Have you always wanted to stay on board the ship, but you’re a bit afraid of the rough sea? Or are you an avid traveller, who loves exploring unusual accommodation? Perhaps you’re looking for a special hotel to stay at during your trip to Rotterdam? Look no further, because I have you covered!
The ss Rotterdam is a historical ship turned into a hotel. It used to sail between the Netherlands and New York, starting in 1959. While staying at that unique hotel, you can explore it and learn about how it was navigated or what people were doing during the long journeys. After staying on it twice, here is my complete ss Rotterdam hotel review.
ss Rotterdam Hotel Review
This post contains some affiliate links. Read my Privacy Policy for more info. Our stay on ss Rotterdam was complimentary. However, as always, I’m giving you an honest review here.
The ss Rotterdam History
The ss Rotterdam is a historical ship and a former Holland-America ocean liner. Its first voyage was in 1959 when it sailed from Rotterdam to New York. One of the passengers on her maiden voyage was then Princess, later Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The ship stopped being used as a trans-Atlantic liner in 1968, because of the air travel growing popularity. It became a cruise ship then, mostly sailing to the Caribbean and Alaska, but also occasionally going on world tours.
The ss Rotterdam was the largest-ever passenger ship built in the Netherlands. It finally retired in 2000. The ship’s future was a bit uncertain until 2010 when it got a new purpose as a hotel ship in Rotterdam.
Hotel Ship in Rotterdam
The ship’s engines aren’t in use anymore, so it can’t sail, and it’s permanently docked at its birth city. It’s a pleasant four-star hotel today run by the WestCord Hotels. During both of my stays at ss Rotterdam, the weather wasn’t the best, and it was heavily raining most of the weekend (how lucky am I, right?). So, it was definitely great to stay at ss Rotterdam because of so many interesting things we could do at it.
Boarding the ship
When I first arrived in front of ss Rotterdam, I was mesmerised by its size. It’s a massive 228 metres (748 feet) long ship with ten decks.
There are a few entrances to the ship. However, it’s easy to find your way around because staff members are standing in front of it. They welcomed us and helped us find a reception desk. When boarding the ship, it felt like we were going on a real cruise.
Entering the main deck, felt like stepping back into history. It’s where a beautiful wooden staircase, sitting areas and a lovely piano, one of the guests was playing, are. The reception area is decorated with old suitcases, and dedicated entirely to maritime travel. From the first step on the ship, I was fascinated by its history and the splendorous feel it has.
You immediately feel the ss Rotterdam isn’t only an accommodation, but you’re becoming a part of its unique story. Ss Rotterdam is such an integral part, not only of maritime travel but also the Dutch history. And you can feel that on every corner while on board that beautiful ship.
Hotel Rooms at the ss Rotterdam
As with any accommodation, the ss Rotterdam offers various room types. The biggest difference from a regular hotel is that you can choose a room with or without a window.
Both times we stayed in a superior room on ss Rotterdam and it was spacious and very comfortable. Once inside it, the only thing which gives out you’re on a boat is small round-shaped windows. The rest of it is on the standard of a 4-star hotel. Our bed was so comfortable I wouldn’t mind staying there for a bit longer. The room also had a sitting area with a table which was very nice for enjoying a cup of coffee in the afternoon. It also had a working desk, a large closet, and a separate bathroom and a toilet. The room had all the amenities you expect from that type of accommodation, like the TV, safe, hair dryer, iron, kettle, tea and coffee.
I also enjoyed the small things which make you welcome in a hotel. Like, for example, a handwritten welcome note and a box of chocolate.
The first time I stayed in ss Rotterdam it was in the room with a city view and one of the symbols of Rotterdam – Euromast tower. This time, our view was to the other side, so we enjoyed the view of the Nieuwe Maas River and the ships. Both were beautiful. However, if I had to choose, I’d pick up the city view. You get to enjoy the beautiful modern architecture Rotterdam is home to. At moments, it almost felt as if I was in New York City.
⤷ TIP: Watch my Instagram reel for a short video of the ss Rotterdam hotel room.
Communal areas at ss Rotterdam
Something which also sets ss Rotterdam apart from other hotels is that it still has a vibe of the cruise ship in a way it’s organised. It’s not a place where you’ll come only to spend a night during your visit to Rotterdam. Quite the contrary, it’s a place you’ll visit the Rotterdam for. And you could easily spend lots of time on it.
Its interior, unique double staircase and many artworks on it, like the mosaics, statues or art installations are worth exploring around the ship. It’s also home to several restaurants, bars and cafes.
In its lobby, it has a lovely piano and on the Saturday evening of our stay, someone was playing it creating a beautiful atmosphere on board.
