Add your sail date and the links open on the night before.
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Van der Valk Blijdorp is second, and it's the only hotel here that sells the whole cruise morning as one product. Park, Sleep & Fly bundles a night, breakfast, free parking for one car and a ride to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam and back, from €89.34 (about US$100) a person for two in a Superior room, the 6.5% tourist tax included.
If the hotel's shuttle isn't running, it books a taxi at no extra cost, per the hotel. That's a promise worth having in writing.
The gap is the parking. The package says "1x" free parking and never says for how many days, so a 14-night sailing needs an email before you pay. You'll also need a confirmed cruise from that terminal to book it.
It sits in Blijdorp by the zoo, about 4.0 road miles from the ship by our routing, not a walk. Book it for the one night with parking and a ride, and email the hotel about the week you'll be away before you pay.
Book it if
- You want parking, breakfast and the ride in one price
- You're driving in from out of town
- You'd like a backup taxi if the shuttle isn't running
Look elsewhere if
- You want to walk to anything on sail morning.
- Your cruise runs long and the package doesn't confirm the days.
- You're arriving by train without a car.
Your night before, from here
The evening at Van der Valk Blijdorp to the morning on the Wilhelminapier, built only from what Van der Valk Blijdorp and the port publish.
A restaurant with French and Italian three- and four-course menus, per the hotel — and the zoo next door, if you land early.
Park, Sleep & Fly includes a ride to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam and back, by the hotel's shuttle or, if that isn't running, a taxi at no extra cost, per the hotel. It's sold only with a confirmed cruise from that terminal (or a flight from Rotterdam The Hague Airport).
Breakfast is in the Park, Sleep & Fly package, served 6:00 to 10:30 on weekdays and 7:00 to 11:00 at weekends, with a breakfast pack for early departures. The pages we read don't say a plain room rate includes it, so we don't score it.
The hotel gives no distance to the terminal. Our routing makes it about 4.0 road miles (6.4 km) — roughly 11 minutes with no traffic, a ride and not a walk. Our figure for Van der Valk Blijdorp assumes clear roads, so build in a margin.
Park, Sleep & Fly includes free parking for one car, from €89.34 a person in a Superior room for two with the 6.5% tourist tax in, per the hotel. It doesn't say how many days the car can stay while you sail. Ask before you book a long cruise, not after.
Night-Before Score: 52 of 100
Scored only from what the hotel or its brand publishes on its own pages, and the hub explains how the Night-Before Score works.
Getting here, and on to the ship
Our routing puts Schiphol about 35.0 road miles from Van der Valk Blijdorp and Rotterdam The Hague Airport about 4.5 — figures for empty roads, and anything marked unknown below is yours to arrange.
No Schiphol transfer is listed.
Park, Sleep & Fly includes a ride to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam and back, by the hotel's shuttle or, if that isn't running, a taxi at no extra cost, per the hotel. It's sold only with a confirmed cruise from that terminal (or a flight from Rotterdam The Hague Airport).
The hotel gives no distance to the terminal. Our routing makes it about 4.0 road miles (6.4 km) — roughly 11 minutes with no traffic, a ride and not a walk.
From AMS without a hotel shuttle
By our routing Schiphol is about 35.0 road miles from Van der Valk Blijdorp, roughly 45 minutes with no traffic. Five rental desks share Schiphol Plaza, and a car makes more sense for Van der Valk Blijdorp than the train. More: the airport page.
Park, Sleep & Fly includes a transfer to Rotterdam The Hague Airport and back, for guests flying from there.
Hotel shuttle
Park, Sleep & Fly includes a ride to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam and back, by the hotel's shuttle or, if that isn't running, a taxi at no extra cost, per the hotel. It's sold only with a confirmed cruise from that terminal (or a flight from Rotterdam The Hague Airport).
The hotel gives no distance to the terminal. Our routing makes it about 4.0 road miles (6.4 km) — roughly 11 minutes with no traffic, a ride and not a walk.
Park, Sleep & Fly includes free parking for one car, from €89.34 a person in a Superior room for two with the 6.5% tourist tax in, per the hotel. It doesn't say how many days the car can stay while you sail. Ask before you book a long cruise, not after.
Parking for your stay: At the Diergaarde Blijdorp car park, with a reduced €4.00 (about US$4) exit ticket from reception; free for one car in Park, Sleep & Fly.
Park, Sleep & Fly includes a ride to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam and back, by the hotel's shuttle or, if that isn't running, a taxi at no extra cost, per the hotel. It's sold only with a confirmed cruise from that terminal (or a flight from Rotterdam The Hague Airport).
The hotel gives no distance to the terminal. Our routing makes it about 4.0 road miles (6.4 km) — roughly 11 minutes with no traffic, a ride and not a walk.
Same-day flight? Go airport to terminal and leave Van der Valk Blijdorp for another trip; our landing check sets the margin.
Which terminal
Cruise Terminal RotterdamEvery sea-cruise ship on the port's schedule that we read uses Cruise Terminal Rotterdam on the Wilhelminapier, and Van der Valk Blijdorp is about 4.0 road miles, roughly 11 minutes with no traffic, by our routing. An MSC booking that says "Rotterdam (Amsterdam)" means this terminal too; the Rotterdam cruise guide covers it.
Source: cruiseportrotterdam.nlDistance
~4.0 road mi, our routingThe hotel gives no distance to the terminal. Our routing makes it about 4.0 road miles (6.4 km) — roughly 11 minutes with no traffic, a ride and not a walk.
