The first thing to know about Hotel Rumour in Leiden, the Netherlands, is that it’s inside a remarkable old building: A carriage house built in 1657 that resides just down the hill from Burcht van Leiden, a medieval fortification that is 600 years older still. The second thing is that it’s not a hotel at all. The designers at Amsterdam’s Studio Modijefsky wanted to evoke the comfort and luxury of a time-honoured hotel so they gave this latest project its quirky moniker.
To say that the firm had good bones to work with is an understatement. The carriage house boasts high ceilings, grand arches and wooden beams – all of which feature prominently in the interior design, which elevates these original architectural features and uses them to frame a richly tailored milieu.
Situated on the ground floor, the main dining space is anchored by three wall-hugging banquettes: one by the entrance, where the floor is terracotta tile and the wall is filled with eclectic art works; another against the central wall facing the bar and clad in a play of fabric and mirrors; and the third under high windows that enjoy a view to the Burcht. In the centre of the restaurant are small, elegant tables for two.
The materials and details of the bespoke benches juxtapose past and present and exalt in variegated texture. The chunky cylindrical bench legs are upholstered in linear and geometric shapes while the seating itself is lined in supple blue-leather upholstery. The backdrop of fabric and glass – and custom light fixtures above – coalesce into an eclectic tapestry.
The undeniable standout in the room, the bar itself is a multi-material composition: its top is beige terrazzo and its front and sides are lined in patterned veneer wood and brass panels. Its pedestal is a dark green terrazzo.
Upstairs, Hotel Rumour makes guests feel cozy in an attic-like setting. Primarily used as a lounge cocktail bar, this extra-special space is split into distinct areas by staircases and wooden ceiling beams.
These include La Suite Petite, an intimate dining room framed by expressively arched rafters that evoke flying buttresses, and the Salone Royale, a spacious area under exposed beams that is filled with pouffes, chairs, daybeds and tables.
While they can’t stay overnight, patrons are likely to return time and again to Hotel Rumour – which boasts many charms.
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