Worldhotels, one of the leading groups for independent hotels worldwide, welcomed a truly unique hotel to its portfolio on 1 October 2012 – the iconic ss Rotterdam, located in Rotterdam, Netherlands.Inaugurated in 1958 in Rotterdam with its maiden voyage taking place the following year, ss Rotterdam was the flagship of the Holland America Line fleet. Granted a prime permanent berth at Katendrecht in the heart of the city 50 years later, the fully-restored liner welcomed its first guests as a hotel in February 2010.
The ship now features 254 modern hotel rooms, designed to reflect its 1950s origins. Rooms accommodate up to four people with working desks, flat-screen TVs, internet access and air conditioning. Each room features a distinctive shape and colour scheme.
Diners can choose between the lively, all-day restaurant Lido and the elegant, stylish Club Room, while the Ocean Bar and the Terrace provide vibrant, social meeting spots. Fourteen different authentic banqueting rooms and 16 meeting rooms provide first-class facilities for events.
“Worldhotels offers 500 of the world’s most special independent hotels, and the ss Rotterdam is another fantastic first for us,” says Robert van der Beek, Worldhotels’ newly appointed Senior Director Hotel Development. “The ship holds an iconic position in the maritime tradition of the Netherlands, and in the last two years it has become an insider’s tip for travellers visiting Rotterdam for business or pleasure. This new hotel perfectly complements our existing hotels in the city, The Manhattan Hotel Rotterdam and the Bilderberg Parkhotel Rotterdam.”
“Worldhotels increases the visibility of our hotel and Rotterdam for the international business industry. Besides, Worldhotels is a company which perfectly fits our current mission and vision: we are telling a unique story, we offer a unique product and keep our own identity,” says Michaël ten Brink, Director of Hotel Operations, ss Rotterdam.
