Luxury apartments with stunning river views TEXT: KOEN GUIKING | PHOTOS: SPAARNEDROOM
‘The Spaarne flows, the Spaarne flows, the Spaarne flows past’ sings one of Holland’s most famous singersongwriters Boudewijn de Groot. It is easy to be impressed by this river leisurely running through the beautiful inner city of Haarlem, with magnificent old buildings on either side. Opportunely, it is possible to stay in these century-old riverside mansions.
58 | Issue 30 | June 2016
Spaarnedroom offers four luxurious apartments in the heart of Haarlem. All of them are a stone’s throw away from the Grote Markt (Big Market), St. Bavo Church and the Teylers Museum. The first apartment Pieter Reijnders acquired – on number 42 Spaarne – overlooks the river; arguably the best possible view of Haarlem. “It is literally a dream view, hence I named it Spaarnedroom (Spaarne dream),” Pieter explains, but he recently renamed it De Witte Olyphant, after the historical name of the apartment building. “Before the houses were numbered, they were referred to by the signs outside. This was called ‘Daer d’witte olyphant uythangt’ (‘where the white elephant hangs out’),” Pieter clarifies. The onebedroom apartment is housed in a typical Dutch-stepped gable mansion and is laid out over one and a half floors. It does not get more authentic than this. The living
room has a beamed ceiling and big sashwindows on two sides, through which the river can be observed with its boats and bridges. With the windows open one can hear the buzz of the restaurant terraces underneath. This is when you know you are in the vibrant heart of the city.
Incredibly comfortable Auping beds Recently, Pieter opened two more apartments in the same street; both on the first floor of the building on number 48. This mansion was built in the 18th century and was renovated in the Jugendstil style around 1900. In those days the Algemene Noord Hollandse Maatschappij van Levensverzekering (a revered life insurance company) had its offices here, as can be distinguished by the tableau next to the front door that still depicts the company’s name. The beautiful wooden doors, grand staircase