The Corps de Garde is an absolutely charming hotel in Groningen with some of the most helpful staff. Yes it has small negatives — the leg of a table in our room was broken, we had some trouble making international calls, and the bar closes at midnight. However, the pluses were really driven home when we went to Amsterdam for the next leg of our trip, stayed at a five-star Marriott, and found ourselves really missing our little Hotel Corps de Garde. As soon as you arrive, you are offered a complementary drink, and this is a great chance to meet the staff. Everyone with whom we dealt went out of their way to be friendly and helpful, and they definitely had the best suggestions on what to do and see in Groningen. They really knew the best local gems and were quite willing to share their knowledge. Their lounge is actually one of those gems, and we had a great time meeting the other visitors and guests. Oh, and be sure to ask for Bart’s Goodnight Kiss.