Hotel Europe Huis Ten Bosch Review: Our Honest Experience
Last Updated on August 20, 2026 by Kay
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If you’re thinking about staying at Hotel Europe at Huis Ten Bosch, a theme park in Nagasaki, you’ve come to the right place.
My family spent one night here, and not to spoil anything, but we definitely want to go back.
In this article, I’ll share our entire experience at Hotel Europe so that you have a better idea of whether it’s a place you want to stay.
Our Experience at Hotel Europe (Huis Ten Bosch)
According to Huis Ten Bosch, Hotel Europe is its highest-ranking hotel, and I’m not surprised.
Most of the guests we saw during our stay appeared to be older adults, perhaps in their 50s and above, so I initially wondered whether my daughter would enjoy it as much as Hotel Amsterdam, where we stayed the night before.
Thankfully, she absolutely did. In fact, she loved Hotel Europe because it was, in her words, “fancy.” (Same, girl, same.)
The hotel felt elegant without being uncomfortable with a child, and our room was somewhere I genuinely could have spent an entire day relaxing.
How to Get to Hotel Europe
One disadvantage of Hotel Europe is its location.
It’s on the opposite side of Huis Ten Bosch from the main entrance, so it can feel quite far away if you’re walking all the way there with luggage or after a long day in the park.
I recommend using one of the park buses, a canal boat, or Hotel Europe’s special guest cruiser when the timing works.
Hotel Europe guests can use a complimentary check-in/check-out cruiser between the Welcome Area and the hotel at certain times of day.
There is also a Harbor Gate in front of Hotel Europe that separates the Harbor Zone from the main theme park area. You need your valid Huis Ten Bosch admission ticket when using the gate for park access, so do not lose your park pass! Thankfully, unlike Hotel Amsterdam, you don’t need a park pass when checking into the hotel as long as you arrive by bus or Hotel Europe’s cruiser. (However, the boat only runs on a limited schedule, which is listedin the photo below.)
If you’re coming by car, official hotel guests can use the dedicated hotel-guest parking area in the Welcome Area during their stay.
The Hotel Europe Lobby and Atmosphere
The outside of Hotel Europe is beautiful, and the lobby was just as lovely, with chandeliers, large flower arrangements, and antique-style furniture.
Compared to Hotel Amsterdam, it felt quieter and considerably more luxurious. To me, Hotel Europe felt more like a high-end hotel outside Japan than a theme park hotel.
During our visit, there was also live music in the lounge, which was also a plus.
Our Room at Hotel Europe
Our Hotel Europe Deluxe room felt considerably more luxurious than our room at Hotel Amsterdam.
Although it was a fraction smaller at 39 square meters, there was plenty of space for the three of us, with two twin beds, two gorgeous and comfy sapphire-blue velvet armchairs, a small table, and a desk beside the window.
My daughter absolutely loved the desk by the window. She spent quite a bit of time sitting there playing and writing in her notebook while looking out the window, and she eventually announced that she wanted exactly the same desk in her bedroom at home.
The beds were also quite comfortable.
Near the entrance, there was a wardrobe where we could hang our jackets and place our bags:
We were provided pajamas as well:
The room also had an air cleaner:
There was also a kettle with accompanying adorable teacups and TWG tea (perfect for a fancy tea party!).
A coffee machine with capsules:
As well as two 500 ml water bottles:
And a small fridge:
Overall, everything about the room felt a little more comfortable and upscale, so I can see why this hotel is the priciest at the park. I genuinely felt like I could have spent all day in there.
One of the best parts of our room was the view.
We looked directly out over the canal toward the Domtoren and the European-style buildings around Tower City. We could watch the canal boats from our room during the day, and at night the buildings and tower lit up.
Hotel Amsterdam had the prettier garden view, but Hotel Europe’s canal view was way better.
And if you want room service, you can get meals like curry rice delivered straight to your room:
Bathroom in Deluxe Room
I also liked the bathroom in our Deluxe Room at Hotel Europe. It was very spacious and clean. (Although I dislike that the sink had separate hot and cold tap handles.)
In the drawers below the sink there were towels and amenities:
The hair dryer was a standard Panasonic. It’s not bad but you’ll find it at most hotels in Japan. I was surprised by the Bigelow amenities, though. I had never heard of it before so it was nice to see something new. (Another aspect that made me feel like I was on vacation outside Japan!)
The washlet toilet was separate, and unlike Hotel Amsterdam, the bathtub and shower were separate as well, much like you would find in a Japanese home. The washlet wasn’t the newest model, but it wasn’t a big deal.
