Travel and Hotels
Meeting Location & Parking
SIPS 2019 will take place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Our conference venues are Engels and the Rotterdam Marriott Hotel, next to and across the brand new Rotterdam Central Station. Therefore, traveling to the conference by public transport (train, tram, metro, bus) will be convenient. If you come to the meeting by car, you can park in one of the many parking garages close to Rotterdam Central Station. There is no free parking available. Marriott guests can use the hotels parking garage (EUR 27/day).
Date and Time
We are having an informal Saturday evening social event with meeting activities commencing Sunday at 1 pm and continuing 9am-6pm on Monday and Tuesday. There will also be an all-conference dinner on Monday evening (7pm), which is included with your registration.
Where to stay in Rotterdam?
Conference hotel
The Rotterdam Marriott Hotel 4* is located just a one minute walk from the conference venue, Engels. Book your room (EUR 159/night) at the Marriott Hotel here.
Other hotel suggestions
Holiday Inn Express Rotterdam – Central Station 3*
500 m (6 minute walk) from the venue
Inntel Hotel Rotterdam Centre 4*
2 km from the venue, direct metro connection (Line D or E, 4 minutes) or direct tram connection (Line 23 or 25, 7 minutes) from Leuvehaven to Rotterdam Central Station.
Next to the Inntel Hotel Rotterdam Centre, 2 km from the venue, direct metro connection (Line D or E, 4 minutes) or direct tram connection (Line 23 or 25, 7 minutes) from Leuvehaven to Rotterdam Central Station.
Just on the other side of the Maas, 2.8 km from the venue, direct metro connection (Line D or E, 6 minutes) or direct tram connection (Line 23, 10 minutes) from Wilhelminaplein to Rotterdam Central Station.
Hostels
Cheaper options, like the Stayokay Rotterdam Cube Hostel (2 km from the venue, direct train (3 minutes) or tram connection (Line 21 or 24, 8 minutes) can be found through www.hostelworld.com.
Climate
The average temperature in July is around 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit). Summers are typically comfortable, and as a consequence, not all hotels have air-conditioning, which foreign visitors might find uncomfortable on particularly hot days.
Travel to Rotterdam
International travelers might want to fly to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and then take the train to Rotterdam. If you travel with NS Intercity Direct, you’ll be in Rotterdam within 26 minutes. A regular (direct) train connection takes about 50 minutes.
You can also fly to Rotterdam The Hague Airport (aiport code RTM, continental flights only). Rotterdam Central Station is accessible by Uber, taxi, or bus (Line 33, 22 minute ride, leaves every 10 minutes).
Travel within Rotterdam
To make use of public transport (metro, tram, bus), you will need a valid public transport card (OV chip card). You can find more information (e.g., about types of public transport cards) here.
Attractions in and around Rotterdam
Rotterdam is known for its architecture. In 1940 a bombardment destroyed large parts of the city centre. That’s why very few historic buildings can be found in the city centre. Some of the historic buildings that remained are the Laurenskerk, the Witte Huis and the Stadhuis (City Hall). The city council decided not to rebuild the city in its former style but instead opt for modern architecture. This makes Rotterdam a unique city in the Netherlands that has a vibrant and international vibe.
Head over to Rotterdam Blaak (on foot, by metro, tram, or train) to visit the well-known Cube Houses and the Market Hall.
While in Rotterdam, you might wish to take advantage of close proximity to other Dutch cities like The Hague, Utrecht, Delft, Leiden, Gouda, and Dordrecht (all within a 40 minute train ride). Also, you might want to take the boot to Kinderdijk to visit the windmills (more information here).
Food, Drinks, & Nightlife
Coffee
Here are some suggestions for coffee: Lebkov, Douwe Egberts Café, and there is a Starbucks inside the train station.
Lunch
The Rotterdam Central Station offers a variety of food. However, you will need an OV chip card to walk through the train station and seating is limited (it’s mostly take away food). Next to the Rotterdam Marriott Hotel you can find Vapiano that serves fresh pasta and pizza. Ideal for a quick lunch. There’s also a variety of food offers on the third floor (take the escalator or the elevator) of the office building Delftse Poort (just across Engels). A few minutes (<5) walk from the conference venues is Schouwburgplein where you can find a range of restaurants for lunch. Alternatively, walk over to Bram Ladage on the Kruisplein and get some of the best fries of the city – try ‘Fries War’ (patatje oorlog) by asking for fries with both peanut sauce and mayonnaise!
Please note that you are NOT allowed to bring any drinks (including your coffee in the morning) and food (including your lunch) to the conference venues (both Engels and the Marriott)! You will be asked to leave the venue if you do so.
Dinner
The city center of Rotterdam is mainly a shopping district except for Stadhuisplein (City Hall square) that has restaurants that mainly serve to students, soccer fans, and tourists. However, it is recommended to visit some of the streets bordering the city center by walking along the Westersingel. Turn into the West-Kruiskade for food from a wide range of different cultures, or continue to the Oude Binnenweg and the Witte de Withstraat, which are lined with many excellent restaurants and bars, all within a 10 minute walk from the conference location.
Music & Dancing
Bird: https://bird-rotterdam.nl/, Rotown: https://www.rotown.nl/, Lantaren Venster: https://www.lantarenvenster.nl/, Vibes: http://clubvibes.nl/, Annabel:https://www.annabel.nu/, Club Vie: https://www.clubvie.com/