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Where to stay in Rotterdam? Best districts + Hotels

Looking for the best place to stay in Rotterdam?

Follow the guide, we have tested, listed and detailed for you the best areas to stay in Rotterdam as well as the best accommodation.

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⏰ Don’t have time to read everything?

Here are our 3 favourite accommodations listed by price category:

🚨 Note: These hotels are among the most popular, so don’t delay in booking. Plus, they offer free cancellation, so don’t worry if you change your mind

(€) Le Marin Boutique Hotel. Very nice renovated cheap hotel in Rotterdam located close to the main points of interest. Book here.

(€€) Citizen M Rotterdam. Hotel located close to the sights with a great view of the old harbour. Book here.

(€€) ❤️ The James Rotterdam. Hotel located in the heart of the city, 500 metres from the Markthal. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are very attentive. Book here.

🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈

The best areas to stay in Rotterdam

Rotterdam is a city we love to visit. Check out our selection of our favourite neighbourhoods and places to stay in Rotterdam.

For your first stay in Rotterdam: Oude Noorden

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Oude Noorden, just north of the city centre, is a popular place to stay in Rotterdam because of its picturesque character.

Indeed, this district escaped most of the damage caused by the two World Wars, which in our opinion makes it an ideal place to discover pre-war architecture in Rotterdam!

Once a working-class neighbourhood, Oude Noorden has become a popular destination for visitors, with designer boutiques, jazz clubs and cafés.

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Here you’ll find a melting pot of cultures and cuisines. If you’re visiting Rotterdam for the first time, Oude Noorden is the place to stay!

5 things to see and do in Oude Noorden:

– Walk along the Nordsingel, a street that runs alongside the canal

– Shopping at De Hofbogen (independent design and fashion boutiques)

– Take in a concert on the roof of the BIRD Jazz Club

– Stroll along the multicultural Zwart Janstraat

– Attend a classical music concert at the Bergsingelkerk (or simply visit the church).

Here are our favourite hotels for a first stay in Rotterdam

Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Rotterdam.

(€) Le Marin Boutique Hotel. Very nice renovated cheap hotel in Rotterdam located close to the main points of interest. Book here.

(€€) Citizen M Rotterdam. Hotel located close to the tourist sites with a breathtaking view of the old port. Book here.

(€€) ❤️ The James Rotterdam. Hotel located in the heart of the city, 500 metres from the Markthal. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are very attentive. Book here.

🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈

To visit Rotterdam: the city centre

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Unlike most Dutch cities, Rotterdam’s city centre is not just a square surrounding a central church: as a result of the conflicts of the 20th century, many of the old buildings disappeared… and the majority of those that have survived can be found here in the city centre.

If you like to visit the city you’re staying in, then the city centre is the place to stay.

This area of Rotterdam is home not only to characteristic buildings from the 1900s, but also to numerous museums, shops and restaurants… in short, an ideal place for a holiday!

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We warn you: the city centre may be a little more expensive than other areas of Rotterdam, but at least here you’ll be close to everything, and it’s easy to get around on foot or by bike!

5 things to see and do in the city centre:

– Shopping at the Markthal (the market hall), where the ceiling houses the largest work of art in the world!

– the Cube Houses

– the Church of St Lawrence in Rotterdam

– the market on Place Binnenrotte (Tuesday & Saturday)

– an evening at the Biergarten, a cool beer bar with live music and barbecues in summer.

Here are our favourite city centre hotels in Rotterdam

Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Rotterdam.

(€) The Marin Boutique Hotel. Very nice renovated cheap hotel in Rotterdam located close to the main points of interest. Book here.

(€€) Citizen M Rotterdam. Hotel located close to the tourist sites with a breathtaking view of the old port. Book here.

(€€) ❤️ The James Rotterdam. Hotel located in the heart of the city, 500 metres from the Markthal. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are very attentive. Book here.

🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈

A romantic night in Rotterdam: Delfshaven

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Delfshaven is another of Rotterdam’s great areas to live in these days: it has an atypical charm, which is why we suggest it if you’re travelling as a couple! For us, it’s the best place to stay in Rotterdam.

This picturesque marina, one of the few to have survived the bombings, is steeped in history, not least because it was the point of departure for the Pilgrim Fathers (in fact, you can still visit the church where they met at the beginning of the 17th century before setting sail for America!)

The locals earned their living by fishing or distilling gin, which is why this district is full of gin bars!

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You can also visit the 185-metre-high Euromast tower, Rotterdam’s highest point and famous for its views over the city.

Once a port area, Delfshaven is now an ideal residential district for lovers of Rotterdam, with picturesque streets and canals.

5 things to see and do in Delfshaven :

– the Pelgrimvaderskerk, the church of the Pilgrim Fathers

– De Distillerketel, a 17th-century windmill that is still in operation today!

– Admire the architecture of the buildings along the Nieuwe Maas

– De Delft, a replica of an 18th-century warship

– a game of pinball at the Dutch Pinball Museum

Here are our favourite hotels for a romantic break in Rotterdam

Note: Don’t delay as these hotels are among the most booked in Rotterdam.

(€) Le Marin Boutique Hotel. Very nice renovated cheap hotel in Rotterdam located close to the main points of interest. Book here.

