Pietermaai Studios

I’d stay here again, though I’d request a room elsewhere in the hotel. Ours was on an upper loft level, and the bathroom had these views. The hotel is right in the middle of everything, which is convenient, but our small building sat in the middle of Ginger's outside dining area. It felt a bit strange walking through diners to get to our room. On Thursday, a band played just outside; they finished at 10:30, with music carrying on until a little after 11, so it wasn’t extremely late.

The location in Pietermaai made it easy to walk to downtown Willemstad, restaurants, and the Queen Emma “swinging” bridge. It’s a great base for sightseeing and eating out, and the property has a charming character. We had loud construction noise outside our first room, but the staff dealt with it right away. They moved us to an upgraded room and checked in during the rest of the trip to make sure things were going well. From arrival onward, everyone was very accommodating and made us feel well looked after. The hospitality and service were a big part of what made the stay so good. I highly recommend it for both the location and the staff.

We love being in the middle of the bars and restaurants, so the evening noise is part of the appeal for us. If quiet nights are what you want, you’d choose somewhere else. We’re already looking forward to booking our next holiday here. Pietermaai feels livelier every year, and the hotel sits right at its heart. The whole team makes you feel welcome and is always ready to help. The housekeeping ladies and maintenance crew work hard to keep the beautiful buildings in great shape, and that helps create an easygoing holiday feel. Thanks especially to Evi, who I believe is the owner. You can tell she works behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly, and the team reflects that effort. The hotel and surrounding area keep getting better. This is just what we want from a vacation here.

The apartments were unbearably hot because there’s no air conditioning in the living areas or kitchen, and the street and nearby construction were noisy. Staff told us to open the windows, which also let in noise from the ocean. We were so miserable that we checked out early and found another hotel. They refused to offer any discount or refund. Huge disappointment. I recommend staying away.