The EYE Hotel in Utrecht, a gem for the Eye
Do you want to go for an overnight stay in the center of Utrecht? To help you get started, we have reviewed the EYE hotel in Utrecht, a design boutique hotel housed in a monumental building. Continue reading to find out more!
The EYE Hotel in Utrecht
The EYE Hotel has a rich history dating back for many centuries. Between 1858 and 1984 the beautiful building was home to an eye hospital founded by the famous professor, Franciscus Cornelis Donders. In honour of Donders’ research, the EYE Hotel has fitted its rooms with artwork and objects related to eye care, such as large optometry charts and anatomical models. The interior is well balanced and wonderful to look at. The rooms and public areas a decorated in a fresh, bright style with an eye for detail.
The EYE hotel is part of Utrecht City Hotels, which also operate The Hunfeld, Court Hotel and Malie Hotel.
Overnight stay in the center of Utrecht
With Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Hague within easy reach, historic Utrecht is worth an overnight stay during your trip to the Netherlands. Located at the Wijde Begijnestraat, a side street of the bustling and always busy Voorstraat you will find the EYE Hotel. The Voorstraat is part of the University Quarter, a versatile quarter with countless nice spots near the center of the city.
In the Voorstraat you can find multiple little cafes and restaurants. We recommend to get some coffee at The Village, eat some pasta at Spaghetteria Wittevrouwensingel and to have a high tea at the Ontdekking. If you love tapas, you can eat at El Mundo and if you are more a fan of Asian food, Anan and Sanju are definitely worth a try.
The Voorstraat is also a fun street to go shopping. You can find several design shops and nice vintage shops.
Address of the EYE hotel:
Wijde Begijnestraat 1-3
3512 AW Utrecht
The Netherlands
An eye for unique design
All 36 rooms, from the smallest room on the top floor to the large family rooms, are beautifully decorated. The rooms are bright and modern with details everywhere related to the eye. You will find glasses, images, photos and other artifacts from the old eye hospital.
We stayed two times at the EYE hotel. Last year we stayed in a cozy small room on the top floor (3rd floor). This room featured old ceiling beams and a beautiful city views. Last month we stayed in a medium sized room that was overlooking the square in front of the hotel. Every Saturday there is a “lapjesmarkt” (textile market) organized in front of the hotel. Our room had large windows, so the room was very light and we could see the textile market in its full glory. This was fun. The bathroom was directly adjacent to the room with a rainforest shower which is always a plus for us in a hotel. The bed was comfortable and there was a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, an electric kettle and coffee-machine, a desk, a closet and a hairdryer. Check-in was from 15.00 PM onwards and check-out before 11.00 AM. The only thing we missed in the room was a bath. If this was there, the room would definitely rank 5 stars for us.
Having breakfast at the EYE hotel
In the small and stylish breakfast room, we started the day quietly. Breakfast started from 06:30AM onwards and was served to the table. We got a basket with warm bread, croissants and muffins, some meat and cheese, a local yoghurt with granola and a boiled egg. There was a buffet for drinks including good coffee and tea, fresh orange juice and water. The coffee was pretty good to wake us up. We have also got one time breakfast served to our room (photo below). This was also a nice and relaxing experience.
Tip: in the breakfast room & lounge you can get free coffee and tea during the day
Free coffee & tea and a reading area
The EYE hotel offers a bike rental. Getting around Utrecht by bike is the best way possible. There are multiple biking lanes and for us it was way more fun than taking public transportation. If you decide to travel to the Eye hotel by your own bicycle, you can park your bicycle overnight in a cage that can be locked. The hotel also has it’s own parking garage if you decide to visit by car.
In case you get thirsty you can buy a beer, wine or soft drink at the reception. The staff at the reception was super friendly and gave us some nice Utrecht insider tips. During the day you can get free coffee and tea in the breakfast room and lounge. In the lounge is also a reading corner with a nice selection of reading books.
Price of staying at the EYE Hotel
The price per night in a small double room starts around € 99,- and for a large room you pay around € 135,- per night. Of course the price depends on the period in which you’re traveling to Utrecht and if you stay during weekdays or in the weekend. You can book a stay directly at the website of the hotel or via Booking.com. When you book directly via the hotel’s website, you get a € 5,00 discount. The breakfast costs at this moment € 13,50 per person.
Contact details:
+ 31 30 303 6 303
we*****@ey******.nl
The EYE Hotel in Utrecht, a gem for the Eye
The EYE Hotel is a unique boutique hotel in the center of Utrecht. Ideal for any traveler who has some business or leisure time in the city. The decorations make it very special and the service is outstanding.
I hope this information helps you to better decide on an accommodation in Utrecht. If you have any questions or would like to know more about this accommodation, feel free to reach out!
NOTE: this post is not sponsored and contains my personal and honest experience!
We stayed at the Eye Hotel in July 2020 and November 2021.
Author: Daphne
