The Hague, the Court City of the Netherlands welcomed a new hotspot last weekend: the Kingkool hostel! Bunch of Backpackers was at the opening party and was one of their very first guests! Read the report about this creative and chilled-out place with loads of charm!

For the Dutch: Vind hier het Nederlandstalige verslag.

Koning + cool = Kingkool

Jan de Koning (owner of Kingkool) is tired. Very tired. After months of hard labour Kingkool is finally ready to receive its first guests. Together with his family and friends he designed and built most of the interior of the hostel: from the playful lampshades to the unique theme rooms. Since the hostel has more than 90 beds, we can imagine he is tired.

Jan is a friendly, relaxed surf dude who traveled all around the world with his board. After getting his master’s degree in economics he decided he didn’t want to work at (for example) a bank. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs and with his strong love for travel, the Kingkool hostel was a logical step. As most things in the hostel, the name of the hostel is personal and refers to his last name (de Koning translates into the King). Kool obviously refers to the coolness of the hostel.

Eigenaar Jan de Koning achter de bar van het Kingkool hostel. ©Bunch of Backpackers.
Owner Jan de Koning behind the bar of the Kingkool Hostel. ©Bunch of Backpackers.

Sleep in the Bunny-room

And we admit: the Kingkool hostel is ‘cool’. The hostel offers suites, private rooms with 2-4 beds and dormitories. Each room has its own original and quirky theme! Our favorites are the ‘Bunny-room‘ which is fully covered with posters of naked Playmates, the ‘Paard van Troje-room‘ dedicated to the famous The Hague music temple and the ‘Urban camper-room‘ where you spend the night in a bright green camper.

Or in the capsule-room

Also, there is a room that looks a bit like a Japanese capsule hotel with big wooden boxes piled on each other, while another room has so-called triple bunks (three beds on top of each other). Of course there is also a room with a Kingly theme with crowns, a chandelier and a portrait of our former queen.

De gifgroene caravankamer waar wij sliepen. ©Bunch of Backpackers.
Our green camper room! ©Bunch of Backpackers.

Most of the rooms come with a design en-suite bathroom, but there are also spacious bathrooms for the ‘boys’ and ‘girls’. On the ground floor of the hostel there is a big kitchen, a bar and a lounge. Furthermore, the hostel has big backyard making it good spot for a summer barbecue session.

Breakfast with the Dutch Prime Minister

Kingkool doesn’t serve breakfast, but Jan and his hostelcrew are more than happy to explain where to find places for a delicious breakfast such as cafe Zeta. This colorful cafe on the ‘Grote Markt’ square is within a five-minute radius of the hostel. It has delicious freshly pressed juices and crispy bread rolls. When we had breakfast on their terrace, the Dutch Prime Minister was sitting only a few tables away from us having a juice and reading the newspaper. Hey, you’re in the city of the Seat of Government or you’re not.

Grote Markt vroeg in de ochtend. ©Bunch of Backpackers.
Grote Markt early in the morning. ©Bunch of Backpackers.

Perfect location

De location of Kingkool is perfect. The tram stops right in front of the hostel, the vibrant Grote Markt square full of restaurants and bars lies within walking distance and the ‘Paard van Troje’ music club is right across the street. It’s the ideal base for exploring the beautiful city of The Hague. Visit the surreal works of M.C. Escher, admire Vermeer’s ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’ in the Mauritshuis, do some fancy shopping in Maison de Bonneterie or go surfing in Scheveningen.

I’m Kingkool

Kingkool is a highly personal hostel showing that great things can be achieved with devotion and a creative mind. It is suitable for the laidback traveler looking for an atmospheric budget accommodation in the heart of The Hague. ‘I’m Kingkool’ is their slogan. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Who else will come and meet Kingkool?

I am Kingkool. ©Bunch of Backpackers.
I am Kingkool. ©Bunch of Backpackers.
Lampen in het Kingkool hostel. ©Bunch of Backpackers.
Lamps in the Kingkool Hostel. ©Bunch of Backpackers.
De caravankamer van het Kingkool hostel. ©Kingkool.
Camper room of the Kingkool Hostel. ©Kingkool.
De pornokamer van het Kingkool hostel. ©Kingkool
Bunny-room of the Kingkool Hostel. ©Kingkool
De capsulekamer van het Kingkool hostel. ©Kingkool.
Capsule room of the Kingkool Hostel. ©Kingkool.
Triple bunks. ©King Kool.
Triple bunks in the ‘Paard van Troje’ room of the Kingkool Hostel. ©King Kool.
Badkamer Kingkool hostel. ©Kingkool.
Bathroom of the Kingkool hostel. ©Kingkool.

Kingkool Hostel Details

Website: www.kingkool.nl
Telephone: +31(0)70 215 83 39
Beds from 21,50 euro

We love to hear about your experiences! Have you stayed in the Kingkool Hostel? Write a short review in the comments!

Recommended further reading
Visit Giethoorn (from Amsterdam), the most beautiful village in the world
Stay in one the best hostels in the world: the King Kong Hostel in Rotterdam

12 COMMENTS

  1. Wow, I love the industrial look of this hostel. It’s got a very modernist twist, which is the first thing that appeals to me when looking for hostels to stay at. Plus, being an ex-banker myself, I’ll have some gossiping to do with the owner lol

    Great review, I’ll definitely check it out when I go :)

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