Back to Maastricht
We loved our last trip to Maastricht! There was so much we did not have time for on our last visit. So when Jeff had another work obligation in the province of South Limburg we made a weekend out of it. We spent most of Saturday in Valkenburg, arriving at the TownHouse Hotel in Maastricht just in time for some soup beforeBack to Maastricht dinner.
The only change we made when staying at the TownHouse this time was to park at the train station (across the street) instead of using the TownHouse parking. This saved us ~ 10 Euro per day. The parking is covered and there are cameras for surveillance. In fact, you have to swipe a credit card to access the parking garage – which is a slick way to keep out vandals.
On our last visit to Maastricht we were walking home from dinner and peeked into Cucina 50, just a block from the TownHouse Hotel. Diners were enjoying the most delicious looking pizza. Once we knew our arrival time in Maastricht, Jeff got online and made a reservation. Reservations are not necessary, but the place does fill up. The pizza was delicious. A nice Roman dough. The restaurant is kid-friendly with highchairs and coloring books. The staff was friendly and funny. The four of us ordered three pizzas (that may have been a bit too much, but we took the extra slices home and my one-year-old ate them at 6am. . .for real) and one salad to split. The house wines are cheap and delicious. I highly recommend this place. The kids were pretty fried after dinner from a no-nap, exciting day in Valkenburg. I got the boys situated back in the room while Jeff did work in the lobby. The hotel has a wonderful lobby with an honor bar and even sent out some pudding for guests reading down there (it was liquor-laced pudding). Weekend breakfast starts at 9am, so we were the first ones downstairs. I got my glass of bubbly and a coffee while the little boys stuffed their faces. They even played a bit on the hammock and watched the goldfish while I finished my coffee.
You cannot walk by this with a three-year-old and not go in! #toddlerlife #expatwithkids A photo posted by @ejdn on
We set off to find the Kruisherenhotel Maastricht. This amazing hotel is built inside an old church. The bones are there but the bronze entryway beckons you in.
The modern furnishings meld with the old church to create a fun atmosphere. We are pretty sure the hotel is owned by the same people as the TownHouse Hotel. The staff was happy to let us explore.
Don’t just stop at the lobby, you can walk through the old halls and even pop into the courtyard.
There are also plenty of cool nooks to check out. If you are not with kids have a seat and enjoy some coffee, or come in the evening for drinks or a meal at the restaurant.
We had reservations for a historic boat tour (many itineraries are offered) and added on lunch to keep the kids entertained. This two-hour tour took us down the river and into the canals through three very different locks.
H was our honorary captain! A photo posted by @ejdn on
The tour was in Dutch but we were given an English guide making it easy to follow along.
The locks ranged from hand-cranked to large steel doors that raised and lowered from above. (Interestingly the same woman ran all the locks on our trip, biking between them and meeting us at each gate. In the final lock the boat’s kitchen prepared a coffee to go and delivered it to her as we rose to river level.) It is always a challenge to keep the boys entertained on trips like these. With the help of a few of our favorite travel activities, we survived and even got to see some of the sights.
After the boat I headed back to the hotel to nap O, work on the blog and get some reading done. Jeff and H ventured off to Speeltuin Fort Willem, which is an amazing playground in an old brick fort.
When Jeff and H got back we headed downstairs for some Champagne, pie and soup. We walked about in the city, once again walking along the old city wall, before finding a place for dinner.
Breakfast is always a highlight for us when we are staying at the Townhouse Hotel. It was a great send-off from Maastricht. As usual, we cannot wait to come back.
Funville, an indoor playground inside an old church is another amazing find in Maastricht.
If you are looking for more options for places to eat, drink or shop in Maastricht check out Your Little Black Book (YLBB). YLBB has been one of my favorite blog finds for recommendations in a host of cities in the Netherlands. If you are traveling with kids you will need to sort through the recommendations to find something appropriate since the site is not kid-focused.
[divider style=’full’]
I love boat tours! I really regret not having had time for a boat tour in Berlin, it’s such a lovely way to visit a place.
The hotel inside the old church looks amazing – old churches are one of the best thing about ancient towns, so many amazing details!
And coming from an Italian, your 1-year old has it right: the best pizza is amazing eaten cold for breakfast! I did that all the time growing up 🙂
Boat tours really do give you a new view of the whole city! Yes, we can’t wait to go back and stay at the hotel in the Church. There is a bookstore in a church in Maastricht as well. Thanks for stopping by!
Wow! That hotel entrance is amazing! I couldn’t go past it without looking in, never mind my kids! The canal trip looks fantastic, that lady must be quite fit to cycle all that way and open each lock for you. We’ve watched boats in locks before, but never actually been in a canal boat. Will have to try sometime.
Thanks so much for linking up to #Whatevertheweather 🙂 X
What an incredible place to visit! I love the hotel in the church and that bronze archway is fascinating! I’d definitely have to walk through there as well. You always explore such interesting places. I really need to hop on a plane and see more. Your picture of H as an honorary Captain is so cute! I do love boat tours. Thank you so, so much for linking up to #whatevertheweather xx