Anegang Boutique Hotel

This boutique hotel is in a good spot in Haarlem, and you can make tea once you reach your room. But if service matters to you, I wouldn’t recommend it. Entry relies on digital keys for both the front door and the room, which could be a problem if your phone dies or gets lost. It didn’t happen to me, but I saw another couple arrive in the rain and find themselves unable to get inside. Once through the door, you’re faced with a steep, narrow staircase and have to haul your luggage up it.

Right in the middle of Haarlem, and a nice, tidy place. The room is small, but that’s not much of an issue if you’re out all day. It has a hair dryer, towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, an iron and board, a safe, and a little fridge. The main entrance and room doors open with your phone, which is handy. Everything was clean and the decor looked good. I’d change the bed, though: it’s very soft and narrow.

There are quite a few steep stairs to climb to reach the room, though that seems fairly standard in the Netherlands. Once there, the room was clean, spacious, and very nice, with all the amenities; the bathroom was roomy too. Service was basically absent, since check-in and check-out are handled electronically through their website.

If you can sleep through noise and don’t need much comfort, perhaps this place is for you. I found the room cold and lacking basic comforts: no cups, and not enough bedding. Outside noise came through, while the air conditioning was loud and worked poorly. The small beds were low quality, towels were scarce and poor quality, and the narrow stairs were difficult to manage. There was no reception or help when something needed sorting out. It felt like a survival-skills exercise, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who needs proper rest.