Latest news with #DutchCoast
TTG
23-05-2025
- TTG
Why this Dutch city should be on every agent's radar
What's the first place that comes to mind when you think of a Dutch city? Probably Amsterdam, right? But with that city straining under the weight of mass tourism, it could be time to point clients in the direction of one of the country's more under-the-radar destinations. And with the opening of stylish new hotel De Plesman, there's never been a better time to visit The Hague. Located in the former headquarters of Dutch airline KLM, this 103-bedroom hotel is named after KLM founder and Dutch aviator Albert Plesman – a statue of him gazing up to the sky graces the hotel's entrance as you arrive. Plesman wanted to connect the world and bring people together – a legacy that continues today with the grand reimagining of this iconic Dutch institution. Found in Scheveningen, equidistant from the city centre and the beach, the hotel is a masterpiece in mid-century design. Under the guise of the dynamic interior design team at Amsterdam-based Nicemakers, interiors have been meticulously restored to pay homage to the building's Art Deco origins when it was built by Dirk Roosenburg in 1939. Modern art collections featuring photographs of the Dutch coastline adorn the walls, while bedrooms are designed for comfort and functionality with kitchenettes and muted brown, cream and burgundy soft furnishings. The building's skeleton is a work of art in itself with intricate spiral staircases, curved white ceilings and light fittings that simulate the tip of an aeroplane propellor. Albert Plesman's office has been transformed into the Plesman Suite and showcases original wood panelling, silks on the beds and retro furnishings. Dining with a twist Downstairs, the vast rectangular-shaped communal space houses the reception, lounge and bar area. It's here that the impressive design really comes to life and it feels like no detail has been forgotten during the refurbishment. Equally so in Suss, the hotel's buzzing restaurant, which was full every night of my stay. The locals have embraced the new kid on the block with aplomb and it's easy to see why. Named after Plesman's wife and located in the former KLM staff canteen, Suss is warm and welcoming – a nod to Suss herself who reportedly appeased a group of disgruntled pilots visiting the house for a difficult meeting with Plesman. They were so wowed by her dishes and hospitality that the issue was settled never to be mentioned again. Food is excellent and well-priced. Under the watchful eye of managing director, Willem van Emden, formerly of Gleneagles Townhouse in Edinburgh, staff are welcoming and service runs smoothly.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Dutch safety board calls for urgent improvements after deadly North Sea cargo ship blaze
Protocols for responding to emergencies on busy North Sea shipping routes off the Dutch coast must be urgently improved, an independent Dutch safety watchdog said Thursday in a report into a deadly blaze on a cargo ship. The warning by the Dutch Safety Board came in its report about emergency services' response to a fierce fire that broke out on the night of July 25, 2023, on the Fremantle Highway freighter that was carrying nearly 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. One of the 23 people on board was killed and six others were injured after jumping overboard to escape smoke churning out of the ship's cargo hold about 27 kilometers (17 miles) north of the Dutch island of Ameland. The remaining 16 people were rescued using helicopters. During the mission by Dutch maritime rescuers, 'the focus for too long was on firefighting instead of saving the crew,' the report said. It added that poor information sharing between different rescuers and emergency services on land meant authorities were not fully prepared when 16 survivors who also required medical help were flown to shore, causing delays in transferring them to hospitals. 'In order to be well prepared for future incidents at sea, the emergency assistance system must be put in order as soon as possible. Various improvements are needed for this, both at the Coastguard and at the relevant safety regions,' the report said in recommendations to the government. The Dutch report did not look into or comment on the cause of the fire. Maritime authorities in Panama were investigating the cause because the ship was flying under a Panamanian flag. The fire burned out of control for a week as the stricken freighter floated near shipping lanes and the shallow Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed migratory bird habitat. It was eventually towed to a port in the northern Netherlands for salvage.