The shower also had a rain shower, which I always appreciate.
Breakfast at Hotel Europe
One of the best parts of our entire Hotel Europe stay was breakfast. You can choose between a buffet or a course meal at the restaurant.
We chose the buffet, and I’m so glad we did!
The buffet included lots of Western and Japanese dishes, bread and pastries, fruit, salad, smoked salmon, cheeses, desserts, and other options that included Nagasaki specialties such as castella cakes (of course). And everything tasted wonderful.
Notably, this was probably the first breakfast buffet I’ve seen in Japan where you can cook your own shabu shabu!
There was also a made-to-order omelet station, and the omelet was great.
And perhaps most importantly, there was all-you-can-drink sparkling wine at breakfast. If you don’t drink alcohol, they had non-alcoholic sparkling wine as well.
Hotel Europe’s breakfast was peaceful and relaxing. This may simply have been because the clientele skewed older during our stay, but it made breakfast a much more enjoyable experience.
If you’re interested in the breakfast course meal, which is located at a restaurant a few steps from the breakfast buffet, here is the menu:
And here is what the entrance of the restaurant looks like:
Laundry Near Hotel Europe
There is only one laundromat in Huis Ten Bosch, and it’s located in front of Hotel Europe in the Harbor Town area, about a five-minute walk away.
So although it’s relatively close, you do have to leave the hotel to do your laundry.
But I am glad that it is outside because otherwise, we wouldn’t have left the hotel and seen this right outside the laundromat!
There is also a convenience store-style shop right across from Hotel Europe called Sea Breeze that sells snacks and drinks, all for reasonable prices.
Huis Ten Bosch Onsen
Hotel Europe also has a shuttle bus to Huis Ten Bosch Onsen, and we went for a quick soak one evening after spending the day in the park. Hotel Europe guests only have to pay a 150 yen bathing tax to use the onsen, and a towel set is included (make sure not to forget your onsen voucher, which you’ll get when you check in).
The direct bus to the onsen is quite small, though, and ours filled up very quickly since there’s only one every 20 minutes.
As for the onsen itself, I wasn’t a fan.
There are several baths, including small outdoor baths, but I found it to be a little crowded when we visited. After walking around Huis Ten Bosch all day, I had been hoping for a peaceful soak, and it wasn’t particularly relaxing. (Obviously, your experience will depend on when you visit.) There was also no view.
Also, Huis Ten Bosch Onsen currently does not allow guests with tattoos in the public bath. However, they sell 10 cm × 15 cm tattoo-covering sheets at reception for 400 yen. If your tattoo can be completely covered, you can use the bath; if it can’t, you’ll need to use a reservable private bath instead. The bath needs to be reserved several days before your stay, though.
I’ve been to many onsen during my nearly 20 years in Japan, and this was the only onsen where I heard an announcement in English that guests with tattoos are not allowed inside.
I also didn’t like the bus stop at the onsen because there’s really nothing there.
Is Hotel Europe at Huis Ten Bosch Good for Kids?
Hotel Europe at Huis Ten Bosch doesn’t have anything particularly special for young kids, but that didn’t bother my daughter at all. If anything, she seemed to like staying at such a “grown-up” hotel, especially since she is Japanese and hasn’t stayed at a hotel abroad other than in Hawaii. This hotel was something totally new for her.
Many of the guests are older, and I felt like the breakfast buffet probably wasn’t the best place for kids who like running around or need to watch an iPad with the volume on, etc. Hotel Amsterdam is better for that. The hotel is also outside the theme park area, so it’s less convenient compared to Hotel Amsterdam.
If you need amenities for your kids, such as slippers, pajamas, and toothbrushes, you can pick them up from the lobby. The pajamas for children are one size only, though (size 120, which I think is best for children who are between 110 cm and 130 cm tall).
So, Is Hotel Europe Worth It?
We really enjoyed our stay at Huis Ten Bosch’s Hotel Europe, so for us, it was absolutely worth it.
The room felt more luxurious than Hotel Amsterdam, the beds were better, I loved the bathroom, the canal view was beautiful, and breakfast was delicious (not to mention free sparkling wine!).
My daughter loved it too, despite the hotel seeming to attract an older crowd than Hotel Amsterdam.
If I returned to Huis Ten Bosch and wanted another traditional hotel stay, Hotel Europe would be my first choice. I would absolutely stay here again.
Look into availability and rates for Hotel Europe here.
For those with children, make sure to read my article about what it’s like going to Huis Ten Bosch with kids.