The Best Hotels in Maastricht

The only terraced castle in the Netherlands, Château Neercanne sits high above the Jeker Valley with Baroque gardens and marl caves running beneath it. Seven suites occupy a restored 17th-century lodgment, so you're sleeping inside the history rather than admiring it from the gift shop. A Michelin-starred restaurant and a bistro are on-site, which takes care of the question of where to eat. The Michelin Guide awarded it 2 Keys.

Natural stone walls and exposed beams run through the guest rooms at this countryside retreat outside Maastricht, a Michelin Key holder where the spa pointedly ignores every anti-aging gadget in favor of straightforward rest. Two restaurants cover both farmhouse and fine-dining registers, and the cooking classes led by Michelin-experienced chefs give guests something to do besides feel guilty about skipping the gym.

A Gothic monastery with monks' cells converted into minimalist hotel rooms is not a concept that always lands, but the Kruisherenhotel pulls it off with considerable nerve. The original cloisters and church are still there, now dressed in white walls, frosted glass, and lighting installations by Ingo Maurer. Breakfast happens on a mezzanine overlooking all of it. The old monastery garden provides a rare quiet corner in central Maastricht.

A 14th-century monastery converted into a hotel, with the restraint to restore the stonework and cloistered calm without turning the whole thing into a museum. The 52 rooms range from snug doubles to family-sized suites, all period bones with contemporary colors and properly modern comforts. Downstairs, Café Louis runs a full French kitchen sourcing locally, which is either a contradiction or just very Dutch pragmatism, depending on your mood.