#9749 Trial Member
City apartment near cafés, restaurants, parks, nightlife + other cities
Apartment • Rotterdam Netherlands
Exchange types accepted
Statistics
Listed May 2021
Views 1473
General overview
My sunny city apartment is right in the heart of city life as well as close to nature: the best of both worlds. Other cities, such as Amsterdam are a heartbeat away and easy to visit within a 40 minute train ride right to the center. 30 minutes west by train: the beach! Shops, museums, restaurants are close by and cafés with terrases are just around the corner at walking distance, as well as a beautiful 19th century park and even a garden where you can pick flowers, vegetables and fruit for free. Rotterdam is very dog friendly, a gorgeous park zone is 1 min away and dogs are welcome in cafés and most restaurants (even some stores). Cycle around the multicultural city of Rotterdam on my two bikes. The Netherlands has abundant bike lanes and is very cyclist friendly, it's safe to bike wherever you want to go. Public transport connections are a 1 min walk away, runs frequently and connects to a dense railway network that extends throughout the city and the rest of the country and even Paris. Get a good taste of the flavors of Europe, start in Rotterdam!
The space
My modest one bedroom home has a modern interior with some vintage details and is located on the 2nd floor (elevator present) of an apartment building that I share with my lovely neighbors. The sounds of street life don't enter the bedroom as the apartment is just off the main road. Although the space isn't very large, it's accommodated with what guests need on a city trip. The bathroom doesn't have a bath, but a shower, which is quite common throughout Europe. But if you fancy a facial, our neighbor is a beauty salon!
Guest access
My apartment is on the 2nd floor and can also be reached by the staircase in the hallway downstairs. The apartment itself is one level without any steps or high door sills. The front door however, is a bit of a step up, so I wouldn't say it's easily accessible for wheelchairs. Because the city is so bike friendly and has many parks, people who are less mobile can navigate the city reasonably well. There are many park benches, coffee shops, the trams reach many destinations up close and if biking is an option, getting around less energy draining.
Notes
Please consult with me beforehand if you'd like to accommodate a 3rd person, your children or if you'd like to bring your (well behaved) dog.
Features
Washer
Oven
Microwave
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
TV
WiFi
High Speed Internet
First aid kit
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Towels
Bikes
Travel Styles
Long term
Weekend
Budget
Romantic
Foodie
Relaxing
Eco
City
Beach
Water
Culture
Cycling
Last minute
Good public transport
Accessibility
House rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets welcome
No smoking
Allergens
Cat free
Carpet free
Smoke free
Fragrance free
Dates of Availability
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Neighbourhood
My lively neighborhood has a city feel to it, but is not very loud and very safe at all hours of the day. Rotterdam West is popular with city workers and expats who want some quiet while being close to the action at the same time. It feels vibrant and the multiculturalism of the area definitely comes out in the food and wide variety of produce in the many small shops. The main road that leads to my house has a part with Chinese grocery shops, then changes into a surinamese part and ends in a mixture of deli's, eateries, hairdressing salons from everywhere. There’s delicious Italian and French fare, Thai restaurants, Surinamese deli's, North African cuisine, Eritrean food, Turkish and Syrian restaurants and Indonesian home cooking. In the supermarket at the end of the street, you can buy groceries for some home cooking or to prepare a picnic in the park. Dogs are allowed in all parks with an off-leash policy in some parts. One of the parks that's accessible through a leafy park avenue, has a free-for-all fruit and vegetable picking part whereas the rest is pretty wild looking, you'd never think you're in the city. There are several museums, art galleries and interesting modern architecture throughout the city. Live music can be found in music venues throughout the city and some are nearby. Chet Baker used to perform in a jazz venue close to my home, which still hosts great performers. Some of the city's music festivals combine an outstanding lineup with an intimate atmosphere, which, in my opinion, is very representative for the local culture. Rotterdam center has a big open air market, an indoor market with many food stalls, lots of shops and chain stores within a small parameter and many places to go for food and drinks.
Getting to my home
From Schiphol Airport (AMS) it's best to hop on a train to Rotterdam Central using the Intercity Direct train: in 25 minutes you're in Rotterdam. There are 3 trams at the central station that can take you to my house in 10 minutes, from the tram stop it's just a 2 minute walk to my apartment building which has an elevator in the main hallway.
Nearest airport
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) is 40 minutes away by bus or car and Schiphol Airport (AMS) is 25 minute train ride to Rotterdam Central. This is the quickest option if you don't want to get stuck in traffic.
Getting around
Many Dutch cities, Rotterdam included, aren't very big, which makes them easy to navigate. Included in your stay are two city bikes to get around in the city. If you prefer another type of bike: race bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes are for rent at bike stores all over the city. Electrical scooters are scattered throughout every neighborhood and accessible with an app. My house is right around the corner from a tram stop and a bus stop with connections to all parts of the city and the central train station. Public transport in The Netherlands is very well spread, affordable, connects well to other means of transport and brings you to all sorts of destinations. Just a few examples: tram to the main station: 10 minutes, from there to the city centers of Leiden: 30 mins, Amsterdam 40 mins (fast train), Utrecht 40 mins, Paris 2h40 (Thalys), Antwerp just over 1h, Brussels 2h.
Map of Approximate Location
Feedback
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Trial Member
Emeline
Currently taking it slow with travelling, trying to improve my health. Please don't hesitate to send a direct message via email or I can be found on Facebook in the People Like Us group: shoot me a message there to remind me to look at the PLU website, that will be quicker.
Hoping to be ready to swap soon! I'll update here, when I and my lovely apt in Rotterdam are ready to welcome anyone from anywhere to come and enjoy Rotterdam.
All the best! Emeline.
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