Mega update! you don’t want to miss these hotspots in maastricht
In this blog I’ll give you an overview of the newest and best hotspots in Maastricht, because this city owns a special place in my heart. Perhaps because I’ve studied there on a blue Monday, but mostly because it’s the only city in The Netherlands that gives me the feeling I’m abroad. Maastricht is different. Burgundian, chic, you have everything there when it comes to shopping, you’re in the nature before you know it and you can stroll endlessly through all the narrow alleys.
It probably won’t surprise you that Maastricht is one of my favourite cities for a mid-week or weekend away with my lover. I’ve spent a mid-week in Maastricht recently and oh my, it was lovely. The feeling of the weekend, but during the week from Sunday till Thursday! It’s more quiet than during the weekend, but you still feel like you’re on a getaway. Via Maastricht Midweekend you can check out of which extras you can take advantage of during your weekly getaway.
Every time I’m in Maastricht it amazes me how the cities is always in motion. And although I’ve come to know Maastricht pretty well, I keep on discovering new hotspots. In this Maastricht Travel Guide I’m providing you with a mega update of the best hotspots in Maastricht including tips for nice hotels, great restaurants, things to do and my standard go to shopping addresses. Have fun!
BOOK YOUR MIDWEEKEND TO MAASTRICHT HERE >>
2 x hotels in Maastricht WHERE YOU’D LOVE TO STAY
During my last visit to Maastricht I stayed in two different hotels in the district Wyck. This area is worthy of a visit either way, because there are lots of nice hotspots that I’ll tell you more about in this travel guide. First, two hotel hotspots in Maastricht where it’s a great stay during your city trip!
Townhouse Hotel: You’ll instantly feel at home when you check into the Townhouse Hotel in Maastricht. There’s a pan of soup waiting for you at the reception and you can even rent a goldfish for your room! In the lobby, that feels like a living room, it’s always nice and crowded. Not only packed with hotel guests, but also with locals from Maastricht that come here for a cup of coffee with something sweet. The interior is a nice mix of vintage and design and every room has a different theme.
Sint Maartenslaan 5, Maastricht – townhousehotels.nl
The Dutch: This very well might be the best new design hotel of Maastricht. The interior reminds me of Miami, with its joyful colours and the extraordinary art that can be found throughout the entire establishment. Rooms come in all different sorts and sizes and each and every one are uniquely decorated. Some are pretty basic and very affordable and others are over the top luxurious. Like the disco room where we stayed in! With a pink bathtub that’s in the center of the room and the disco ball that’s spinning. For a stay that’s full of glitter!
Wilhelminasingel 60, Maastricht – hotelthedutch.com
Townhouse Hotel
20 x food and drinks in maastricht // hotspots in maastricht
I mentioned it earlier, but one of the things I love most about Maastricht is the Burgundian character of the city. From cafés to have a nice drink to restaurants suitable for an extensive dinner and trendy coffee places to start the day with a cappuccino and a croissant. You won’t want to miss these foodie hotspots in Maastricht!
FiftyFive: One of the newer restaurants in Maastricht, that’s really worthy of a visit is FiftyFive if you ask me. It’s being run with a lot of love and passion for the business and you can honestly taste that in all their dishes. I’ve visited it with my lover for an elaborate lunch, but the next time we’re in Maastricht I’ll definitely return for dinner. The interior is very unique with a classic touch, but on the other hand the dishes are very modern and surprising. It’s truly an establishment as I like to see it. They don’t blindly follow the trends, but really add their own personal touch to it and that instantly gives it a sort of timelessness so it doesn’t become a hype. LOVE IT!
Heggenstraat 3A, Maastricht – restaurant55.nl
Fifty Five
‘t Wycker Cabinet: A lot of new hotspots have opened in the Wyckerbrugstraat these past years. One of the best addresses to go out for a drink in my opinion is ‘t Wycker Cabinet. If the weather allows it you can sit on the terrace, but inside is a nice stay too. You can come here for breakfast (from 10AM) to dinner. The several flammküchen are definitely recommended for lunch or to share during drinks!
