[uggboylovestravel]

Our stay in April 2016. 2 nights/ 3 days

The Mainport Hotel in Rotterdam by Inntel Hotels is the only 5 Star luxury design hotel in the city. Since it was my better half’s birthday we wanted something special again in April 2016 and after long consideration booked the Mainport Hotel, our second Design Hotel Member after Das Stue in Berlin in which we stayed in April 2015.

We were in contact with the hotel before our stay to organize some treats for my fiancé’s celebration and to tell them our preferences.

We also received a special offer for breakfast via email, which we took up. The original cost would have been 28 Euro (ca. 31.15 USD) per person, but it was reduced to 20 Euro (ca. 22.25 USD) per person.

At first we weren’t sure if we would like the location entirely since it wasn’t in the city centre per se, but in the Inner Harbour of Rotterdam. It proved to be ideal for us to explore the city by tram and underground.

The hotel is located by the water and “hugs” it.

Our journey started in Dublin. The flight to Amsterdam Schiphol was pleasant and eventless with Aer Lingus. We then took the train to Rotterdam Main Train Station, which is a magnificent building, and bought there a three day OP Card to have unlimited access to the public transport system in Rotterdam. It cost 16.50 Euro / ca. 18.35 USD per person. The Metro Station Leuvehaven is directly across the road from the hotel.

The Mainport Hotel is easy to identify. It has a chakra as its logo. It was specifically created for the hotel. Feran Thomassen was responsible for the interior, MAS Architects for the exterior.

The ground floor has a large open space with high floor to ceiling windows and dark floors, maps of sea routes and the world and stylish seating areas. The reception and the concierge were based there too. Guests could browse the oversized Design Hotel Catalogue in the lobby as well for even more travel inspirations ahead.

Another nice touch were the show cases for spa products, watches, Mainport branded articles and jams made locally by underprivileged persons to allow them a better life, for sale at the hotel.

Check in was done quickly and my fiancé’s birthday the next day was also mentioned.

Our preference for a higher floor was definitely considered. We were given a room on the highest floor, which was inspired by the Far East. It was just right for us, since we love to travel to this region. Each floor is dedicated to a different continent/region of our beautiful planet.

The Spa Heaven was on the same floor.

Our room and the floor were decorated with tapestry in red, black, yellow and orange. The prints depicted dragons, Chinese doors, Indonesian puppets, pots and kois.

The carpet included the chakra.

Our Superior Room with Harbor View was large with a small hallway and wooden floors. The toilet was in its own room just by the entrance to the left. The only minor gripe would be that the toilet room didn’t have a sink or disinfectant, so you had to walk with your unclean hands to the main bathroom around the corner.

The bespoke Doux Luxury and Comfort Bed was large and as the name implied comfortable. It allowed for a good night’s rest due to the support the mattress provided.

The floor to ceiling windows offered stunning views over the harbor and the city which felt awesome and made the room look bigger and brigther with a stunning outdoor backdrop on offer.

The svivable flat screen TV offered regional and international channels and stood on a credenza straight after the bed. It could be easily enjoyed from there or the modern seating area with coffee table, where the design continued. The chair might look uncomfortable, but it was the whole opposite and we enjoyed sitting there.

There were also a notebook, where guests could leave impressions for other guests behind, and a city map.

The minibar contained some interesting items like Healthy Juice (4.50 Euro / ca. 5 USD), a ladies kit (3.95 Euro / ca. 4.40 USD), the love kit (3.50 Euro / ca. 3.90 USD) or the 50 Shades of Grey kit (29.95 Euro / ca. 33.20 USD).

An Illy Coffee Machine and capsules were provided. Surprisingly only the first two capsules were free, otherwise 2.50 Euro (ca. 2.80 USD) were charged.

24 hour in room dining was available. We used it once during our two nights stay. We ordered a large bottle of Acqua Panna, Dutch Bitterballen (bitterballs) with mustard, Yakitori with Wakame salad and soy sauce, 2 Tuna Salad Sandwiches with gherkin, paprika and red onion and a New York cheesecake. The portions were very generous.

It was our first time we had bitterballen, which we liked and would eat again.

The meal was delicious and of memorable/good quality.

It cost 45 Euro (ca. 50 USD) which we judeged to be good value.

The writing desk was beautifully decorated with nautical and Indonesian/Japanese maps with Tokyo also mentioned and a lamp shade, shaped like a lighthouse lantern. We found it inspirational and had already liked the map inlay at the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London in which we stayed earlier in February 2016.

There was also a Spa Heaven brochure. Treatments start from 45 Euro (Hamam, ca. 50 USD); massages and facials from
65 Euro (ca. 72.25 USD).

On my fiancé’s birthday the treats arrived as requested, including cupcakes, chocolates, jellies, strawberries, Turkish nougat and blueberries. The personalized birthday card was a nice touch.

The bathroom was located near the writing desk, giving the actual living space an interesting shape.

It was fully marbled and had a separate jacuzzi bathtub with nozzles and shower, sink and Malin and Goetz amenities, which we love.

The shower was large and had no door. It reminded us of some of the showers we had in other hotel rooms in Asia, it was superbly designed and no water splashed out of the shower either. The water pressure was strong and accurate.

On Level -1 were the Cocktail Bar On The Rocks and Restaurant Down Under, where breakfast was served. The dining room was cosy, but there was always a space available for us during breakfast. It overlooked the harbor and the ships docking in front of the hotel.

There was an extra room for the buffet and people flow was managed well.

Breakfast offered a wide selection of tea or coffee as self-service. At first we had some difficulty figuring out how to get hot water. We asked one of the waitresses, who seemed to have heard the question not for the first time. Actually it was very simple. There is a button in front of the tap you have to press…good to know and thinking about it today which lets us smile.

There was an egg station, where all fresh egg dishes, pancakes, waffles and French Toast were made to order.

Other selections included cold cuts, smoked fish, pasta, rice, sausages, bacon, cheese, cereals, fresh fruits, yogurt and much more, all of high quality as one would expect at such a beautiful hotel.

The omelette and French Toast come highly recommended.

After our two nights/ three days it was already time to check out for our flight to Hamburg, Germany where the Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten was waiting for us for our next two nights/ three days ahead.

We loved how different the hotel looked like compared to others, that it is travel inspired and that it had the same high standard as Das Stue in terms of service, design and location. Staff was attentive, efficient and friendly. For all those reasons we would stay again at this memorable hotel in our future, when in Rotterdam.

Would we recommend this hotel to a friend? YES!
Would we want to stay again at this hotel in our future? YES!

[icenspice]

@uggboylovestravel

I never tire of your hotel reviews. I think I should take a leaf out of your book and spend more time looking at hotel options.

Cheers

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uggboylovestravel

[MartynSinclair]

Another great review and this time I could follow exactly where you were and agree with every part of the review. I stayed in this hotel last Thursday night and it was superb.

I was on Giraffe floor and my room had its own sauna and double Jacuzzi bath – problem was I was sadly on my own!! I loved sleeping with the curtains wide open and seeing the water front when I woke up.

Only minor comment is this is an SPG hotel, but not full SPG benefits offered.

Looking forward to returning one day..

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uggboylovestravel

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