I am considering booking 5 nights here in June to use as my base for cycling and for a couple of day trips to Amsterdam. But I am hesitant to book (and pay now) for a non-refundable stay based on b.c reviews alone.
Does anyone have feedback on this hotel? (Solo traveler). Thanks
I stayed there in Oct. 2023. Here is what I had to say about it at the time:
I stayed at the Hotel Lion d’Or. This hotel was not great. The RS book describes it as having “pleasingly posh décor” and that may have been the case 20 years ago, but it just felt dated to me. I wondered how long the decorative green blanket at the end of the bed had been there. And the carpet had seen better days. I picked it for the location near the train station because I would be taking day trips. My room faced the train station and it was very loud, even with the window closed. Loud from people, not the trains. This was a train station that people liked to hang out in front of and there were often police officers there dealing with people. I think trying to get them to move on.
It’s current rating on Booking.com is 8.5. So, not terrible.
I probably wouldn't stay there again. But it was clean and the staff was friendly. It was convenient to the train station for my day trips. If you have other options, i would look elsewhere. If your options are limited, it wasn't a terrible hotel, just not one of my favorites.
Thank you, this is very helpful and realistic. …. And a bit discouraging. My options are somewhat limited because I am booking or short notice. Another possibility is the IHG nui Dairy which is not as well rated :-(
Hey MJ,
My husband and I stayed there in 2024 and we had a wonderful experience. It’s not a huge hotel, we had a room facing the side driveway, just fine. The hotel had a decent small bar and nice menu options. We enjoyed sitting outside and watching the bicycle traffic and people watching, when we weren’t touring.
Haarlem is a small city, there will be noise outside at times, so you may hear it inside your hotel room. It didn’t bother us.
Our RS Best of Europe tour began there, so several solo travelers stayed extra days in advance of the tour, as we did. It is very convenient to the train station, and walking distance to all the sights Haarlem has to offer. We went to a few museums there and enjoyed the bakeries and other amenities. We would definitely stay again. The hotel staff helped us store our bags in a locked room when we arrived too early to check in, and they resolved a billing issue with professional courtesy. We got good tips about restaurants and sights from the front desk staff who spoke English very well. If you stay in Haarlem, hope you have time to explore, it’s fascinating. We visited the windmill and Frans Hals Museum and Corrie Ten Boom house. All great experiences. Don’t miss the frites if you are a fan. There are several good references in the RS Amsterdam guidebook in the Haarlem section.
Thank you — again very helpful! That the RS tours start from there is an encouraging sign.
Haarlem hotels that have been suggested in the forums – Ambassador City, Citi, Amadeus, Carilllon — are not nearly as well rated on booking, which tells me a lot. And then there are ones, but they are out of my price range.
Time to read more reviews on booking, cross reference on TA and google ….
Chiming in here:
My wife and I stayed here in 2019. It was an affordable and comfortable stay. Right next to the train station, and within walking distance of the city center. We enjoyed our stay and would return without hesitation.
My $.02
-- Mike Beebe
Just had a wonderful trip in that area……stayed in Leiden if that is any help…….WONDERFUL HOTEL there about a half mile walk to the train station and then to anywhere you want. Loved Corrie Ten Boom house and Haarlem.
Decision made, driven in large part by my budget* and by availability: Lion d’Or for four nights with a possibility of adding a fifth.
it’s always a gamble, isn’t it? Thanks for all the info!
————-
* < US$ 150/ night, but more realistically $175…
You’ll be fine there. Our budgets don’t always allow for the Ritz. :-)
Have a great trip! The Netherlands is one country I am itching to get back to.
I've too have read mixed reviews of hotel Lion d'Or, but you are staying in charming Haarlem, so it's a win!
We stayed at the Hotel Boutique Staats in Haarlem, a four-minute walk to the train station, but on the quiet side. If you exit the train station, go left, into a quiet residential neighborhood. When you exit the train station going right, you'll find the Hotel Lion d'Or. That side is much more commercial and has a busier street.
In any case, have a great trip.
UPDATE (long overdue).
I spent three nights in early June at Hotel Lion d'Or and enjoyed it. The weather was a bit blustery that week, so I cannot comment on comfort on hot and humid days. (Note that I found Amsterdam overwhelming and expensive, and preferred returning to smaller Haarlem in the evenings. The train to AMS Centraal was easy. I also much preferred Utrecht and Delft to Amsterdam.).
The hotel is a wee bit tired, but very well maintained and cleaned. My room was on the third level at the rear, overlooking a side street, so I had no noise. The room double-bed was small even for a solo -- not enough room to swing a cat, but I travel carry-on and did not bring a cat so that was not an issue. I did have sidle around the end of the bed to get to the desk, but again, a non-issue. The usual amenities of coffee/tea maker, WiFi, etc.
The common area/bar/restaurant opens to the train square and is pleasant; you can sit there without being pressured to buy food/drink. I am not a nightlife person, so being away from the central area (7 minute walk) was fine with me -- a quite drink on the hotel square was lovely in the evening.
CONCLUSION: I would definitely return to the Hotel Lion d'Or if I were to be in the Amsterdam area again. I'm a serious "mid-budget: is it clean and safe and well-located" traveler, and it fit the bill.
NOTES:
I found Amsterdam overwhelming and expensive, and preferred returning to smaller Haarlem in the evenings. The train to AMS Centraal was easy. I also much preferred Utrecht and Delft to Amsterdam.
If you want to visit the Corrie ten Boom house, make reservations the moment you know your Haarlem dates ... and it still might be too late
The GrosKirk is fabulous. The tours are led by parishoners who love their church; the wooden ceiling is amazing. The organ is one of the best in the Netherlands; look at the church notice board or online for concerts.
MJ: Thank you for the update. I'm sure it will be helpful to many.
In May my comment called it a win for you! And it clearly was. Thanks for such a great report!
Thanks for the update. We're staying in Haarlem in late October. I tried to book a room in Hotel Lion d'Or, but they were full for our required dates. We ended up booking rooms at the Malts Hotel. It has very good reviews on several sites. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the pace of Haarlem. That's one of the reasons we choose to book here vs Amsterdam.
Thanks for the report! We stayed in Haarlem in August. But in a beautiful VRBO that I know is not always going to be available. So it's good to know about the Lion d'Or and its pluses and minuses. Thank you for taking the time.
Susan,
We loved Hotel Staats, a two minute walk to the trains, very quiet, on the opposite side of the station. Does seem like they have raised their prices quite a bit since we have been there.
Pls let me know what you think of Hotel Malts, as I've booked it for April, but have never stayed there.
Happy travels!
