We'll have several nights to spend in Rotterdam in August, and are wondering if there are any unusual places to stay there, like a monastery or castle. We won't have a car, so it would need to be accessible to public transit. We'd like someplace interesting with atmosphere, and not incredibly expensive. Any thoughts?
Rotterdam is a modern city. It was a major German port in WWII and the Allies did their best to reduce the city to a pile of rubble - and they did a pretty good job. So nearly everything is new from the late 40s. It you want something old and interesting you may have to look to surrounding cities.
Definitely not a monastery or castle, but there is a famous / unique hostel in cube shaped buildings - just google it. It may or may not be your style. Enjoy your trip!
Stayokay Hostel in Rotterdam is located inside a block of the famous "Cube Houses". They have private rooms and dorm rooms depending on your budget. Can't get more central than the Cube Houses in Rotterdam - great location with public transit directly outside the front door and The Markthal directly across the square.
H2Otel is a reasonably priced houseboat hotel that is pretty central - only about a 5 minute walk to The Markthal and easy access to public transit.
Not very cheap with the lower priced rooms in the EUR 125 to 150 range, Hotel New York is a special place, much connected to Rotterdam as a port city. There will be a tram nearby, connection to the centre and the central station.
I'm not sure whether it still operates, but the hotel had its own water taxi connection to the other side of the river.
By the way, it were not the Allies who bombed the centre out of recognition, but the Germans in the very first days of their operations in the Netherlands.
Now a hotel ship, former ocean liner and cruise ship “SS Rotterdam” nearby Hotel New York is something unusual too. https://ssrotterdam.com/