City Hotel Nieuw Minerva

We enjoyed the good breakfast, which had enough choice for us, and thought the stay was great value for the money. The staff were friendly and helpful, and you can go downstairs for drinks. We didn’t need a minibar or safe, though I did miss having a small electric kettle in the room. The hotel occupies five old buildings in the town center, and I found it charming and full of character. We had a nice corner room overlooking the canal. One night, some partygoers shouted outside for a while, but not for long. That sort of liveliness can happen in a central location. We had a wonderful time and would stay again.

Room 11 had a remote-controlled skylight and blinds, a nice touch. The rooms are simple but perfectly good, and the hotel makes an ideal base for exploring Leiden. It’s a delightful place in the heart of a glorious city.

On my last morning, a Saturday, the building’s fire alarm went off at 7 AM. I got an apology and an explanation, but nothing else. Free breakfast would have been a better way to make up for it. I spent three nights in room 6, which was depressingly shabby. The shower door wouldn’t close all the way, and the neighbor across the street could see into the room. The curtains didn’t close fully either. I should’ve paid more attention to the reviews. They make clear that the hotel website and Google photos are deceitful. There seems to be time to reply to reviews, but not to paint or update a room. I won’t come back or recommend this place to anyone I like. I hope this review pushes the hotel to do better. Please fix a room instead of replying to me.

When we told the front desk about the noise as we were leaving, the young woman there was very apologetic. The owner was sitting nearby and heard us, but said nothing about the problem and walked into the breakfast area. An owner who won’t address an issue or support his staff shouldn’t be in hospitality. We were at Hotel Nieuw Minerva during a bike tour. The central Leiden location was excellent, bike storage was good, and the young front desk staff were welcoming. But we were in room 1, between the hotel bar and another bar room at the back. On both nights, a loud, rowdy group arrived between 10 and 10:30 pm and stayed until at least 11:30. Cleanup started after they left, so sleep was impossible. We didn’t say anything after the first night because we thought it was a one-off.