(€€) Citizen M Rotterdam. Hotel located close to the tourist sites with a breathtaking view of the old port. Book here.

(€€) ❤️ The James Rotterdam. Hotel located in the heart of the city, 500 metres from the Markthal. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are very attentive. Book here.

🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈

Where to stay in Rotterdam with children: Blijdorp

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For travellers looking for a family-friendly neighbourhood in Rotterdam that’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, Blijdorp is the perfect place to stay in Rotterdam!

The major attraction the district has to offer is Rotterdam Zoo, one of the oldest in the Netherlands.

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The nearby Vroesenpark is where the locals go when the weather is fine: it’s a lovely park where you can relax and let the kids run free!

The district is also home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the former Van Nelle tobacco factory, which is known for its contemporary architectural style.

5 things to do and see in Blijdorp :

– rotterdam Zoo

– a relaxing walk in Vroesenpark

– an ice cream at Ijssalon Gie Gelato

– the former Van Nelle tobacco factory

– the Rotterdam Marina

Here are our favourite hotels for a family break in Rotterdam

Note: Don’t delay as these hotels are among the most booked in Rotterdam.

(€) Le Marin Boutique Hotel. Very nice renovated cheap hotel in Rotterdam located close to the main points of interest. Book here.

(€€) Citizen M Rotterdam. Hotel located close to the tourist sites with a breathtaking view of the old port. Book here.

(€€) ❤️ The James Rotterdam. Hotel located in the heart of the city, 500 metres from the Markthal. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are very attentive. Book here.

Going out in Rotterdam: Cool District

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The aptly named Cool District, located in the city centre, is one of the best places to party in Rotterdam. Filled with trendy bars, eccentric cafés and friendly bars and restaurants, this district is full of personality!

Dating back to the 13th century, the Cool District’s historic buildings have largely been demolished, but the area now has a much more modern scene.

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There’s so much to do here, from shopping in the high streets to hitting the bars.

It’s worth noting that this part of Rotterdam, because of its central location, isn’t the cheapest, but as you’ll be right in the centre, you’ll be able to walk or cycle to just about anywhere, saving on transport costs!

5 things to see and do in the Cool District:

– the lively Witte de Withstraat (bars and restaurants)

– admire the street art on the façades and in the sculptures

– the Boijmans van Beuningen art museum

– a classical music concert at De Doelen

– a play at the Rotterdamse Schouwburg

Here are our favourite hotels in Rotterdam’s Cool District

Note: Don’t delay as these hotels are among the most booked in Rotterdam.

(€) The Marin Boutique Hotel. Very nice renovated cheap hotel in Rotterdam located close to the main points of interest. Book here.

(€€) Citizen M Rotterdam. Hotel located close to the tourist sites with a breathtaking view of the old port. Book here.

(€€) ❤️ The James Rotterdam. Hotel located in the heart of the city, 500 metres from the Markthal. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are very attentive. Book here.

For peace and quiet in Rotterdam: Kralingen

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Kralingen is home to the Kralingse Bos, a park with a lake where Rotterdammers regularly sail and swim: perfect for sunny days!

The area is home to elegant villas and the Erasmus University, making it a melting pot of residents and students. The Trompenburg Arboretum is also worth a visit, with its botanical gardens and tea room. At Kralingen, you’ll love this green lung in the middle of Rotterdam!

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Fifteen minutes to the east of the centre, mansions costing millions of euros stand alongside student residences and social housing: you’ll have understood that in Kralingen you’re bound to find quiet accommodation to suit all budgets!

5 things to see and do in Kralingen :

– enjoy the greenery of the large Kralingse Bos

– go boating on the park’s lake

– enjoy a meal by the water on the terrace of the De Tuin van de Vier Windstreken restaurant

– admire the beauty of the flowers and trees in the Trompenburg botanical garden

– enjoy the musical atmosphere at Locus Publicus

Here are our favourite hotels in the Kralingen district of Rotterdam

Note: Don’t delay as these hotels are among the most booked in Rotterdam.

(€) Le Marin Boutique Hotel. Very nice renovated cheap hotel in Rotterdam located close to the main points of interest. Book here.

(€€) Citizen M Rotterdam. Hotel located close to the tourist sites with a breathtaking view of the old port. Book here.

(€€) ❤️ The James Rotterdam. Hotel located in the heart of the city, 500 metres from the Markthal. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are very attentive. Book here.

Where to stay near Rotterdam? Dordrecht

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Would you like to visit Rotterdam but are looking for a nice place to stay outside the city?

Then we strongly recommend Dordrecht. Why this little town in particular? Founded in the 13th century as a port city, it’s quite simply the oldest in the whole of Holland!

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This small, unspoilt area is therefore best reserved for lovers of historic monuments. Although no longer a major Dutch city, Dordrecht remains rich in architecture, culture and history.

Just 30 minutes by car from Rotterdam, Dordrecht combines the charm of the old with the excitement of a more modern city nearby!

5 things to do and see in Dordrecht :

– enjoy the view of the port from the terrace of a café

– the Church of Our Lady of Dordrecht (whose origins date back to the 10th century!)

– the Dordrechts Museum, which houses a fine collection of paintings by Dutch masters

– discover the large nature reserve of the Biesbosch National Park

– the Kinderdik windmills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (20 minutes away by car).