What is Librije's Hotel?

Librije's Hotel is a Selected hotel located in Zwolle, Netherlands. It has been recognized by the Michelin Guide for its exceptional hospitality and unique experience.

How many Michelin Keys does Librije's Hotel have?

Librije's Hotel has been awarded Selected by the Michelin Guide, indicating a very special stay.

Where is Librije's Hotel located?

Librije's Hotel is located in Zwolle, Netherlands, in the Europe region.

What makes a Selected hotel special?

Selected hotels provide very special stays with excellent service and a unique sense of place.

How do I book Librije's Hotel?

You can view more details and booking information for Librije's Hotel through the Michelin Guide website. Each Michelin Keys hotel offers a unique booking experience tailored to their guests.

Librije's Hotel | Selected in Zwolle, Netherlands

Name: Librije's Hotel
Address: Zwolle, Europe, Netherlands
Rating: 4.5

Expert Review: Librije's Hotel

Librije's Hotel in Zwolle, Netherlands, stands as a distinguished Michelin Key Selected property, offering guests a truly unique and luxurious experience within the walls of a former 18th-century women's prison. This boutique hotel is consistently praised for its exceptional service, distinctive design, and, most notably, its direct connection to the renowned three-Michelin-starred Restaurant De Librije.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The overall sentiment for Librije's Hotel is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing their stays as "wonderful" and "superb." Review platforms often show high scores, with Booking.com ratings around 9.2-9.3, reflecting excellent guest satisfaction across various categories such as location, cleanliness, and staff performance. The hotel is considered to be on par with the Netherlands' best luxury hotels.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently highlight several standout features:

Unique Historic Setting: The hotel's history as a former women's prison, originally built in 1739, provides a captivating and distinctive atmosphere, with preserved elements like old cell doors and bars contributing to its special look and charm.
Culinary Excellence: The presence of the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant De Librije on-site is a major draw, offering an extraordinary gastronomic journey.
Impeccable Service: The highly attentive and friendly staff, including dedicated butlers, ensure a personalized and pampering experience.
Luxurious Design & Amenities: The blend of historic architecture with avant-garde, contemporary design, coupled with high-tech amenities and thoughtful touches, creates a comfortable and visually striking environment.

3. Room Quality

Librije's Hotel boasts just 19 luxurious and individually designed rooms and suites, ensuring a focus on detail and uniqueness. Rooms are described as spacious, visually striking, and comfortable, blending modern, fresh styles with historic elements like massive timber beams and arched ceilings.

Each room and suite is equipped with premium features, including:

Comfortable Auping beds.
Flat-screen TVs (some Bang & Olufsen) and Bose sound systems.
Integrated iPad service with internet access.
Complimentary and well-stocked minibars.
Coffee and tea-making facilities.
Sustainable NewLin® hotel linen and an extensive range of Malin + Goetz guest articles.
Individually controlled air-conditioning.

Junior Suites and Suites offer even more space, with separate sitting areas, and some special facilities such as rain showers, infrared saunas, or extra-large baths, like the "Vanille" and "Bubbels" suites.

4. Dining Experience

The hotel's dining experience is primarily defined by Restaurant De Librije, a culinary destination with three Michelin stars. Chef Jonnie Boer's cuisine is inventive and modern, deeply rooted in the products of the native Netherlands, with a strong emphasis on local and sustainable ingredients. The dining room, sometimes featuring a glass ceiling, provides an impressive and relaxed atmosphere.

Beyond the exquisite dinner, guests consistently rave about the breakfast, which is described as "brilliant" and a "sumptuous" 4-course meal served in the restaurant. The hotel also houses Librije's Zusje, another in-house dining option.

5. Service & Staff

The service at Librije's Hotel receives universal acclaim. Guests frequently use terms like "excellent," "top-notch," "friendly," "attentive," and "unobtrusive" to describe the staff. The presence of butlers catering to guests' every whim further elevates the personalized experience. Staff are noted for their passion for hospitality, their ability to answer questions, and their overall efficiency.

6. Location & Accessibility

Librije's Hotel enjoys a prime location in the heart of historic Zwolle's city center. It is conveniently situated within walking distance (10-20 minutes) of major attractions such as the Grote Kerk, Peperbus, Sassenpoort, Thorbeckegracht, and the Zwolle railway station.

For international travelers, Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is approximately a 1.5-hour train ride away. The hotel can arrange taxi services or private chauffeurs from the Zwolle railway station for added convenience.

7. Value & Pricing

Given the luxurious nature of the hotel and its association with a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Librije's Hotel is positioned as a high-end experience. While the "Value for money" rating on Booking.com is still very good (8.8-9.0), guests acknowledge that it comes at a significant cost.

The hotel offers "arrangements" that combine an 8-course dinner with wine pairings and an overnight stay, with prices for two people typically ranging from €1,530 for a Royale room to €1,860 for a Magnolia suite. Despite the high price point, many guests consider the comprehensive luxury, culinary journey, and impeccable service to be well worth the investment for an unforgettable "complete experience."

8. Common Complaints

While reviews are overwhelmingly positive, some minor points have been noted:

Subjectivity of Cuisine: One review of Restaurant De Librije mentioned that while the cooking was technically correct, it personally lacked "real standout dishes" for them and that some flavor combinations were less effective, though this is a subjective culinary assessment.
Service Interaction: A guest noted that some servers at the restaurant were "a bit cold," attributing it to potential cultural differences and language barriers, although overall service was still highly commended.
Desire for Longer Stays: A recurring "complaint" (more of a wish) is that guests often find their stays too short to fully enjoy all the hotel and its surroundings have to offer.

Overall, Librije's Hotel delivers an exceptional luxury experience, deeply intertwined with world-class gastronomy and housed in a captivating historic setting, making it a highly recommended destination for those seeking indulgence and unique charm.

Sources

Points to Consider

•Desire for Longer Stays**: A recurring "complaint" (more of a wish) is that guests often find their stays too short to fully enjoy all the hotel and its surroundings have to offer.