6 Best Hotels in Delft, The Randstad

In this tastefully restored 17th-century inn, once the home of painter Jan Steen, antiques grace each spacious room, all of which feature extra-long beds with custom-made mattresses, and some with cozy canal views. Steen, one of the great painters of The Hague School but largely unrecognized in his day, lived and painted here and took in guests to supplement his income.

Several period touches stand out amid the chain stylings, helping these otherwise anonymously furnished rooms opposite Oude Kerk retain some historic charm without sacrificing modern creature comforts. Guest quarters are spread through a complex of three buildings and a warren of corridors.

Built in 1601, the city's former arsenal also had an interim life as the Army Museum, until a lengthy renovation saw it transform into the city's newest luxury hotel, where the furniture is modern, but features such as exposed brickwork and oak beams pay tribute to its lengthy history. Outside rooms look onto the adjoining canals, while quieter inside rooms surround a spacious interior courtyard.  

Just a stone's throw from the main market square, many of this hotel's simply but smartly furnished rooms overlook a canal, others a pretty courtyard, and two are "in" the courtyard, in restored gypsy caravans. Wherever they are, all rooms are individually styled, equipped with good bathrooms, and enjoy friendly service.

You'll be spoiled for choice of Old Master views at the first Delft hotel to pay homage to the town's most famous son: the pleasant modern rooms (with beams and other nice touches) at the front overlook a canal, while those at the back have a sweeping city view that takes in three churches. This former cigar factory today has unobtrusive decor, awash in tasteful greens and yellows, and the staff here are pleasantly friendly. The garden behind the hotel is a mellow place to have a drink. The restaurant is open only for groups (advance arrangements essential)—a shame, because its walls are adorned with reproductions of Vermeer's entire corpus, his Girl with a Pearl Earring taking center stage.

Occupying a lovely 18th-century town house on one of Delft's prettiest canals, Royal Bridges plays on its setting with guest rooms and public areas that tend toward modernity, but which still highlight historical features, including the oak-beamed ceilings in some rooms. Ask for a room on the ground floor if stairs are an issue for you.