Hotel De Zeevaartschool named Heritage Design Hotel of the Year 2025 at the European Hotel Awards

Hotel De Zeevaartschool in Vlissingen has won the prestigious title Heritage Design Hotel of the Year at the European Hotel Awards 2025. The award ceremony, attended by Joost van Damme and Vincent Schuit took place on 17 November in Vilnius, Lithuania, at a gala event that annually highlights Europe's leading hotels and innovative hospitality concepts.

The award honours hotels that excel in preserving cultural heritage, combined with contemporary guest experience and high-level design. The international jury praised De Zeevaartschool for its unique restoration of the former maritime training building, where original elements, such as maritime details, original staircases and historical structures, have been matched and integrated into a modern, sustainable hotel concept.

“This award is a wonderful recognition of our vision and work over the past few years: keeping the past palpable, but with today's comfort standards,” says Joost van Damme, owner of Hotel De Zeevaartschool. “We wanted to create a place where history meets contemporary design, and where guests can really experience the building's maritime history.”

The European Hotel Awards are presented annually to Europe's most innovative and inspiring hotels. With this award, Hotel De Zeevaartschool confirms its reputation as one of the most distinctive hotels in the Netherlands and in Europe.