Rotterdam for under £100

WINDMILLS and tulips are thin on the ground in Rotterdam, one of the most relentlessly forward-looking cities in Europe. Much of the centre, devastated during World War II, has a retro-futurist look with striking Sixties architecture. Now Eurostar offers direct trains from London St Pancras — a journey of barely three hours — it’s high time to make the trip.

WHERE TO STAY

H2otel THERE’S unusual accommodation and then there’s the daftly named H2otel, actually five ‘lash barges’ once owned by the U.S. Army and towed to Wijnhaven harbour from the Mississippi River.

The 49 rooms on board are individually designed by local artists and the hotel’s five bright orange, circular ‘lounge boats’ depart for 90-minute long picnic cruises along the river every day. B&B doubles from £51 ( h2otel.nl). Stroom FORMERLY a power station, Stroom ticks all the boxes for Dutch post-industrial chic. It’s a little out of the centre (a five-minute water taxi is the fastest and most fun way to get downtown), and the spacious splitlevel rooms are in bold colours. There’s a friendly downstairs deli. B&B doubles from £85 ( stroomrotterdam.nl). Room Mate Bruno SUBTLE? Demure? Look elsewhere . . . Bruno is a riot of primary colours in the lobby and rooms. There’s also an entirely blue patio area and a selection of astrological signs on the walls in public areas.

Enjoy a long lie-in: breakfast is served until noon. B& B doubles from £ 84 ( room-matehotels.com). The James THIS is a game changer. There’s no restaurant but rather a natty 24-hour selfservice ‘food market’ where you can pick up everything from beer to bagels and boiled eggs; a wi-fi service allows you to make requests. There are electric scooters for hire and rooms are minimalist- chic. Doubles from £52 ( thejames.nl).

WHERE TO EAT

A-Kong UNLESS you fancy a particularly long trip to the depths of South America, Rotterdam offers your best chance to try the cuisine of Suriname, which was a Dutch colony until the Seventies.

A-Kong has been selling the nation’s fiery cuisine in Rotterdam for 40 years. If it’s your first time, try an immense broodje

akong. This is a sandwich stuffed with spicy pork and chicken, for just £2.55. No website, Oude Binnenweg 138 NRC Cafe FORMERLY the home of a Dutch newspaper, the presses have been replaced by lunches, such as huge poke bowls (a Hawaiian dish that’s basically a deconstructed sushi salad) and sandwiches.

Try the tonijn (£12.30): tuna with white rice, avocado, cucumber, edamame, red cabbage and wasabi mayo. There’s a small club downstairs playing funk, soul and R&B. nieuwrotterdamscafe.nl Fenix Food Factory THIS big old warehouse building down by the docks is now a funky, hugely popular food market that’s low on price and high on cool.

Try wood-fired Korean tacos (£4.30) from Kaapse Kitchen, or the selection platters of five different Dutch cheeses (£4.30) from Booij cheesemakers, and cheesecake brownies (£2:15) from Jordy’s Bakery. fenixfoodfactory.nl Frobel Lunchroom IN THIS light and airy cafe, full of wicker chandeliers and fashionably weathered wooden tables, people with learning difficulties prepare and serve surprisingly diverse dishes including a knock-out bobotie for £6.40. It’s a Dutch Afrikaans classic that’s similar to cottage pie but with curry paste and sultanas. frobel.online

GETTING AROUND

THE Rotterdam Welcome card is a steal at £10.30 for one day and £15.50 for two days. With it comes discounts of between 2550 per cent at more than 50 different museums, restaurants and attractions. en.rotterdam.info.

GO BY TRAIN

EUROSTAR has returns from London St Pancras to Rotterdam from £103 ( eurostar.

com); outward journeys are direct, but the return leg is via Brussels. Further information: holland.com