Court Hotel Utrecht City Centre

Even by Dutch standards Utrecht is old; the city’s original courthouse can trace its foundations to the year 1054. The building you see here today is mostly a 19th-century affair, but it’s still plenty atmospheric — and thanks to its new owners, its historic architecture is complemented by contemporary design, resulting in a very 21st-century boutique-hotel experience. Rooms are colorful but never garish, decorated with photo prints from the city’s (and the court’s) history, and furnished with sensible comforts like espresso machines and free wi-fi. De Rechtbank, the hotel’s restaurant, is a local favorite in its own right.