Why this new Netherlands ‘hotel’ offers everything but an overnight stay

Photography: Maarten Willemstein

Just down the hill from the Burcht van Leiden in the Netherlands – a historic castle dating as far back as 1060 AD – is an unassuming carriage house constructed in the seventeenth century. It’s here that Amsterdam-based design firm Studio Modijefsky has unveiled its latest hospitality project Hotel Rumour, which – despite the name – actually provides its guests with everything but a sleepover.

Instead, curious visitors are welcomed by a playful, flexible social concept, entirely conceived by Studio Modijefsky – from the brand identity and meticulous interior design through to the merchandise and onsite gift shop. Designed to be as welcoming as a hotel but without the bedrooms, Hotel Rumour opened its doors this month as a design-led hub for intimate drinks, lively music nights and private dinners.

With such historic surroundings, the newly launched concept draws design inspiration from the original features of both the carriage house and the neighbouring castle. Studio Modijefsky made sure to retain the building’s existing wooden beams, high ceilings and grand arches, and added its own twist throughout the interiors with bespoke furniture and a palette of luxe, carefully selected materials. Arguably the most notable presence of plush materials is in the main bar on the ground floor, where a striking focal point awaits: a bevelled terrazzo bar top, patterned wood veneer, shiny brass panels and green terrazzo blocks at the base. Here, guests can bend an elbow on custom-made, sage green leather bar stools, underneath neat rows of glasses and a central arch embellished with a rounded light line and reflective curved metal.

Also on the ground floor is Hotel Rumour’s main dining space, furnished with an eclectic collection of dining chairs and circular, square and rectangular tables with a mix of wood or marble tops. A line of bespoke light cubes is suspended above, echoing the plaster blocks of the original walls and offering an updated nod to the castle battlements. Guests enter this space through another striking original fixture: two vast wooden doors leading into an artwork-lined vestibule, a suspended royal light fixture and a vintage wine cabinet flanked by painted mirrors. These colourful, shiny accents brighten a more earthy canvas of brown terracotta floor tiles, wall finishes in a textured beige stucco and wooden dining benches with muted blue upholstery. Each of the three large dining benches features round, 3D-printed layered light elements in one corner, adding more character alongside an ambient glow.

Upstairs is a more intimate space used primarily as a cocktail lounge, accessed by a panelled hall, blue-tiled archway and a graphic staircase. This space can also be partitioned off for private gatherings, alongside a curtained-off nook furnished with velvet armchairs. Naturally sectioned off by the staircase is ‘La Suite Petite’, a small, eight-cover area dedicated to intimate dining and complete with its own private bar.

Ascending further upstairs, the attic space has been converted into ‘Salone Royale,’ a more spacious dining area for larger groups, boasting exposed beams and a gable roof, and furnished with a selection informal poufs, chairs, daybeds and tables. Those hoping to dine or drink alfresco can also step out to Hotel Rumour’s terrace. This space, partially covered with large parasols, features custom benches circling a tree at the centre and receives a warm glow from lantern-style pendants lining the umbrellas.