Room Service: Hotel Bazar, Rotterdam

Those with an aversion to overpriced and under-inspiring chain hotels will love the eclectic Hotel Bazar, a fun and funky little gem in a converted office building. It won't suit everyone – rooms can be a bit noisy, the lift could use some air freshener, stone tiles covered with thin rugs don't encourage bare feet in a Rotterdam winter, but staff are friendly and the restaurant downstairs is popular in its own right. It's buzzy in the evenings and the menu is a mix of North African, Turkish and Iranian with main courses at around €9-10 (£6-6.70).

Those with an aversion to overpriced and under-inspiring chain hotels will love the eclectic Hotel Bazar, a fun and funky little gem in a converted office building. It won't suit everyone – rooms can be a bit noisy, the lift could use some air freshener, stone tiles covered with thin rugs don't encourage bare feet in a Rotterdam winter, but staff are friendly and the restaurant downstairs is popular in its own right. It's buzzy in the evenings and the menu is a mix of North African, Turkish and Iranian with main courses at around €9-10 (£6-6.70).

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

Hotel Bazar, Witte de Withstraat 16; 00 3110 206 5151; www.hotelbazar.nl.

The Bazar has a great location above a popular restaurant on a lively street packed with small art galleries, cafés, bars and boutiques, very close to the Museumpark. You can walk to the Erasmus Bridge in 10 minutes or to the Central Station in 15 minutes (or trams 5 and 20 pass close by).

Time to international airport: a taxi would take 15 or 20 minutes €24 (£16) or go to the Central Station and take a bus.

ARE YOU LYING COMFORTABLY?

There are only 18 rooms on two floors. On one floor rooms are decorated with a Middle Eastern/Asian theme (lots of filmy fabrics and cushions with mirrored covers), on the other the inspiration is kitsch Latin American with bright colours, Virgin Marys ringed by fairy lights, artificial-looking plastic flowers, and possibly a photo of Fidel Castro hanging over the loo; beds are comfortable though. There's talk of adding an African floor.

Minibars only have soft drinks and there's no room service but you can get drinks at the restaurant downstairs.

Freebies: uninspiring sachet toiletries. Good Middle Eastern-influenced breakfast served in the restaurant. Free use of bikes (but if you do cycle watch out for tram lines).

Keeping in touch: phones and televisions in every room.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Though standard doubles are excellent value at €75 (£50) including breakfast, larger rooms are available, but at €110 (£73.30) I'm not convinced they're worth the extra: if you're paying bigger bucks (or euros) you are less likely to be as tolerant of some of the Bazar's eccentricities than if you're upgrading from a hostel or basic no-frills hotel.

I'm not paying that: Rotterdam has few hotels with cheaper rooms: even by sacrificing a private bathroom you're unlikely to save more than £10 unless you head for either the Youth Hostel or SSA (Willem Buytewechstraat 206c; 0031 622 9535 62 www.geocities.com/short_stay_accommodations), where a simple twin room with shared facilities costs €38 (£25.30) with breakfast.