Hotel ML
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Hotel Details
Location
Hotel ML · Haarlem, Netherlands
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Key Highlights
- ✓Exceptional Dining: The presence of a Michelin-starred restaurant, Restaurant ML, along with a popular bistro, is a significant highlight.
- ✓Comfortable Beds: Hotel ML is one of only two hotels in the Netherlands fully equipped with Hästens beds, contributing to a wonderful night's sleep.
Expert Review: Hotel ML
Hotel ML in Haarlem, a Michelin Key Selected property, consistently garners positive reviews for its charming blend of historic ambiance and modern comforts, coupled with exceptional dining and a prime central location.
Overall Rating & Sentiment
Hotel ML holds a "Very Good" overall rating of 8.3 out of 10, based on over 1,000 reviews. The general sentiment is highly positive, with guests frequently praising its unique character, comfortable accommodations, and excellent service.
Key Highlights
Guests particularly love Hotel ML for several standout features:
- Historic Charm Meets Modern Style: The hotel is housed in a beautiful, monumental building, a former printing house, exuding an atmosphere of the past while offering a modern, stylish, and comfortable setting.
- Prime Location: Its central position directly across from the iconic St. Bavo Church (Grote Kerk) and Klokhuisplein is a major draw.
- Exceptional Dining: The presence of a Michelin-starred restaurant, Restaurant ML, along with a popular bistro, is a significant highlight.
- Comfortable Beds: Hotel ML is one of only two hotels in the Netherlands fully equipped with Hästens beds, contributing to a wonderful night's sleep.
Room Quality
The hotel offers 17 unique rooms and suites, each designed to be spacious and well-equipped. Many rooms feature atmospheric touches like wooden beams, small windows, and cozy alcoves, providing a distinct character. Guests consistently describe the beds as very comfortable, and rooms are generally found to be clean and quiet, even those with views of the lively square. In-room amenities include air conditioning, an Illy coffee machine, and luxury bath products from Marie Stella Maris. Some suites also provide bathrobes and slippers. However, some guests have noted that comfort rooms might not always match photos, and issues such as inadequate lighting, the absence of a comfortable chair, or a leaking tap have been mentioned.
Dining Experience
Hotel ML boasts a renowned culinary offering:
- Restaurant ML (Michelin-starred): Awarded a Michelin star again in 2024, Restaurant ML, led by Chef Mark Gratama, offers high-quality, elegant, and bold cuisine with exciting flavor combinations. The sleek, modern decor and open kitchen allow guests to witness the passion behind the dishes, which playfully combine textures and push culinary boundaries. The wine list is carefully curated by sommelier Lisa Muuse.
- Bistro ML: This bistro provides an approachable, cozy, and affordable dining option throughout the day, from breakfast to dinner, and features a charming terrace with views of the St. Bavokerk.
- Breakfast: A comprehensive breakfast is served daily (Mon-Fri 7-11 AM, Sat/Sun 8-11 AM), costing €19.50 per person (some sources indicate €22.50). Guests consistently rate the breakfast highly (8.8/10), describing it as "amazing," "fantastic," and "exceptional," with an impressive array of food, including assorted breads, pancakes, muffins, cheese, yogurt, granola, fruit, meat, and eggs. While generous, one guest noted the breakfast as pricey.
Service & Staff
The service at Hotel ML is frequently highlighted as a strong point. Guests describe the staff as super friendly, accommodating, helpful, personable, and very welcoming. There are instances of staff going above and beyond, such as assisting a guest who fell ill.
Location & Accessibility
Hotel ML enjoys an excellent location in the heart of Haarlem's vibrant and monumental center, situated directly on Klokhuisplein. It is just 350 feet from the center of Haarlem. Key attractions like the Grote Kerk and Teylers Museum (2 minutes walk) are easily accessible on foot. The surrounding area offers numerous shops and restaurants. For transport, it's an easy ride from Schiphol Airport via Bus 300. The Haarlem train station is about a 12-15 minute walk from the hotel, which some older guests found a bit far after a day of extensive walking. Haarlem itself is often chosen by visitors for its quieter atmosphere compared to Amsterdam.
Value & Pricing
The hotel receives a "Very Good" rating of 8.2 for value for money. While the hotel states its rooms with Hästens beds are available at "affordable rates," the comprehensive breakfast, currently priced at €19.50 or €22.50 per person, has been considered pricey by some guests. Prices for rooms vary depending on dates and room type.
Common Complaints
Despite overwhelmingly positive feedback, a few recurring criticisms include:
- Lack of Facecloths: Some guests have noted the absence of facecloths with the towels, which is a common observation for European hotels but still mentioned.
- Room Discrepancies/Functionality: One guest found their "Comfort Room" did not look like the photos. Issues like inadequate room lighting, the lack of a comfortable chair, and a reported leaking tap have also been mentioned.
- Sloping Roofs: In some rooms, particularly those with quaint features like sloping roofs, guests found it necessary to maneuver around them.
- Breakfast Price: While highly rated, the breakfast cost has been noted as expensive by some.
- Walk to Train Station: For some, particularly older guests, the 12-15 minute walk to Haarlem train station was considered a bit unwelcome after a long day of sightseeing.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •Despite overwhelmingly positive feedback, a few recurring criticisms include:
Google Reviews
1,278 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
Bart
This review is for the bistro of the hotel. We had dinner in the Bistro. The hotel receptionist cum waitress and her colleague were very attentive and food tastes very good. We will come back to try the Michelin restaurant.
René Poeltl
We were guests of the 1 star Guide Michelin restaurant in the hotel ML in Haarlem. We were there for dinner. We didn't stay in the hotel. The restaurant in the hotel ML in Haarlem is situated in the middle of the hotel. It has an open kitchen - you can sit on bar stools next to the kitchen and the cooks, we sat in one of the two guest rooms which have a nice combination of historic ambiance with ...
Nooreen Preusser
Many notes of excellence: room comfort, location, breakfast, service and hospitality!! I would definitely stay here again in Haarlem. Note: they can organize a taxi to and from Schiphol that can enter the pedestrian zone and therefore stop right in front of the hotel (useful if you have larger suitcases).
TV V
This is a review for the 1-star Michelin restaurant. The variety of ingredients in the food and wide range of cooking techniques was impressive. However, the overall tastiness of the food did not live up to our expectations. The worst part is that we got bad food poisoning symptoms that evening afterwards.
michael r
This is a review for the restaurant, not hotel or bistro. We opted for a la carte ( simply too much food for us in 5-6-7 courses meals). We ordered sea bass and entrecote. We're given appetizers anyway( complimentary). All was rather interesting. Entries were quite good. Menu does not say it, but sea bass was tartar. It was great, but unexpected, we had to switch entries, my spouse is not into tar...
Nicole Cadiz
Hotel ML Very central in main square so location is great. Services rooms with comfortable bed and great bathroom towels. Neat and spacious rooms. Review on restaurant. Set in a beautifully restored Rijksmonument, ML pairs refined architecture with a contemporary atmosphere. Chef Mark Gratama delivers inventive French-international cuisine, with standout dishes including a delicate amuse-bouche, ...
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