The Secret of Hotel New York

Overview

Few buildings tell the story of a city as vividly as Hotel New York does for Rotterdam. Originally constructed in 1901 as the headquarters of the Holland-America Line, this landmark building has witnessed over a century of commerce, migration, war, decline, and urban renewal. Drawing on a wealth of archival material and a diverse range of interviews, the film weaves together the personal accounts of those who knew the building from the inside with the historical evolution of Rotterdam as a port city. From an office building and squatted property to its eventual transformation into a hotel, "The Secret of Hotel New York" presents the story of an enduring symbol of Rotterdam’s capacity for reinvention.