Wijkerbrugstraat 29b, Maastricht – wyckercabinet.nl
Van Wijck: One of the newer hotspots in the Wyck district is the breakfast and lunch spot Van Wijck. When it’s sunny you can have a seat at the small bistro tables on the terrace for some gerat people-watching. They’re open as early as 8AM which makes it a perfect address for breafkast or your first cup of coffee. By the way, they serve breakfast the whole day through, in case you crave some pancakes at 4 in the afternoon ;-). When it comes to lunch they serve several kinds of wandiwches and soups, or a salad. At the end of the afternoon you can also come here for a high tea (make sure to reserve beforehand just in case!).
Wycker Brugstraat 28, Maastricht – puurvanwijck.nl
Van Wyck
Café Zondag: Not very new, but remains a favourite to keep coming back to ever since the opening in 2001. This has been the first actual hotspot that opened in Wyck and it has put the disctrict on the map. It’s almost always crowded, from a coffee in the morning to a sandwich for lunch and drinks late in the evening. They also host great parties regularly!
Wycker Brugstraat 42, Maastricht – cafezondag.nl
Harry’s: The brunch on the weekend at Harry’s has become a well-known concept among the locals. But for every other moment of the week this is the right place for a nice lunch or an extensive dinner. The menu is French with a twist and the lunch durign the week is also recommended!
Wycker Brugstraat 2, Maastricht – harrysrestaurant.nl
Harry’s
Mr. Smith: Finally an actual cocktail bar in Maastricht! You can come here for some special cocktails in the Rechtstraat from Wednesday through Saturday. The interior kind of reminds me of a speakeasy bar. Very fun to visit after dinner for a drink! If you want to be sure of a table it’s best to make a reservation, because once it’s full – it’s full.
Rechtstraat 55, Maastricht – mrsmithmaastricht.com
Petit Café Moriaan: The Stokstraat in Maastricht is known for its luxurious (and certainly expensive) stores. You can find the most beautiful brands here! If you’d like a bite or a drink at a nice café during your shopping spree, make sure to visit the Petit Café Moriaan. Is it the two of you for lunch? Definitely order the platter with different sorts of tartines, where they’re renowned for!
Stokstraat 12, Maastricht – petitcafemoriaan.nl
Petit Café Moriaan
Marres Kitchen: If it’s sunny outside the garden here is lovely, but also during the winter Marres Kitchen is a hotspot in Maastricht you don’t want to miss. A nice address for lunch with a hint of the Middle East. Tip: order one of the home made lemonades.
Capucijnenstraat 98, Maastricht – marres.org
De Brandweerkantine: This is without a doubt one of my favourite hotspots in the centre of Maastricht. It’s run by the same team of Café Zondag and that’s noticeable. The vibe is always good, the sandwiches tasty and the interior is a nice mix of vintage which makes you instantly feel at home!
Capucijnenstraat 21, Maastricht – brandweerkantine.nl
Livin Room: If you want to go somewhere to grab a cup of coffee in between of shopping in Maastricht, Livin Room is recommended. The coffee is competently made and if it’s sunny you can have a nice seat in their hidden courtyard garden.
Heggenstraat 7, Maastricht – Facebook page
Livin Room
Café Sjiek: I secretly think that you can’t leave Maastricht without having paid a visit to Café Sjiek. It’s been around forever and it’s unthinkable to have the city without it. Keep into account that, during the busy hours, chances are that you’re going to have to wait a bit to be seated. My tip? Start with a drink at the bar and order some bites with it! Nice detail: they serve several wines here and specialty beers that originate from the Maastricht area.
Sint Pieterstraat 13, Maastricht – cafesjiek.nl
Wine restaurant Mes Amis: Are you a wine lover? If yes, you’ll definitely will want to have dinner at the wine restaurant Mes Amis. The inerior is classic, but the dishes are modern and very well executed. What makes this restaurant extra special is that they’re specialized in wines that are produced in the area of Maastricht! If you’re planning on having dinner here I’d make sure to ask the staff if they can serve you a fitting wine arrangement with local wines. You’ll be amazed what kind of good wines are produced on Dutch grounds!
