Empire Apartments Su Marthastraat
Self-catering apartments a short stroll from Paramaribo's UNESCO old town
Why Go
A quiet residential pocket just west of the historic center, where you get a full kitchen, a private pool option and easy walks to the wooden cathedral instead of another anonymous hotel corridor.
The Experience
Empire sits on Marthastraat, a low-key street tucked between the Zorg en Hoop side of town and Paramaribo's UNESCO-listed inner city. The property is a small apartment block (roughly a dozen units) rather than a hotel, so check-in is informal and the vibe is more "borrowed a friend's flat" than lobby-and-bellhop. Units range from a compact single up to 70 m┬▓ family apartments, all with air conditioning, private bathrooms and kitchenettes, and a couple of the larger apartments come with a private plunge pool and terrace. Free Wi-Fi, secure on-site parking and a genuinely quiet night's sleep are the daily wins. From the front door you're about a 20ΓÇô25 minute walk (or a cheap taxi) to Waterkant, Fort Zeelandia and the Palmentuin, and closer still to St. Petrus en Paulus Cathedral, the largest wooden building in the Americas. Because you're a little off the tourist grid, the neighborhood restaurants and warungs feel local, and a stack of Javanese and Chinese-Surinamese spots (168 Restaurant, 't Vat, small snack bars) are within a few blocks.
What to Try
Book one of the 60ΓÇô70 m┬▓ apartments with the private pool and terrace if you're staying more than two nights ΓÇö it's the single feature guests rave about, and Paramaribo's humidity makes it more than a novelty. Use the kitchenette to raid Central Market in the morning for tropical fruit, roti wraps and fresh pom ingredients, then cook in rather than eating out every night. For dinner, walk five minutes to 168 Restaurant for Chinese-Surinamese, or grab a beer at 't Vat, the closest thing the area has to a traveler hangout.
Insider Tip
Ask specifically for one of the apartments with the private pool and terrace at booking time ΓÇö they're the same brand but different units, and standard rooms don't include pool access. Also request a unit away from the street if you're a light sleeper; Marthastraat is quiet by Paramaribo standards but stray dogs and early scooters are a thing.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Marthastraat 21, Paramaribo, Suriname. Property type: serviced apartments (roughly 11 units, sizes 30ΓÇô70 m┬▓). Amenities: free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, kitchenette in every unit, private bathrooms, free on-site parking, private pool in select apartments, family-friendly, non-smoking rooms available. Distances: ~2.7 km to the historic center, ~4 km (1.9 mi) to Zorg en Hoop Airport for domestic/interior flights; Johan Adolf Pengel International (PBM) is about 45 km south, so budget an hour by taxi. Best reached by taxi from the airport ΓÇö Marthastraat is residential and hard to find without a driver who knows it.
Pair It With
- Fort Zeelandia & Surinaams Museum — A 25-minute walk or short taxi east lands you at the 17th-century Dutch fort on the Suriname River ΓÇö the best single introduction to the country's colonial and independence history.
- Waterkant & Palmentuin — Sunset stroll along the riverfront promenade, then loop back through the royal palm garden; both are within easy walking distance of the apartment.
- St. Petrus en Paulus Cathedral — The largest wooden cathedral in the Americas is essentially in your neighborhood ΓÇö worth a daytime visit for the honey-colored interior.
- 't Vat Sidewalk Cafe Guide — Closest low-effort dinner and drinks option, and a decent spot to overhear what expats and tour guides are up to.
- Central Market (Centrale Markt) — Load up your kitchenette with tropical fruit, fresh fish and Javanese street snacks ΓÇö the whole point of choosing an apartment over a hotel.