Le Marin Hotel Rotterdam City - Handwritten Collection

The first room I was given didn’t have the desk I’d booked for work, but the staff sorted it straight away and moved me to a lovely replacement. It was quick and painless. On the first floor, the room was spotless, comfortable, and well equipped, with a courtyard view and a big tree. The bed was cozy, everything worked, and there was enough room to lay out my yoga mat. It’s a little outside the main tourist areas, though I enjoyed the roughly 20-minute walk. The staff were wonderful, and I’d happily stay again.

The breakfast was a pleasant surprise for a small hotel, with tasty food and a good selection. I just wish the buffet plates were kept beside the food, since the ones already on the tables had dust on them by the time we sat down. The staff were kind in our brief encounters and replied quickly to my later email. The room design is nice and it was clean and well kept, but staying there wasn’t comfortable. I knew from the photos that the interior would be dark, so that look itself wasn’t an issue. The problem was the lack of adjustable light. The bathroom light was so poor that doing makeup was nearly impossible. There was also a moldy ceiling, no window or ventilation, and a smell that lingered. Dust showed up against the black furniture, and with the small lamp on I could see it floating in the air. The walls were thin, and the very heavy doors slammed and shook the corridor whenever someone came or went. I woke up several times, feeling as if someone were entering my room. I can’t blame the guests for that, since the doors are built that way. Even with some good points, I wouldn’t return or recommend it.

We stayed for two nights and had a positive experience. A delayed flight meant we arrived late, but the receptionist was great and very helpful. The reception has modern decor, the rooms and bathrooms were spacious enough, and the hotel has free wifi. Daytime reception staff were excellent too. Rotterdam central station is about a 10-minute walk away, and I’d recommend the hotel.

Breakfast was a poor fit for a 4-star hotel: there was no coffee because of another “technical issue,” and all they had were two croissants and four pieces of fruit. We also had no hot water on the morning we left, and nobody at checkout asked how the stay had gone or apologized. We’d booked a comfortable room at Le Marin Hotel, but because of a “technical issue” we were moved to a dusty room of only 12m². The lower price, two bicycles for three hours, and parking didn’t come close to making up for it. The whole stay fell well short of what I’d expect from a 4-star Accor property. I was deeply disappointed by the service and by the gap between the experience and what’s advertised.