You can walk along its open and closed promenades and, if you’re visiting in the summer months, even enjoy swimming at the pool on one of the decks.
The ss Rotterdam Restaurants
The ss Rotterdam is home to a couple of nice restaurants. During my last stay, we both had dinner and breakfast at Lido Grill restaurant. The hotel has a fantastic view of Rotterdam and its skyscrapers. I loved the restaurant’s romantic dinner atmosphere, with candles and dimmed lights. The restaurant offers a nice selection of steaks and seafood options (my favourite!).
We had breakfast at the same restaurant, which turned into a cosy and bright place the next morning. A great thing about it is if you’re a bit undecided about having breakfast when you’re booking a room, it’s possible to decide on having breakfast in the morning and just show up at the restaurant.
⤷ TIP: My tip here is to have breakfast on ss Rotterdam. It’s really delicious and since the boat is a bit dislocated from the city centre and other restaurants, it comes in handy to opt for having breakfast on board.
Breakfast was great, and there were many different food options to choose from. You can have scrambled eggs freshly prepared for you by the chef. There were also numerous bread, cheese, fruit, vegetables and jam options. I loved the yummy juices and the great coffee, they served, too. We finished our breakfast in Dutch style with some hagelslag.
⤷ TIP: Even if you’re not the ss Rotterdam hotel guest, you can have lunch or dinner at its restaurant. Check out all the ss Rotterdam restaurant options here and be sure to book a table, especially if you’re visiting over the weekend.
Kids activities on ss Rotterdam
Ss Rotterdam is a great child-friendly hotel in Rotterdam, as well. Not only because staying on a historical ship is super fun on its own, but also because of the numerous fun things for kids to do there.
They can play in a playroom on the main desk. Very conveniently, a nice cafe is located just around the corner, so the parents can enjoy a cup of coffee while the kids are playing.
Several special tours and scavenger hunts are also organised for children on ss Rotterdam.
⤷ TIP: Additional activities for kids are organised on ss Rotterdam during the school holidays. So, be sure to check them out if you’re visiting during that time.
Tour of ss Rotterdam
Being a historical ship, ss Rotterdam is not only a hotel today, but some parts of it are used for music and theatre performances, events and conferences. However, a part of it is used as a museum, and it could be visited on a guided tour.
There are a few tour options to choose from which are organised daily between 10 am and 5 pm. We went on a Rotterdam Complete Tour, which combines the audio tour, a guided visit to the engine room and an extensive tour around the ship. In each room was an educator telling you the story of that particular area. We got to see the theatre room (Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin are just some of the stars performing there), specially themed cafes and dance room, and the most luxurious areas of the ship. It was so interesting listening to the stories told by people so enthusiastic about this historical ship.
The visit to the bridge was especially nice because we were greeted by the same educator who showed us around five years ago when we visited the last time (so we had a little reunion and took the ‘then and now’ photos). We got a chance to practice sending a message using the Morse code, seeing the captain’s room and learned about navigating such a massive ship.
Useful Tips for visiting ss Rotterdam
How to get to ss Rotterdam
The ship is located a bit outside the city centre, some 30 minutes walking from the Erasmus Bridge. However, you can also use the metro and a bus to get there. We used Rotterdam Welcome Cards during our stay, which allowed us to travel for free with public transport. A really useful app for navigating public transport in the Netherlands is 9292, although Google Maps works well, too.
If you’re coming by car, you can park it at a large parking space in front of the ship.
Coming to the ss Rotterdam with the water taxi
The most entertaining and quickest way to get to ss Rotterdam is by water taxi. It stops right behind ss Rotterdam, and you can board directly to the ship from the water taxi platform. You can see all the stops and how to contact the water taxi on their website here. A single ride price is 5 euros for adults and 2,50 euros for kids.
When to visit ss Rotterdam
Any time of the year is a great time to visit ss Rotterdam. I visited in September and December, and although the weather wasn’t the best on either of these visits, I still enjoyed it to the fullest. If you’d like to enjoy sunbathing and the outdoor swimming pool, plan your visit in summer. However, if you’d like to get a bit of the holiday atmosphere, visit in December.
Being such an important part of Dutch history, ss Rotterdam is much more than only a hotel. It’s one of the most important Rotterdam sights. I hope this ss Rotterdam hotel review will give you more info about it and help you plan your visit to this fascinating hotel ship in Rotterdam.
Read more about the things to do in Rotterdam:
Rotterdam with kids: Child-friendly weekend in Rotterdam
Rotterdam: City of street art & stylish modern architecture
Cover photo by Manel & Sean on Unsplash