Hotel Des Indes

Though the cutting edge of modern design may arguably be located in the Netherlands, here on the Hague’s stately Lange Voorhout boulevard you’ll find a different sort of Dutch design. The Hotel des Indes has long been the Hague’s grand dame, and its 19th-century atmosphere is still overpowering, even after an extensive renovation featuring rooms redesigned by the French architect Jacques Garcia.

Hotel des Indes is still an individual, its public spaces as lavish and detailed as any in the world, from the patterned carpets to the massive marble columns and staircases to the intricate lighting work and the drop chandeliers hanging over the restaurant.

Period public spaces are one thing but the modern hotel guest prefers not to sleep in a museum exhibit. Jacques Garcia’s bedrooms are classic in style, explicitly referencing the hotel’s heritage, but they’re noticeably contemporary in execution, clean-lined and pared-down even as their furnishings and materials recall the 19th century.

This sort of hotel prides itself on having it all, and the Hotel des Indes is no exception, right down to the Health Club, with a new fitness center and spa designed in a rich classic style to match the rest of the building. The restaurant and lounge have had the Jacques Garcia treatment as well, and is the perfect place to soak up some old-world Hague atmosphere, from dinner to drinks to afternoon High Tea.