It was the faceted pink counter tiles that first caught our attention. We also loved the cloud of flowers hovering over the café. And the lime-washed tranquility of the guest rooms crowned by century-old moldings. That was before we learned that Rotterdam’s 14-room Hotel âme is beyond boutique: it’s a mom-and-pop establishment owned and created by Angel Cheung-Kwok and Manfung Cheung.
The couple purchased the 1867 building pre-pandemic and devoted years to shaping its new guise. They came to the project with a shared passion for Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics if little experience: prior to becoming hoteliers Angel says she “worked in the telecom industry and Manfung spent more than 15 years as an online consultant.” They both, she adds, grew up in the Netherlands “but our roots lie in Hong Kong. That heritage has always been an important part of who we are: we feel deeply connected to Asian culture, not only in family traditions but also in the way we live, think, and do things.”
They designed the hotel and café themselves. “Of course we worked with skilled craftsmen, builders, and specialists,” Angel tells us, “but we were very involved throughout. The building itself guided us in many ways. We wanted to preserve its soul—the high ceilings, original ornaments, and generous flow of light—while creating a contemporary space that feels calm and timeless.”
Photography by Manfung Cheung (@mnfng.studio), courtesy of Hotel âme (@hotelame).
Above: Located on a square in the center of Rotterdam, the five-story neoclassical structure was designed and built as a townhouse by its owner W.A. Merry. Notes Angel: “We kept the original layout and where possible, all the authentic details have been restored.” The hotel’s name means “soul”—Angel and Manfung present it—and the interiors, too—in a lowercased whisper.
Above: The ground floor café serves as the gathering spot for guests and locals. “The idea was to create spaces that feel harmonious, inspiring, and timeless, where every object has its place and purpose,” says Angel, who has become a ceramic artist and hand makes all of the hotel’s wares. The Italian counter tiles are from Ceramica Vogue’s Flutes & Flutes collection.
Above: The café is also a concept store offering design books and magazines, Japanese incense, and Angel’s ceramics, among other things. The “hanging flower cloud” is by Japanese floral stylist Yoko Negi, a local friend. Note the original wainscoting.
Above: Angel and Manfung met at a party when they were teens. “Together we shape the creative vision,” says Angel. “We have a wonderful general manager, but I still spend a couple of days a week on the floor; I love staying connected with our team and our guests.”
Above: Upstairs, there are 14 guest rooms, no two exactly alike.
Above: Amsterdam interior design studio Barde vanVoltt designed the oak bed frames and other guest room furniture in collaboration with Angel and Manfung. The couple wanted “every element to feel intentional and cohesive”—and serene. The mattresses are by Coco-Mat— “they use all natural materials with no synthetic rubbish” says Angel—and the linen bed covers are from Dutch line By Mölle, which also supplied the linen curtains.
Above: A desk extends from a standing wardrobe. The walls throughout are finished in what Angel describes as “a warm, earthy palette with lime-based clay and natural finishes to give the rooms a soft, tactile feeling.”
Above: The hotel’s bathroom fittings were “selected for their sculptural quality and natural feel, often in matte finishes,” and all come from Dutch line Tortu. 
Above: Some guest rooms have soaring ceilings with wedding-cake-style moldings. This one has its own bathing platform.
Above: An attic room. The compact clothing rack is available from Litfad.
Above: One of Angel’s vases. Hotel âme is at 19 Eendrachtsweg in Rotterdam.
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