Affable urban hotel in eclectic Rotterdam with a gentle 70s vibe

Morgan & Mees / Rotterdam / Netherlands

Rotterdam is a town that I have close relationship with. One reason is that it reminds me so much of my hometown of Göteborg. Just like Göteborg Rotterdam has an industrial past with a thriving maritime industry and busy harbor but had to redefine itself when many of the companies started to look east. This created space for the creative class that moved in and made their stamp on this Dutch second city. The other reason is that we used to live here so I have spent a lot of time exploring this expansive city by foot and by bike. Rotterdam, that was more or less totally demolished after WWII, has become a playground for architects and city planners alike. It is in this diverse city you’ll find the comfy, cozy boutique hotel that is Morgan & Mees.

Morgan & Mees have been running a hotel in Amsterdam and in 2023 they decided to open their second one in the second city. It is located in the Nieuwe Binnenweg area, which offers an attractive and eclectic mix of restaurants, bars and shops.

When you arrive at Morgan & Mees you already know you will be in for a treat when you see the old Bauhaus building dating back to 1938. The interior is equally impressive with its warm and rich look, where the reception is facing you head on as you walk through the doors. I have realized what an important feature that is in a hotel. This means that you feel seen and can be properly welcomed when arriving, compared to when the reception is tucked away in a corner somewhere. The color scheme is dark with beautiful terrazzo floors and mood lights. To the left of the reception is the bar, to the right the restaurant and upstairs the 20 rooms and a roof top terrace. Simple and straightforward.

We stayed in an Extra Comfy One which was a huge room with factory style windows which I love. Probably stems from watching all those American series growing up where the people all seemed to live in huge loft apartments in some trendy neighbourhood in downtown NYC or somewhere in LA. The massive windows fill the room with light showcasing the unique design that to me feels like it has a kind of 70s vibe with a low slung sofa, soft color scheme, vintage looking patterns and signature yellow lamps.

Even though Rotterdam has so many great places for food, I can warmly recommend eating at the hotel, especially the breakfast. The avocado toast with poached egg was so delicious and a perfect start when exploring one of my favorite cities.

The lobby area is dark, almost mysterious with terrazzo floors and mood lights.

This sofa is next to the reception. Love this print!

To the right of the reception you’ll find the restaurant…

…and to the left there is the bar with its unique selection of furniture.

Heading up to our room. In the back there is this wooden extension housing 3 of the 20 hotel rooms.

Our room was in the old brick building and it was huge.

A mix of different patterns, colors and textures is always a hit in my book.

This sofa that can be turned into an extra bed is so great. Once again, the pattern!

It makes me happy to stay at hotels that understand the importance of mood lighting.

The bathroom with the same terrazzo pattern as the reception. Very clever connection.

The bathroom products from Dutch brand Marie-Stella-Maris. The scent of black pepper is fab.

My favorite feature of our room, these massive factory style windows that flooded the room with daylight.

Morning has broken and it is time for breakfast. Although Rotterdam has a lot of great places for breakfast, it is worth going for the one at the hotel.

One can never go wrong with a avocado and poached egg toast.

One of the things I like to do when staying at hotels is to have a look at the staircase and the public restrooms. To me, this says a lot about a hotel’s design ambitions. To spend time, energy and money on the common areas and the rooms is a given for most, but the ones that also invest in great design in these “forgotten” areas, show that they mean business.

Heading out, Rotterdam is such an eclectic town when it comes to design and architecture. This is the Depot, a publicly accessible art storage facility.

The stunning Erasmus bridge with one of the city’s most iconic buildings in the background, *De Rotterdam*, created by superstar Rem Koolhaas who was born here in town.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are one of those who loves urban boutique hotels with a local feel. If you want your hotel to be small with relaxed service, unique design and to be located in a vibrant area (doesn’t that kind of tick all the boxes for the perfect urban hotel?), then you’ll really like Morgan & Mees.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the ambience. It is rare to find urban hotels where the service and the general atmosphere is so friendly and welcoming. Many urban hotels have a tendency to feel anonymous and cold. Not this one. Morgan & Mees feels like a warm embrace when coming in from having explored Rotterdam.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to look up. To me, Rotterdam is one of the most interesting cities when it comes to architecture. The town needed to be rebuilt after WWII and luckily in the next town, Delft, there is one of the best universities in the world for architecture. As a consequence the town is an eclectic mix of old and new, modern and traditional, brutalist and subtle… Basically a city of contrasts that is a joy to experience when cycling around town.

If you like this hotel you might also like…

Redchurch Townhouse, London, Great Britain

Hotel Rochechouart, Paris, France

Hotel Pigalle, Göteborg, Sweden