Warm and minimalist apartment hotel in seaside Noordwijk, the Netherlands

Benedict / Noordwijk / South Holland / Netherlands

The Netherlands, although a small country, has a long coastline. Along the coast there are several old classic seaside resorts, and Noordwijk is one of the classic ones being fairly close to both Amsterdam and The Hague. It was back in the mid 1800s where it started to become popular to come to the seaside for the fancy folk. On top of the tallest dune hill in Noordwijk is where you’ll find the only (?) proper design hotel in this town, the Benedict.

The hotel is made up of two separate buildings, that are both from the beginning of the 1900s. They have been totally refurbished when creating the Benedict hotel. The man behind the design scheme is Paul Lines from Amsterdam design studio, Studio Lines. (He has been involved in designing to other Dutch hotels that I have stayed at, Pillows Ter Borch in Zwolle and The Dylan in Amsterdam). The key words that the design revolves around at the Benedict were comfort and quality. The hotel, although having a minimalist look, feels very warm, welcoming and homely. Which to me, is a very difficult challenge to succeed with.

There is a total of 24 different apartments/studios at Benedict, created to feel like a home away from home, where all have individual layouts and sizes where the common denominator is the soft, grey, muted tones. Our apartment was upstairs in the main building and was just the perfect size for the two of us. I especially liked the Togo sofa, the incredibly comfortable bed and the stylish kitchenette, placed in a corner under the slanted ceiling. The furniture is a mix of handpicked design classics combined with bespoke pieces, where it all looks and feels very structural. And what is worth to mention is the owners extensive art collection that is displayed around the hotel.

When creating the Benedict the ambition wasn’t merely to create a high level design hotel, but also to do it with sustainability in mind. For example, the hotel is heated with a geothermal heat pump and it is a 100% non-toxic environment. And on the topic of environment, the area surrounding Benedict and Nordwijk is one of the most beautiful in The Netherlands where you can bike and hike along endless paths, criss-crossing the rolling dunes.

Welcome to Benedict! Located in the hills above downtown Noordwijk on the Dutch coast.

The hotel is located in a more residential and calm part of Noordwijk, a short stroll from downtown and the seafront.

The entrance reveals what to expect at this minimalist boutique hotel.

The Salon or living room manages to be warm and welcoming but at the same time discreetly designed with an air of lux.

You can just pop downstairs for your coffee fix when there is a need.

Our room, or apartment, was designed in the same style, muted tones and minimalist, sleek furniture.

Even the tea towels follow the color scheme.

And the most important part of any hotel room, the bed.

I am a huge fan of this Togo love seat that was placed next to the window in our room. So comfy!

The bathroom was designed to look like a vintage one, although being brand new.

The bath room products were from Danish design brand Frama.

The area surrounding Benedict and Nordwijk is stunning. With winding bike- and hiking paths snaking through the sand dunes along the coast line.

Heading down to the beach for a dip in the North See.

Even though this is during the height of Summer there are stretches of the beach where you are almost all alone.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are a fan of minimalistic design where 50 shades of grey is the aesthetic. If you are looking for an apartment in a beachy community but you still like a sense of style for your seaside holiday hotel. I am sure you will appreciate the Benedict.

My favorite thing about this place…

…was the cohesiveness. I love when there is a design idea that is executed fully. At the Benedict there isn’t one single thing that feels out of place but every detail is there for a reason, down to the bathroom products and the tea towels in the kitchenette. So regardless if one loves minimalism or not, this is a masterclass on the subject.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to go for a run, hike or bike ride along the winding dune paths. It is such a beautiful area to explore. And every now and then there is a trail taking you down to the beach where you can have a dip in the fresh North See. A recommendation is to go for a section as far away from Scheveningen, Wassenaar, Katwijk or Noordwijk as possible where you can end up having a stretch of beach almost all to yourself.

If you like this hotel you might also like…

Hotel âme, Rotterdam, Netherlands

TypeO, Ystad, Sweden

Pillows Ter Borch, Zwolle, Netherlands