Tongersestraat 5, Maastricht – mesamis.nl
Mes Amis
Take Five: Whether you want to have a drink during shopping or if you want to stop by later in the evening and drink cocktails. Take Five was without a doubt one of the first cocktail bars and café hotspots in Maastricht. Nowadays it’s just a classic hotspot as Café Sjiek and still much loved by locals, (international) students and tourists.
Bredestraat 14, Maastricht – theneighbourhood.nl
Café de Bobbel: In the neighbourhood of the larger shopping streets and around the corner of the Onze Lieve Vrouwe square is Café de Bobbel my favourite spot for drinks. A cozy café where the best seats are at the marble bar if you ask me. Good news for anyone who’s a seafood lover like me! They have delicious platters aux fruits de mer here to share.
Wolfstraat 32, Maastricht – bekijk de Facebook page
Koffie by Joost en Maartje: A lovely hotspot in the area of the Jeker quarter to have breakfast, drink coffee and do some shopping. Because in the same establishment as Koffie bij Joost en Maartje is also Le Marais Deux situated! During my last trip to Maastricht I started my day here with a croissant and a delicious iced latte!
Maastrichter Heidenstraat 8, Maastricht – wijmakenkoffie.nl
Koffie by Joost en Maartje
Teazone: From the outside this place doesn’t look real special, but the secret’s in the hidden roof terrace. It’s a real hidden gem! A nice place if it’s sunny, but also during the winter this is the place to warm up a bit with one of their special tea options.
Koestraat 9, Maastricht – teazone.nl
Biertaverne de Gouverneur: Do you love special beers? You came to the right place at Biertaverne de Gouverneur. As they have 280 specialty beers here for you to taste. A nice tip to come here at the end of the day with a nice snack platter on the side. Tip: during the mid-weekend you can take part in a beer tasting at de Gourverneur, with 4 tasting glasses and a snack platter for two, for € 16,-.
Boschstraat 105A, Maastricht – degouverneurmaastricht.nl
Taverna La Vaca: Mediterrenean vibes at this cute gastro bar in the Koestraat. You order dishes here to share and make sure they inform you of the daily specials. Also a nice place to go have dinner if you’re in Maastricht with a group!
Koestraat 3, Maastricht – tavernalavaca.nl
DARQ: Love chocolate? You’ll definitely don’t want to skip this new spot. For good coffee, but especially for the extraordinary bon bons and chocolate made from the best and fair trade cacao from all over the world. Order an affogato which is really tasty here! Tip: during the mid weekend you can book a chocolate tasting here!
Maastrichter Smedenstraat 2, Maastricht – darqmaastricht.com
Le Fernand Café Manger: The Stenenbrug and Koestraat in Maastricht are rapidly on their way on becoming the hottest IT-streets of the city. One of my favourite restaurant hotspots in Maastricht is Le Fernand Café Manger situated at the Stenenbrug. It’s passionately run by Fernand and best described as a French bistro with a modern touch. They’re open from lunch to dinner and drinks with delicious French dishes on the menu, like: aux fruits de mer and escargots. Definitely recommended!
Stenenbrug 6, Maastricht – lefernand.nl
Le Fernand Café Manger
8 x Shopping in Maastricht // concept stores en meer
Festen: Make sure to not skip the side alleys when you go shopping. You can find the nicest boutiques and shopping hotspots of Maastricht here with unique items, like Festen. You can also have a seat here at one of the vintage tables to take a break and have a coffee. Chances are you’ll end up with a nice find decorate your house with!
Minckelersstraat 1A, Maastricht – festen-leshop.nl
Wycked: A shopping address in Maastricht that ladies who are into tough, but feminine clothes certainly can’t miss out on. From bags to smaller accessories! In this boutique you keep on discovering something new. If you ask me, this is one of the best shopping hotspots in the area of Wyck in Maastricht.
