Van der Valk Hotel Leiden

The location wasn’t good for me. I was recommended the hotel by Lorentz center, but there’s no bus to the center or university. Google Maps shows one, but it never comes. The hotel looks fancy, but the service and rooms were really bad. My basement room felt suffocating, the bed was awful, and after they cleaned the room one day, they left the window open without checking whether that might be a problem. They gave me a little fan heater that barely warmed my hands, and didn’t check on me or move me to another room. I couldn’t sleep all night. Not a good place to stay.

I came to van der Valk for a business meeting at the cafe. The canal view was lovely, but lunch was just average, not awful, but nothing special. The salad didn’t come with enough sauce, portions were on the small side, and the bread was very ordinary. I expected more from a 4-star hotel.

The room was very nice, and after arriving at Schiphol Airport and cycling to Leiden without sleep, we needed somewhere comfortable. Dinner was only so-so, though we were too tired to enjoy it properly. The front desk was the one disappointment. The girl there wasn’t as friendly as staff at other hotels I’ve stayed at, and when you’re excited to be on a trip, it’s nice to be greeted warmly. But then came breakfast! This hotel chain’s breakfast deserves all the praise and shouldn’t be missed.

Dinner was exquisite, though the breakfast was less impressive. Some of the breads and pancakes weren’t fresh. The hotel is clean and comfortable, with nice facilities, and this one has an old but charming feel that I loved. The elevator was really dirty, and I hate box beds because they come apart in the middle of the night, so I can’t sleep comfortably with my boyfriend. I’d love to see them replaced, though maybe that’s asking too much. Van der Valk quality! I still had a great time.