Is it a happy Santa Claus holding a bell and a Christmas tree or is it a naughty Santa holding…read moresomething unmentionable?? Interesting to visit this Santa Claus by Paul McCarthy with our tour guide Nidas from Free Walking Tour Rotterdam. Had I just walked by this oversized Santa, might not have known how controversial this giant statue has been. Once the inspiration was revealed, the statue was rejected by many local businesses and it was moved from location to location. Read the other reviews to learn more about what Santa holds in his right hand. Maybe that's why he is smiling??

The Low Countries seems to house their fair share of interesting statues…read more.. The city of Rotterdam commissioned sculptor Paul McCarthy (not the Beatles member) to create a piece of public art for a square near the orchestra building. Created in 2001, the sculpture is supposed to depict Santa Claus holding a bell in one hand and a Christmas tree in the other. The locals, or rather, anyone with an imagination, thought otherwise. Reception was obviously mixed, with some finding it offensive while other people thought it symbolized Western consumerism around Christmastime gone wrong. It was eventually rejected from its original site due to the controversy and for several years moved about the city until it found a permanent place in the Eendrachtsplein. The statue was only a 15 minute walk from Rotterdam Centraal station so I visited the statue on my way back to the station. If the city can design a food hall with a mural of fruits in the ceiling and cube houses as residential spaces, surely it has room for one more unusual object?

Stadhuis Rotterdam is the Town Hall of Rotterdam, the building is a historic landmark of the city,…read moreas one of the few buildings to survive the bombings during World War Two, with the Clock Tower being an iconic point of Coolsingel. It is recognised as a Rijksmonument in The Netherlands. Stadhuis was built between 1914 and 1920 with the foundation being laid in the company of Queen Wilhelmina. The mix of the greenery at the back and the grand architecture is a stunning mix, the interior also reminds me of the Houses of Parliament of London, with the huge grand halls fit for royalty. It does close at 5 pm, which I think is a little early, especially during the summer months. Early Birds will be pleased to know they open from 8:30 in the morning. 4* - A stunning grand building and a remarkable Town Hall for one of my favouite cities in Europe. It is well worth a visit just to see the contrast between old and new, especially with so few remaining of the former in the city due to tragedies related to the war.

Mainport Hotel is a Hilton affiliate. We stayed here for 3 nights when we visited Rotterdam and…read morechose the King City XL room. The room was large, the bed was comfortable and the bathroom was nice (it had a whirlpool tub, walk-in shower and mirror TV). We did not dine in the restaurant but we did visit the bar for drinks and had a fun time. The hotel is located on the river Maas so it was beautiful seeing the views coming down the elevator each morning. It is also in a really good location to walk to places and to access public transit or a water taxi.

Front desk was efficient but not very warm or friendly. The room was beautiful and we had high…read morehopes, but the air conditioner did not work and it was one of the hottest days in Rotterdam. Management came up and fiddled with the thermostat and said give it an hour, but nothing changed. We could not enjoy the sauna or the Jacuzzi tub because it was just too stinking hot. Tried to wait in line in the morning at checkout to let the front desk staff know, but could not get even a good morning or a smile so just drop the keys and left

This is where you go for culture. Not only is it dotted with several museums, but there's also a…read morelovely garden with tons of different paths, fountains, and places to rest and relax.

We bought the museum park for access to all museums in this park cost 27€. For one entry would be…read more14€. Pretty awesome

Stayed here for a business trip…read more Pros: Convenient location Next to Central Station. Easy to get around Price is cheaper than the other major chains Cons: Rooms are smaller than the other two chains in the area (Marriott and Hilton) If you have status at Marriott, you get access to their lounge, which gives you free alcohol and snacks at night and free breakfast in the morning. Place is good and clean and I recommend this place if you have no status with the other two chains. But if you do have status, the other two chains' amenities are nicer.

Great hotel and a great location (bus line directly out front, 2 minute walk to the Metro and a 5…read moreminute walk to Rotterdam Centraal Station). Very clean and modern rooms, comfortable and just enough space. My room was on the fourth floor and there isn't a view. Check in was a breeze and the staff is very welcoming and efficient, even was able to get me a room a few hours early. No lunch or dinner options but there is a bar, snacks and drinks are a bit overpriced but convenient after being in meetings all day it's nice to just grab something quick. Breakfast is included.

Thank you for this wonderfully put together "useum" dedicated to pinball, its history and it's…read morepresent. You've done a wonderful job of cleverly organizing your collection. Amazing.

I dragged my husband here while we were visiting Rotterdam. I love pinball machines and arcade…read morevideo games. We visited on a cold and rainy Saturday so I am surprised that it wasn't more crowded. You pay a flat fee to visit and play for two hours. There were some machines I recognized, some I didn't, and some I wish were there but weren't. On the lower level, there is a museum of sorts which was interesting to see how pinball has evolved over time. If you are in Rotterdam and love pinball, it was worth a visit.

We are outside on the terrace on a beautiful spring day. We had the duck breast appetizer and the…read morecrab cake appetizer. Both were really good. We also had the fries with the warm salmon sandwich. Very good food and atmosphere. The main negative is that it took a very long time to get our food.

We had heard great things about this iconic restaurant and were in the area on a ship for just a…read morefew hours. It was my birthday and I was excited to go for a celebratory lunch. The atmosphere was fun with high open ceilings and big windows. The host sat us close to a window for a great view of both the restaurant and outside. Our waiter was prompt to take our drink order. I had an Aperol Spritz and it was perfect. My husband tried a local beer and enjoyed it. For lunch I had the tomato soup and the grilled ham & cheese sandwich- which was delicious. Was a wonderful experience.