Wycker Brugstraat 52, Maastricht
Le Marais & Le Marais Deux: In the Stokstraat quarter you can find the ladies’ boutique with brands like Bellerose and Ruby Tuesday. A little further in the Jeker quarter the concept store Le Marais Deux is situated at the same building as hotspot KOFFIE, where they also sell clothing for men and a selection of items for the kids and for your home.
Le Marais: Morenstraat 11, Maastricht – lemarais.nl
Le Marais Deux: Maastrichter Heidenstraat 6-8, Maastricht – lemaraisdeux.com
Trader’s Pop: This store was one of the first hotspots in Maastricht and it already existed when I was a student there. And still is the collection very nicely composed and it’s your go-to for vintage items, accesories and other must-haves.
Heggenstraat 16, Maastricht – theneighbourhood.nl
Trader’s Pop
Le Salonard: The breads of Le Salonard are a well-known understanding in Maastricht. They now have two locations and they regularly held tastings. For those tastings it’s best to check their Facebook page. Also nice and special: you can reserve a table d’hôte for dinner in a private dining room. Very nice if you’re with a group in Maastricht!
Rechtstraat 84 & Maastrichter Heidenstraat 2a – lesalonard.nl
We-ar Vintage & Design: This vintage store now has two locations in Maastricht. One in the city centre and one in the not-to-miss Rechtstraat, in the Wyck district. You came to the right address here for vintage items that match perfectly with the current fashion trends.
Achter Het Vleeshuis 33, Maastricht – wear-vintage.com
Muchachas: If you ask me this is one of the best fashion boutique for ladies in the city centre. They sell beautiful brands here from Scandinavia among others, but also refinde rings, necklaces and other small accessories. You can find this store a few doors down from Trader’s Pop.
Heggenstraat 16, Maastricht – theneighbourhood.nl
Retro & Chic: Whoever lives in Amsterdam might find this name a bit familiar. At this vintage store they sell special clothes and accessories like bags, shoes and sunglasses. Not overly full clothing racks but all perfectly sorted!
Heggenstraat 1, Maastricht – Facebook page
Retro & Chic
7 x fun to do in Maastricht // hotspots in maastricht
Lumière Cinema: When I lived in Maastricht for a while I often went out for a movie at Lumière. Nowadays they’re situated in a nicely renovated industrial building at the basin close to the old Sphinx terrain. It’s not only fun to watch a movie here, but also to have some drinks before or after or something to eat at the café-restaurant.
Bassin 88, Maastricht – lumiere.nl
Servaas the beauty concept: If you’re in Maastricht because of a special occassion (perhaps a wedding like I had recently) you can get your make up done by make up artists at Servaas. Here you’ll find several beauty professionals all under one roof and it’s best to check out their website for the complete assortment of treatments. Also nice: if you’re in Maastricht with a group of female friends, Servaas also hosts make up workshops on request.
Sint Servaasklooster 41, Maastricht – servaasbeauty.nl
Museum aan het Vrijthof: This museum can be found, as the name might suggest, right next to the Vrijthof and it hosts several temporary expositions. Make sure to check the website before you’re off to Maastricht in order to know what’s there to do at the time. I’ve been there a couple of times now (among others to a very nice expo about Taschen) and it’s definitely worth a visit!
Vrijthof 18, Maastricht – museumaanhetvrijthof.nl
Museum aan het Vrijthof
Rent a sloop: At the Bassin you can rent a boat when it’s sunny! I personally always love to explore a city from the water. A definite recommendation if you’re with a group so you can share the costs.
Bassinkade 9, Maastricht – maastrichtsloep.nl
Explore the several neighbourhoods: If you ask me the nicest areas in Maastricht has to be Wyck and the Jeker quarter. Stroll around here during your city trip. If don’t have as much time here are some tips for nice streets you won’t want to miss. In the Koestraat, Rechtstraat and the Heggenstraat you can find several hotspots in Maastricht..
