Netherlands uses hotels for temporary asylum seeker housing

Municipalities in the Netherlands are utilizing vacant or existing hotel infrastructure to address asylum seeker and status holder housing shortages.

In Maashorst, the COA has requested to extend the temporary use of the Van der Valk Hotel for asylum seeker reception until December 1, 2026. This extension follows a two-month delay in the construction of a new reception site at Boekelsedijk. Local authorities have decided to tolerate this extension, noting that 93% of surveyed residents expressed no objection. To support the site's energy needs until a permanent grid connection is established, a biogas installation will be implemented at the Boekelsedijk location.

In Leiden, the municipality has decided to rent the former Hotel Nieuw Minerva for at least three years to house status holders. The facility will provide space for twelve unaccompanied minor status holders and 45 regular status holders, including family members, who are awaiting permanent housing. Alderman Julius Terpstra stated that the move is necessary because asylum seeker centers are at capacity, and using hotel rooms for long-term stays is prohibitively expensive. The site will function as a temporary facility featuring communal kitchens, security, and support for integration and Dutch language learning.