Appartementen Bloemendaal
A four-apartment river hideaway on the Saramacca, where howler monkeys wake you and Chef Kenneth cooks you dinner.
Why Go
Forty minutes north of Paramaribo the pavement thins, the citrus groves take over, and the Saramacca River curls past a solar-powered garden compound with just four apartments, a saltwater pool, and a wall of primeval rainforest on the opposite bank. Bloemendaal isn't a hotel so much as a private key to the district: family-run, intimate, and permanently tuned to the sound of birds.
The Experience
You arrive through the village of Groningen, cross a gate into what the owners call their green oasis, and immediately notice how quiet it is. Two low buildings hold two apartments each, all with balconies angled toward the garden and the covered communal terrace that overlooks the pool. Days here move to river time: coffee at first light on the veranda, an early boat glide along the Pikin Gudu tributary before the heat rises, a long lunch of Kenneth's cooking, an afternoon in the water, then that unmistakable dusk chorus of howler monkeys drifting across from the jungle canopy. Because the property runs on solar and sits well past the city's light dome, evenings are properly dark and properly starry.
What to Try
Book Kenneth for at least one dinner ΓÇö his Surinamese-Creole home cooking is the reason repeat guests return, and shopping options in Groningen are limited enough that self-catering every night gets old fast. Ask for the dawn boat trip on the Pikin Gudu (monkeys, toucans, and, if the water is right, manatee sightings), then spend the hottest hours in the saltwater pool under the flamboyant trees. Pack binoculars: the garden alone is a working birding hide, and a slow morning walk usually turns up kiskadees, hummingbirds and parakeets before breakfast is even cleared.
Insider Tip
Reserve lunch and dinner when you book the room, not when you arrive ΓÇö Kenneth shops to order, and if you show up hungry with no notice you'll be driving back into Groningen for a very short menu. Also request one of the three air-conditioned units if you're travelling in the dry season; the fourth apartment is fan-only and noticeably warmer on still nights.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Kweeklust 94, near Groningen in the Saramacca district, about a 40-minute drive north of Paramaribo ΓÇö a rental car or transfer is essentially mandatory. Four apartments total, each sleeping two adults plus up to two young children, with full kitchen, private bathroom (hot and cold water), mosquito-netted beds, fan, WiFi and a private balcony; three units add AC. Shared saltwater pool and covered terrace. Self-service breakfast (rolls, coffee, tea, eggs, fruit) included; lunch and dinner on request only. Solar-powered, cash-friendly, family-welcoming. Contact +597 860-7720.
Pair It With
- 597SpeedUp Watertubing Guide — A high-adrenaline half-day on the water that balances Bloemendaal's slow river mornings ΓÇö easy to slot in on the way to or from Paramaribo.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — When you want a night out of the compound, this is the most reliable sit-down dinner within easy driving distance of Groningen.
- 4x4xJankie Guide — Rent a proper 4x4 to explore the wider Saramacca interior ΓÇö the surrounding tracks and plantations reward guests who want more than the river view.
- 'T VAT Sidewalk Cafe Guide — A relaxed Paramaribo terrace to bookend your stay with a cold Parbo and people-watching before or after the drive north.