Sint Pietersberg (Grotten Noord): One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday is to get out of the city for a while (for instance, rent an OV-bike) in the direction of Sint Pietersberg. Are you in Maastricht with kids you could go to the Grotten Noord for example. Also nice for just a cup of coffee after a walk, because from the terrace of Chalet Bergrust you have an amazing view of the city!
Walking in the city park: On the border of the centre at the Jeker quarter you have several beautiful parks that are perfect to escape the business of the Onze Lieve Vrouwen square or the Vrijthof. When it’s sunny it’s perfect for a picknick (you could get some snacks at Le Salonard), but in the fall too because of the beautiful colours!
Amsterdam Bucketlist
THINGS TO DO:
⋙ Canal Cruise by day or in the evening
⋙ A bike tour through Amsterdam OR Rent a bike by yourself
⋙ The best view over Amsterdam from the A’DAM Lookout
⋙ Visit Artis Royal Zoo
FAVOURITE MUSEUMS:
⋙ Rijksmuseum with the Dutch masters
⋙ Van Gogh Museum, a staple in Amsterdam
⋙ Stedelijk Museum for modern art lovers
⋙ MOCO Museum for street art
⋙ Photography museum FOAM
SEASONAL:
⋙ Amsterdam Light Festival (during winter months)
⋙ Cruise like a local with your own boat (great with good weather!)
ONE OF A KIND:
⋙ Discover the Instagrammable experience WONDR
⋙ Red Light District tour
⋙ Get out of town and into the Dutch country side of Giethoorn
| TIP: Buy an I amsterdam City Card. Save money on entrance fees to museums and attractions, public transport and profit from discounts on everything from restaurants to concerts. You can also skip some lines to make the most of your time in Amsterdam! You can buy a card for 24 hours up to 120 hours. Check the prices here >>
Our favourite hotels:
AFFORDABLE // €
☾ Generator Hostel: the best poshtel of the city located in a park.
☾ The Student Hotel: budget proof in trendy East.
☾ Het Volkshotel: affordable and with a cool rooftop bar.
☾ CitizenM: all you need is that XL bed (location near Amstel is great).
☾ Motel One: budget design hotel with locations at
VERY VERY NICE // €€
☾ Hotel V: with two locations and a great restaurant, in the city center and East.
☾ Sir Adam: with the coolest view over Amsterdam.
☾ Sweets: a unique stay in former bridge houses.
☾ Park Plaza Vondelpark: located next to Vondelpark and beautifully renovated.
☾ Hotel Dwars: small scale around the corner of the trendy Utrechtsestraat.
☾ Pillows Anna van den Vondel: great hotel close to Vondelpark.
☾ Hotel Mercier: new hotel in the cosy and historic Jordaan district.
☾ INK Hotel: lifestyle hotel in the heart of the city.
☾ The Hoxton: favourite lifestyle hotel right on the canals.
☾ Morgan & Mees: boutique hotel in Amsterdam West.
☾ Conscious Hotel Westerpark: in a beautiful building at the industrial Westergas area.
☾ QO Amsterdam: eco design hotel with a great skybar.
TOP LUXURY // €€€
☾ Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam: if you have something to celebrate this is the one.
☾ Pulitzer Amsterdam: on the canals at the border of the Nine Streets and the Jordaan.
☾ L’Europe: this hotel has the best spa with a view in Amsterdam.
☾ Conservatorium Hotel: located in one of the most beautiful buildings in town.
☾ W Amsterdam: with great restaurants and a rooftop bar with swimming pool.
Let’s get social
I really hope you enjoy your time in Amsterdam! On my Instagram account @yourlbb you can find more recommendations and new hotspots in town.
Follow @yourlbb on Instagram
| PS: Traveling to Amsterdam with kids? My other website Travelkids.co & @travelkids.co is dedicated to family friendly travel. Check it out here >>
WITH LOVE,
ANNE
Anne de Buck
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