SWEET LITTLE SUITES

Today, travellers seek unique and special experiences beyond the ordinary. Staying in small suites offers the same appeal. Hidden gems in cities where you can book an unforgettable night with your loved one or a friend.

Nowadays we go for unique and special experiences that are not everyday. The same goes for staying overnight in small suites. Hidden gems in cities where you can book an unforgettable overnight stay with your loved one or a (friend). In short: sweet little suites are popular!Text: Ivo Weyel
Online editing: Mical Joseph

Bridge keepers' houses

They were once bridge keepers' houses, where watchmen operated the bridges and allowed boats to pass. Now they have been transformed into completely unique design hotel rooms. There are 28 in Amsterdam, from the Amsterdam School to modernist examples from the 1673s. In North there is one on the Noordhollandsch Kanaal (three floors high). And in the middle of the Amstel, opposite Carré, is the oldest, dating from XNUMX. SWEETS hotel Amstelschutsluis is only accessible by boat.

Airplane suite Teuge

Are you unsure about purchasing a private plane? Go to Teuge and book a night at the Airplane Hotel to see if you like it. There is a forty-meter-long jet (with the cockpit intact) with hotel accommodation (double bed, three TVs, bath, shower, sauna, kitchen, lounge, dining area) that can be booked for one night (via bank transfer, no credit cards). He no longer flies, but anyone who wants can book a sightseeing flight, get a flying lesson or step into the flight simulator.

Le Baiser du Shogun

The suite is called Le Baiser du Shogun which literally means 'The Kiss of the Army Leader who Defeats Barbarians'. It is 265 square meters, bright red, full of Buddha statues, dragons and candles, has a four-poster bed, a sauna in the shape of a wine barrel, a fireplace, jacuzzi and a rain shower. And oh yes, there is also a stream flowing through the room, with a wooden Chinese bridge over it to reach the bed. And that in the Belgian town of Ensival (who doesn't know it?).

The Best of Home Suite, Martin's Patershof

Hotel Martin's Patershof is located in an 800-year-old church in Mechelen, and the best suite in the house (hence the name The Best of Home Suite) is at the top, right above the altar, halfway up in the sky. The room is round with typical church-shaped colored stained glass windows all around that sometimes light up the suite in red, sometimes green, yellow or any other color combination. The feeling may be heavenly, but the comfort is contemporary luxurious with a direct WiFi line to God.

The Imperial Suite, Hotel Okura Amsterdam

Hotel Okura Amsterdam has had the largest suite in the Benelux for years. It's called The Imperial Suite, measures 485 square meters and costs, as the English always so beautifully put it, well over ten thousand. Multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, meeting room, private home cinema for twelve guests, and phenomenal views from the 17th and 18th floors, connected by a glass staircase, above which a one-of-a-kind chandelier hangs like a glass waterfall in the stairwell.

Heaven and Stars, Euromast

There are two suites on top of the Euromast, Heaven and Stars. You can sleep there, in total seclusion at a lonely hundred meters altitude, when all the day trippers have disappeared, with a 360 view of the Rotterdam city and harbor from the (then) private terrace, with a bottle of champagne, jacuzzi and breakfast (all included in the price). ). An absolutely unique experience. Sipping champagne in a bathrobe and slippers is not only fun on a wedding night, but also just in between on a weekday, because you're worth it (thanks to the L'Oréal slogan).

The Shelter Church

Reformed people were not hotties in the past; From 1578 onwards they banned all other faiths in Amsterdam. So people went into hiding in secret churches while praying. This mini copy, in the heart of the city center, with its own entrance alley with secret code, has been beautifully renovated (everything that glitters is gold, from the all-seeing eye to the Holy Spirit above the bed). It is not much bigger than the bed, but infinitely high. Luxurious bathroom and underfloor heating. Costs around €500. Fresh rose petals sprinkled on the bed (romantic mood?) costs €35 extra. So it is better to bring your own rose and pick it on the spot.

Harlingen Lighthouse

I was reminded of the poem A people that yields to tyrants by HM van Randwijk, which ends so beautifully with '... then the light goes out'. The light in the lighthouse is out for good (there is now a regular lamp above what is now a dining table), but for those who can climb stairs, it is a nice place to stay. The lighthouse for yourself, three floors high and then an endless staircase to the roof where you can dine and gaze into the horizon from the surrounding terrace. The lighthouse keeper (she is still there) brings the breakfast basket to bed.

Crane hotel Faralda

Sleeping in an old crane is something different. Crane Hotel Faralda is located above a former harbor crane on the NDSM site on the banks of the IJ in Amsterdam North. It has three suites, the largest (and top) of which is a bit slutty (faux fur blankets, gold pillows, black curtains around the bed), but that does not detract from the spectacular character of sleeping in a crane. Upstairs in the open air, at a height of fifty meters, is a jacuzzi for romantic bathing under the starry sky. You can go there by private helicopter (which lands right next to the crane) when you arrive at Schiphol in the private jet. That only costs €1.500 extra for a one-way ticket in the EC120 helicopter type.

Unparalleled Suites

A suite with a theme is something different. The Pulitzer Hotel in Amsterdam has several under the name Unparalleled Suites. All are small private canal houses with their own entrance on the canal. There is the Book Collector's Suite with an arch of books between the bedrooms and sitting rooms, a huge library and purely literary accessories. The Music Collector's Suite has trumpets on the wall, a guitar for making music yourself in the corner and an unparalleled collection of LPs with an old record player. There is also an Art Collector's Suite (see photo) with modern art from floor to ceiling and an Antique Collector's Suite.