The Collector

The Collector, The Hague: A Masterclass in Eclectic Charm and Central Comfort

The Collector in The Hague stands out as a Michelin Key Selected property, consistently earning high praise for its unique design, prime location, and exceptional service. Guests frequently laud its distinctive artistic atmosphere and the genuine warmth of its staff, making it a highly recommended boutique hotel for both leisure and business travelers.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for The Collector is overwhelmingly positive, with an impressive overall rating often exceeding 9 out of 10 across various platforms. Guests consistently use words like "exceptional," "wonderful," "beautiful," and "charming" to describe their stays. The sentiment is one of delight and satisfaction, with many expressing a strong desire to return.

2. Key Highlights

The Collector shines in several areas that guests love most:

• Design & Atmosphere: The hotel lives up to its name with an eclectic and stylish interior filled with carefully chosen design pieces, bold and colorful artwork, and surprising collections of vintage items like model cars, rubber ducks, cassette tapes, and buttons throughout the lobby, hallways, and even the rooms. This creates a warm, quirky, and inspiring vibe that feels more like a modern, creative living room than a standard hotel.
• Location: Situated in the heart of The Hague, specifically on the charming Haagsche Bluf courtyard, the hotel offers a peaceful yet central base. It's surrounded by shops, restaurants, and historical buildings, with major attractions like the Mauritshuis, Binnenhof, and Noordeinde Palace all within a short walk. Public transport, including tram stops and Den Haag HS Train Station, is also easily accessible.
• Service: The staff consistently receives glowing reviews for being friendly, helpful, attentive, and going "above and beyond" to ensure a pleasant stay. From providing local tips and dinner recommendations to offering thoughtful gestures like snack bags at check-out, the hospitality is a significant highlight.
• Amenities: Complimentary bottled water, Nespresso machines, and kettles in the rooms are appreciated. The hotel also offers bike rentals, a terrace, 24-hour front desk, and free Wi-Fi.

3. Room Quality

The hotel features 57 rooms across various categories, all designed with an artistic flair. Rooms like "The Gallery" are noted for their bold art above the bed and views of the city or courtyard. While some rooms, particularly "The Canvas" and "The Cabinet" categories, can be on the smaller side, they are generally described as comfortable, clean, and stylishly designed with attention to detail.

Key features include:

• Comfort: Guests frequently mention the super comfortable king-size beds.
• Design: The rooms have a retro-chic feel with bronze accents, hues of green, red, and black, geometric furnishings in an Art Deco style, and unique murals made from collected items.
• Bathrooms: The marble bathrooms with gold accents and large rain showers are a particular highlight, often described as spacious and spa-like.
• Technology: Rooms are equipped with large, tilting flat-screen TVs for streaming, handy USB ports, and outlets by the bed. All units include air conditioning and free WiFi.

4. Dining Experience

The Collector offers a highly-rated breakfast experience:

• Breakfast: The breakfast buffet is consistently praised as delicious, generous, and high quality, with a wide variety of fresh hot and cold options, sweet and savory choices, fruits, pastries, and juices. A highlight for many is the onsite chef who can prepare custom dishes like pancakes, French toast, or eggs to order.
• Restaurant/Bar: The hotel features a bar and a restaurant area known as "Basecamp" which doubles as a relaxed and inspiring lobby space. While there's an onsite restaurant, reviews suggest it focuses primarily on breakfast, with several excellent dining options available within walking distance for lunch and dinner.

5. Service & Staff

The service at The Collector is a consistent strong point, with staff receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. They are described as friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable, attentive, and courteous. Guests appreciate their willingness to go "above and beyond," offering local tips, sightseeing advice, and thoughtful gestures such as providing ice for an injured ankle or snack bags upon departure. The express check-in and check-out services are also noted for ensuring a seamless stay.

6. Location & Accessibility

The Collector boasts an "exceptional" and "perfect" central location in The Hague. It is situated on the Haagsche Bluf courtyard, a charming area with high-end boutiques and a unique architectural mix.

• Attractions: Guests are within a short walking distance of major sights including Grote Kerk Den Haag, De Passage, Binnenhof, Mauritshuis, and Plein.
• Transport: The hotel offers easy access to public transport, being very close to tram lines and about a 15-minute walk from Den Haag Centraal Station. Rotterdam The Hague Airport is approximately 17-19 km away.
• Accessibility Note: The hotel is located in a pedestrian-only zone, meaning taxis cannot drop guests directly at the front door, requiring a short walk.

7. Value & Pricing

Guests frequently rate The Collector as having "exceptional value for the price" and being "worth the cost." It is often considered an affordable, modern boutique hotel offering stylish surroundings and high-quality amenities without the price tag of a five-star property. Typical nightly rates, based on recent data, can start from around $85, with variations depending on room type and booking conditions. Pre-paying for breakfast when booking can offer a smart price.

8. Common Complaints

While overall reviews are highly positive, some recurring minor issues have been noted:

• Room Size: Some guests have found the standard rooms ("The Canvas" and "The Cabinet") to be a "tad small," making it difficult to pass by the bed or lacking a separate seating area within the room.
• Coffee at Breakfast: A minor point of criticism is the self-serve coffee machine during breakfast, with some guests missing fresh, barista-made coffee available at other times in the hotel.
• Lobby Seating: The lobby, while beautifully designed and inspiring, is also the restaurant area, and some guests arriving early for breakfast or wanting to work found there wasn't a dedicated communal area for hotel guests to relax or work at all times.
• Noise: Being in a central city location, some guests have occasionally noted issues with noise levels from the city center at night.
• Minor Maintenance Issues: Isolated complaints have included issues like a cold room with the heat not on, a non-working fridge, or a sewing needle found on the carpet. These appear to be infrequent.

Sources

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