Review: The Hague Marriott (Junior Suite)

Lowest nightly rate: 80 EUR (89 EUR after tax)
When to book: Two weeks in advance (Winter)
Length of stay: 4 nights
Membership level: Titanium Elite

The Hague Marriott opened its doors in January 2016 after taking over the management of Worldhotel Bel Air. The building was built in 1971 but looks very well maintained. Although it’s rather surprising that you can still see the words “Bel Air” in some areas of the hotel, four years after the take-over.

Arrival

There was a dedicated check-in line for Gold members and above and my check-in was processed very quickly. As a Titanium member, I was upgraded to the Junior Suite, which costs about 3 times more than the Deluxe room that I’ve booked. There is a very nice waiting area near the lobby which is also part of the bar.

The Suite (Room 603)

The suite has a nice view of the city and the size is what I expected for a Junior suite. I tend to prefer suites without a fully enclosed bedroom like this one. The view from the room faces west and offers very nice sunsets on a clear day. I liked the inclusion of a microwave in the living area. The suite is very dark in the evening even after turning on all lights.

Welcome Amenity

I had a nice welcome amenity delivered to my room on the evening of my first day. The reusable hand-warmers are particularly useful in winter!

Location

The hotel is not near the city center. It is a 15 minutes tram ride from Den Haag Central and a further 5 minutes walk from the tram stop to the hotel. I quite liked the location as it is near the park and closer to the beach. However, it can be quite inconvenient if you are staying just for a night and would like to explore the city.

Executive Lounge

Executive lounge use is complimentary to Platinum members and above. It offers a similar view as my suite, just 3 floors below. It gets crowded in the evening but I never had trouble finding an unoccupied table. There is complimentary food and alcoholic drinks from 1730 – 1930 hours. This is very early as most hotels start at 1800 or 1830 hours. The are not many food choices in the evening but the ones that are available are of very good quality. Good on the hotel for focusing on quality instead of quantity.

Breakfast

The breakfast policy is rather disappointing and is as Marriott Bonvoy as it gets. Gold members do not get complimentary breakfast at all and Platinum members and above are offered complimentary breakfast only in the executive lounge, not the restaurant. Breakfast in the executive lounge is basic and you do not get cook-to-order eggs. It didn’t help that the scrambled eggs are very very salty.

The gym

There is a small gym right beside the executive lounge. It doesn’t have much equipments but does offer a nice view from the treadmills.

Others

I was told that there is no swimming pool since the take-over of Bel Air. There is a complimentary shuttle service for corporate guests only and it goes to corporate locations like Shell and NATO only. Bicycles are available for rent at 15 EUR per day.

Conclusion

If you are an Elite member with Marriott Bonvoy, you do not have any choice at the moment as this is the only property in Den Haag. I liked the room, the view and evening food in the executive lounge but the breakfast policy, lack of complimentary shuttle for a property that is not in the city center and charging 15 EUR for bicycle rental reminded me that I have been spoiled by truly amazing properties in Asia and southern Europe.

Ratings

Value: 7/10
Breakfast: 6/10
Service: 8/10
Location: 7/10
Room: 8/10
Facilities: 7/10
Executive lounge: 8/10
Elite member recognition: 7/10

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