I like Aparthotels, being a big fan of the Aparthotel on the Spree, which we often stay at when fate directs us to Berlin. The Maastricht instantiation is pleasant but lacks the numerous subtle touches that elevate the Spree version above the mundane. Nevertheless I heartily recommend this hotel to anyone attending functions or meetings at the Maastricht School of Business, which is right next door. It’s an economical and functional hotel run by courteous and professional staff.
Internet is both free and operational, which is a big plus. The rooms are functional and clean. Décor leans towards the spare side, with the curious exception of huge cement roses on the small round table in each room, which (in our case) we promptly relocated to the floor so that we could actually use the tables for something other than the care and housing of huge cement roses. Interesting paintings by one particular artist adorn the walls and would make for a passable thesis in intergender and intragender relations as interpreted symbolically, with a decided emphasis on the harmonious nature of female-female interactions and the fraught, angst-laden nature of those between females and males. A pleasant “library” area with tables and chairs is located between the ground and first floors for informal gatherings. The breakfast is not outrageously priced (12 Euros) but frankly, is not very inspiring; a tiny variety of fruit, rolls, some cuts of salami and so on, and coffee. There is a Lidl about ten minutes’ walk away that will give you better pickings at a fraction of the price if, like me, you’re a cheap, uh, fellow. Rudimentary (powdered) coffee is available in the rooms, but ours was not replaced during three days of residence; fortunately we had brought our own, anticipating just that endemic European problem.
Overall, functional, clean, and utilitarian. If your attentions are elsewhere, such as at a conference, then it is a good choice for the area.
- Randwyck Hotel Maastricht