Source: hotel-rotterdam-blijdorp.nlTo the ship
Ride in the packagePark, Sleep & Fly includes the hotel’s shuttle to the terminal and back, or a taxi at no extra cost if the shuttle isn’t running. Departure times aren’t printed, so ask at check-in; by our routing the drive is about 11 minutes with no traffic.
Source: hotel-rotterdam-blijdorp.nlParking while you sail
Cruise parking
Parking in a packagePark, Sleep & Fly includes free parking for one car, from €89.34 a person in a Superior room for two with the 6.5% tourist tax in, per the hotel. It doesn't say how many days the car can stay while you sail. Ask before you book a long cruise, not after.
Source: hotel-rotterdam-blijdorp.nlThe port’s cruise parking
€19 (about US$20) per 24 hours, per the portThe cruise parking that exists is the port’s, not Van der Valk Blijdorp’s: the lot in front of the ss Rotterdam, €19 per 24 hours, paid at the ship’s reception. Here it’s package parking for one car, days not stated.
Every Rotterdam cruise-parking option and what Van der Valk Blijdorp’s neighbours charge.
Source: cruiseportrotterdam.nlThe evening and the morning
The evening
Food or bar on siteA restaurant with French and Italian three- and four-course menus, per the hotel — and the zoo next door, if you land early.
Breakfast
Not statedBreakfast is in the Park, Sleep & Fly package, served 6:00 to 10:30 on weekdays and 7:00 to 11:00 at weekends, with a breakfast pack for early departures. The pages we read don't say a plain room rate includes it, so we don't score it.
Address
Blijdorp, by the zooEnergieweg 2, 3041 JC Rotterdam
Hotel website
The fine print, in one place
Times, fees, rooms and the small stuff, as Van der Valk Blijdorp publishes it. Before you book, ask Van der Valk Blijdorp about how many cruise days the package parking covers and check-in and check-out times; its pages don’t say.
Check-in and check-out
Minimum age
Not stated by the hotel.
Extra fees
Park, Sleep & Fly prices include the 6.5% tourist tax
Wi-Fi
Not stated
Parking for your stay
At the Diergaarde Blijdorp car park, with a reduced €4.00 exit ticket from reception; free for one car in Park, Sleep & Fly
Breakfast
In Park, Sleep & Fly: 6:00–10:30 weekdays, 7:00–11:00 weekends; a breakfast pack for early departures
Pool
No pool mentioned on the pages we read
Pets
The pages we read don't mention pets.
Food and drink on site
- RestaurantFrench and Italian, three- and four-course menus
Rooms
Park, Sleep & Fly is priced for two in a Superior room; other room types aren’t on the pages we read.
Accessibility
Accessible rooms aren’t described on the Van der Valk Blijdorp pages we read; ring the hotel before you count on one.
On site
- EV chargingNot stated
- Guest laundryNot stated
- GymNot stated
- Pets allowedNot stated
Nearby, by the hotel’s count
- Diergaarde Blijdorp (the zoo)next door
Distances as Van der Valk Blijdorp or its brand lists them, kept in its own units.
Also worth knowing
- Park, Sleep & Fly needs a confirmed cruise from Cruise Terminal Rotterdam or a flight from Rotterdam The Hague Airport
- Kiss & Ride drop-off at the terminal
- If the shuttle isn’t running, a taxi at no extra cost
Before you book
Worth knowing
- Park, Sleep & Fly from €89.34 a person, two in a Superior room, tax included.
- Parking days during the cruise aren't stated.
- Guests otherwise park at the zoo car park with a €4.00 exit ticket from reception.
- A confirmed cruise from Cruise Terminal Rotterdam is required.
- The package price already includes Rotterdam's 6.5% tourist tax, per the hotel; a plain room rate may not.
What we couldn’t confirm
- How many cruise days the package parking covers
- Check-in and check-out times
- Shuttle departure times
Every hotel fact here comes from Van der Valk Blijdorp’s own pages or its brand’s, read October 4, 2026, unless we name another source — so before you book, confirm how many cruise days the package parking covers.
Worth a look alongside it
Before you book Van der Valk Blijdorp: the Rotterdam cruise guide, Rotterdam cruise parking and the splurge list.
Wake up by the zoo, the morning ride already booked.
Send the sail date and the ship, and we’ll ask Van der Valk Blijdorp about that night and line up the run to the ship. No payment on the form.
Van der Valk Blijdorp FAQ
What does Van der Valk Blijdorp's Park, Sleep & Fly include?
A night, breakfast, free parking for one car, and a transfer to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam and back, per the hotel, from €89.34 a person in a Superior room for two, the 6.5% tourist tax included.
How long can I leave my car at Van der Valk Blijdorp during a cruise?
The package page doesn't say — it lists "1x free parking for one car" without a number of days, so confirm your cruise length with the hotel before you book.
What if Van der Valk Blijdorp's shuttle isn't running on my sail day?
The hotel says it will arrange a taxi at no additional cost — get it in the booking confirmation, in writing, not by phone.
Do I need a cruise booking for Park, Sleep & Fly at Van der Valk Blijdorp?
Yes — a confirmed cruise from Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, or a flight from Rotterdam The Hague Airport, per the hotel.
How far is Van der Valk Blijdorp from the cruise ship?
About 4.0 road miles (6.4 km) to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam by our routing, roughly 11 minutes with no traffic. Rotterdam The Hague Airport is about 4.5 road miles away.
Booking the cruise too?
We can book Van der Valk Blijdorp, the cruise and the morning taxi together. Send your dates. No obligation.
Got it — thank you.
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