Studio Djamoe & Studio Lemmetje
Two self-contained studios in a leafy Paramaribo Noord backstreet ΓÇö your own key, your own garden, your own pace.
Why Go
Forget the hotel lobby shuffle. This is a pair of contemporary little studios tucked down Djamoestraat in Clevia, the kind of quiet residential pocket in Par'bo Noord where you hear kaskawi birds before you hear traffic, and where the closest thing to a doorman is the neighbour waving from the porch.
The Experience
Clevia sits north of the old colonial centre ΓÇö far enough that the streets go sleepy after 9pm, close enough that a 15-minute drive drops you at Waterkant for river-view drinks or the Central Market at sunrise. The two studios (Djamoe and its sibling Lemmetje) are self-catering setups: kitchenette, AC, private bathroom, a wardrobe you can actually unpack into, and Wi-Fi that holds up for evening video calls. Each one opens onto its own slice of garden or balcony, which in practice means morning coffee under a mango tree and the odd gecko as a co-guest. It's a rental-not-a-resort vibe ΓÇö no restaurant, no front desk in a suit ΓÇö and that's the point. You get keys, you get parking on the property (crucial in Suriname, where a rental car is basically mandatory), and you get to live like a Parbonian for a few nights rather than transit through as a tourist.
What to Try
Do the Clevia loop before you leave the neighbourhood: Clevia Park is a 5-minute drive and one of the city's best-kept locals'-Sunday secrets ΓÇö natural swimming pool, boat rentals on the creek, and a small restaurant that does a solid Surinamese breakfast. Then post up at 'T VAT Sidewalk Cafe or 168 Restaurant nearby for a low-key dinner. Use the studio as a base for day trips: Commewijne's old plantations across the river, dolphin-spotting boat tours from Leonsberg jetty (10 min north), and Brownsberg Nature Park as an overnight further afield.
Insider Tip
Book the two studios together if you're travelling as two couples or a small family ΓÇö you get separate front doors and privacy, plus a shared garden, which beats any two-bedroom apartment for keeping the peace. Also: message the host before arrival about grocery drop-off at Choi's or Tulip supermarket on the way in from the airport (about 45 min south). Stocking the kitchenette on night one saves you the 'we just landed and everything's closed' scramble that catches most first-timers in Paramaribo.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Djamoestraat 30, Clevia, Par'bo Noord. Self check-in with host coordination ΓÇö confirm arrival time in advance, especially for late Surinam Airways flights. Free private parking on-site (rent a car; taxis and ride-hail are patchy this far north). English and Dutch spoken. Cash (SRD) is still king at markets and smaller warungs, but ATMs at Hakrinbank and DSB branches on Anton Dragtenweg are 8 minutes away. Best weather windows: FebruaryΓÇôApril and AugustΓÇôNovember (dry seasons). Mosquito repellent is non-negotiable at dusk.
Pair It With
- Clevia Park — Five minutes away and the neighbourhood's calling card ΓÇö natural pool, creek boats, and a leafy Sunday brunch spot that gives you Suriname's nature-park energy without leaving Paramaribo.
- Waterkant & Fort Zeelandia — A 15-minute drive south drops you at the colonial riverfront for sunset Parbo beers, historic wooden architecture, and the UNESCO old town ΓÇö the perfect counterweight to Clevia's suburban calm.
- Commewijne plantation loop — Cross the river on the Meerzorg bridge for a half-day bike or car loop through Frederiksdorp and Mari├½nburg ΓÇö Studio Djamoe's on-site parking makes the early start painless.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — A short walk from the studios for a no-fuss Chinese-Surinamese dinner when you don't feel like cooking in the kitchenette ΓÇö locals rate the bami and roti.