Where to stay · The Hague · Netherlands
Where to stay in The Hague
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Centrum and the Hofvijver. Government buildings, the Mauritshuis and terraces on the Plein and Grote Markt. Best alternatives — families: Statenkwartier; budget: Zeeheldenkwartier.
Key facts
- First visit
- Centrum and the Hofvijver
- Families
- Statenkwartier
- Budget
- Zeeheldenkwartier
- Nightlife
- Centrum and the Hofvijver
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Centrum and the Hofvijver | Government buildings, the Mauritshuis and terraces on the Plein and Grote Markt |
| Families | Statenkwartier | Grand townhouses and museums between the city and the dunes |
| Couples | Hofkwartier and Noordeinde | Antique shops, galleries and the King's working palace in the old court quarter |
| Budget | Zeeheldenkwartier | A 19th-century residential quarter of cafés and shops west of the centre |
| Luxury | Hofkwartier and Noordeinde | Antique shops, galleries and the King's working palace in the old court quarter |
| Nightlife | Centrum and the Hofvijver | Government buildings, the Mauritshuis and terraces on the Plein and Grote Markt |
| Food lovers | Hofkwartier and Noordeinde | Antique shops, galleries and the King's working palace in the old court quarter |
| Solo travellers | Zeeheldenkwartier | A 19th-century residential quarter of cafés and shops west of the centre |
| Shopping | Centrum and the Hofvijver | Government buildings, the Mauritshuis and terraces on the Plein and Grote Markt |
| Quiet stays | Statenkwartier | Grand townhouses and museums between the city and the dunes |
| Beach | Scheveningen Bad | Beach resort with the Kurhaus, the pier and a boulevard of beach clubs |
The Hague neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, nightlife and shopping
Centrum and the Hofvijver
The historic centre spreads around the Hofvijver pond and the Binnenhof parliament complex, with the Mauritshuis, the Plein's café terraces and the Grote Markt's bars close by. Chinatown on the Wagenstraat and the main shopping streets are a few minutes south, and Den Haag Centraal is about 10 minutes' walk. It is the most convenient base for museums and nightlife.
- Good
- Walk to the main museums; Good tram links to the beach; Restaurants and bars nearby
- Watch out
- Business-oriented hotels can feel impersonal; Busy with government traffic on weekdays
- Nearby
- Mauritshuis, Hofvijver, Plein, Grote Markt
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, shopping and food lovers
Hofkwartier and Noordeinde
Between the Hofvijver and Noordeinde Palace, the Hofkwartier is a grid of 17th- and 18th-century streets such as Noordeinde, Hoogstraat and Papestraat with boutiques, galleries and cafés. Lange Voorhout and the Denneweg with its restaurants are nearby, making it the most elegant part of the centre.
- Good
- Historic, walkable streets; Independent shops and good restaurants; Close to the Mauritshuis
- Watch out
- Expensive hotels; Quieter in the evening than the Plein
- Nearby
- Noordeinde Palace, Lange Voorhout, Escher in Het Paleis, Denneweg
$$ · Best for food lovers, solo travellers and budget
Zeeheldenkwartier
The 'sea heroes' quarter, with streets named after Dutch admirals, sits between the centre and the Peace Palace. Its main streets, the Prins Hendrikstraat and Piet Heinstraat, have independent cafés, delis and boutiques, and the area keeps a neighbourhood feel within a 10-minute walk of the centre.
- Good
- Local cafés and shops; Walk to the centre and Peace Palace; Good value
- Watch out
- Mostly small hotels and apartments; Few major sights within the district
- Nearby
- Peace Palace, Panorama Mesdag, Centrum
$$$ · Best for families, culture and quiet stays
Statenkwartier
The Statenkwartier is a well-to-do district of late-19th-century houses around the Frederik Hendriklaan shopping street, near the Kunstmuseum, the Fotomuseum and the Museon. The Scheveningse Bosjes woods and Madurodam are close by, and trams run to both the beach and the centre.
- Good
- Calm and leafy; Between the centre and the beach; Museums on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Tram needed for evenings in the centre
- Nearby
- Kunstmuseum Den Haag, Madurodam, Scheveningse Bosjes
$$$ · Best for beach, families and nightlife
Scheveningen Bad
Scheveningen's seaside resort runs along a broad promenade behind the North Sea beach, with the 1885 Kurhaus hotel, the pier and its ferris wheel, and seasonal beach pavilions. Hotels range from large seafront properties to small guesthouses, and trams reach the centre in about 15–20 minutes.
- Good
- Beach on the doorstep; Sea views; Lively in summer
- Watch out
- Quiet and windswept in winter; Some seafront buildings feel dated
- Nearby
- Scheveningen Pier, Kurhaus, Beach pavilions
$$ · Best for food lovers, beach and quiet stays
Scheveningen Haven
South of the resort, the harbour still lands fish and is lined with seafood restaurants, fish stalls and new apartment buildings. Zuiderstrand beyond it is a surfing and kitesurfing spot, and the harbour hosts the Flag Day herring festival in June.
- Good
- Seafood restaurants; Less crowded beaches; Harbour atmosphere
- Watch out
- Fewer hotels; Further from the main tram lines
- Nearby
- Zuiderstrand, Fish market, Duindorp
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and beach
Kijkduin
Kijkduin is a quieter beach area set among dunes about 20 minutes by bus or tram from the centre, with a beach promenade, dune walks and family-friendly sand. It suits travellers who want the sea without Scheveningen's crowds.
- Good
- Quiet beach and dunes; Good for families; Lower prices
- Watch out
- Far from the centre; Few restaurants outside summer
- Nearby
- Westduinpark, Kijkduin beach
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Centrum and the Hofvijver | $$$ | Mauritshuis, Hofvijver, Plein, Grote Markt |
| Hofkwartier and Noordeinde | $$$$ | Noordeinde Palace, Lange Voorhout, Escher in Het Paleis, Denneweg |
| Zeeheldenkwartier | $$ | Peace Palace, Panorama Mesdag, Centrum |
| Statenkwartier | $$$ | Kunstmuseum Den Haag, Madurodam, Scheveningse Bosjes |
| Scheveningen Bad | $$$ | Scheveningen Pier, Kurhaus, Beach pavilions |
| Scheveningen Haven | $$ | Zuiderstrand, Fish market, Duindorp |
| Kijkduin | $$ | Westduinpark, Kijkduin beach |
Getting to your hotel
Amsterdam Schiphol is about 45 km away; direct trains reach Den Haag Centraal in about 30 minutes. Rotterdam The Hague Airport is about 20 km south, reached by RandstadRail line E and a connecting bus or by taxi in about 25 minutes.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in The Hague for first-time visitors?
Centrum and the Hofvijver. The historic centre spreads around the Hofvijver pond and the Binnenhof parliament complex, with the Mauritshuis, the Plein's café terraces and the Grote Markt's bars close by.
+Where should families stay in The Hague?
Statenkwartier: Calm and leafy.
+Which area of The Hague is best for a budget stay?
Zeeheldenkwartier ($$): A 19th-century residential quarter of cafés and shops west of the centre.