coffees, and alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages within a square of desk and bar counters. It’s also where you’ll pay for bike rentals.
Specifications
- Room Types: The Wallet, The Canvas, The Cabinet, The Frame, and The Collector Loft.
- Pet Policy: Only service animals allowed.
- Accessibility: Elevator building, Request gallery rooms with wheelchair access.
- Transportation: Bicycles for rent, trams nearby.
- Restaurants: The lobby restaurant for breakfast and lunch.
- Parking: No on-site parking. The nearest parking is at Q Park Grote Markt.
The Collector Hotel Experience Is Quirky and Cute
I came from Gouda, Netherlands, and then took a train to Berlin, Germany when I left. The hotel was an easy 15-minute walk to the train station. In front of the hotel is a cobblestone area for walking or biking. The front desk staff are super friendly, and it felt like it was just a few feet to the elevator.
While the room I stayed in was on the smaller side, it was comfy and colorful with a bold yellow rotary phone. As soon as I walked out of my room in the morning, I saw the collections on the wall, one of which was an old disassembled camera. Other collections, such as cassette tapes, are scattered through the hotel.
The lobby/restaurant area has lots of tables and stools with great wifi to get work done. Since my room didn’t have a desk, this was a very important feature. You’ll get to know the front desk staff in the boutique hotel, as they also serve drinks and coffees. You can also order lunch during the day, but you can also sit for hours and never have to order anything.
In the morning, a breakfast buffet for guests is served for free. While I enjoyed smoked salmon, cheese, and a deli meat assortment, my favorite part was the make your own ginger tea option with fresh ginger and lemon. The machine that makes the coffee, cappuccinos, and espresso shots, also does hot water.
When I wanted a late night-ish snack, I crossed the cobblestone courtyard to Mooie Boules with various booths of street food from different regions, ranging from Southeast Asian cuisine to New York pizza. It also features Jeu de Boules, a French game like bocce ball that’s played across Europe.
Pros
- The decor and in-room rotary phones. Having a bright yellow rotary phone in my room was fun and the collections are everywhere.
- The lobby is the perfect, quite place to get work done when you need to. There are over a dozen tables. It doubles as a bar.
- The location is near where one of Van Gogh’s first posthumous exhibits took place
Cons
- The bicycles for rent were not made for short people. I’m 5’4” and the bikes were too tall for me.
- Only service animals allowed. Unfortunately, the hotel doesn’t welcome other pets. It’s a good human hotel, though.
- Desks may not be in rooms. Luckily, there is workspace downstairs.
- No fitness center. The goal in Den Hague is to bicycle and walk for fitness.
- The restaurant doesn’t serve dinner. Luckily, there are dozens of nearby restaurants to choose from.
City Transportation
Getting around the city was easy. I only took public transit once when meeting a friend to go to the pier. Everything else, including museums filled with Rembrandts, and the places where Van Gogh studied painting and his paintings were sold, were within walking distance.
The only difficulty I encountered were that the bicycles for rent at the hotel were not available for people my height. I’m just learning as an adult to ride a bike and was looking forward to biking in the morning to places Van Gogh sketched. I walked there in less than 20 minutes, but I would suggest mapping out local bike rental shops that rent bikes for those of us that aren’t average height in a very tall country.
In My Expert Opinion
I stayed in The Collector Hotel on a media stay for a press trip. I researched hotels before deciding where I’d stay in The Hague. The eclectic theme fit in well with my quest to trace Van Gogh’s historic footsteps. Fun fact, there are hundreds of kilometers of bike trails in the Netherlands dedicated to tracing Van Gogh’s life.
The hotel lived up to everything I expected it to be plus of the friendly staff. You can never tell what you’re getting in that respect before your visit without solid reviews.
The Collector | Hotels in The Hague
I’d recommend looking at the rooms before your visit to make sure you are comfortable with the size of the rooms. The Wallet ones are on the smaller side for what I’m used to in the US. However, the location is great, and the lobby is your living area.
