Best for flower power
HOTEL JAKARTA
Hotel Jakarta in the Eastern Docklands, a
short tram ride from the city centre is built
on a man-made island in the middle of the
IJ — from which ships used to depart for the
East Indies, hence the name — Jakarta is
dominated by an indoor subtropical garden.
Focusing on its sustainability credentials,
the building meets much of its energy needs
through solar panels and geothermal heat
pumps and the rooms are bedecked in fast-
growing bamboo. There’s also a buzzing bar
and restaurant located within the garden.
ROOMS: Doubles from £140, B&B.
hoteljakarta.comBest for history buffs
HOTEL ASILE FLOTTANT
Consisting of six boats saved from the
breaker’s yard and converted into sumptuous
tourist accommodation. In their previous
lives, some of the vessels were used for
fishing or to transport cargo, but all have
interesting stories. The largest accommodate
up to six guests and some even have
bathtubs. All boats are docked near
De Ceuvel, a shipyard-turned-eco-hub in
Noord, where old boats have been dragged
ashore and converted into offices for social
enterprises. The hub is also home to Café de
Ceuvel, a snack bar and late-night pub.
ROOMS: Boats from £230 for two nights,
room only. asileflottant.com
SLEEP52 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel