Renting a Home in Bezuidenhout, The Hague

Bezuidenhout is a neighborhood that has been built twice. The first Bezuidenhout was destroyed on March 3, 1945, by an Allied bombardment. The bombs were intended for the V2 launch sites in the Haagse Bos but hit the adjacent residential area. More than 550 deaths. The Bezuidenhout that stands today is reconstruction architecture from the 1950s and 1960s: sober, functional, with wide streets and gallery flats. With approximately 19,800 inhabitants (2024) and three sub-districts, it is one of the larger residential areas of The Hague. Those who rent an apartment in Bezuidenhout choose accessibility, with two train stations within walking distance.

De Trees: Theresiastraat as the Neighborhood Shopping Street

The Theresiastraat is the heart of Bezuidenhout. Residents call it "de Trees." A baker, a butcher, an ice cream parlor, a few restaurants with terraces, a gym, a hairdresser. It is a street that offers everything for daily life without having to leave the neighborhood.

On Saturdays, the terraces are full. During the week, it's quieter: residents doing groceries, grabbing a coffee, walking their dog. De Trees gives Bezuidenhout the neighborhood feeling that reconstruction areas sometimes lack. It is the street that holds the district together.

Bezuidenhout-West, Midden, and Oost

The neighborhood consists of three parts, each with its own character. Bezuidenhout-West borders The Hague Central Station and the Haagse Bos. It is the section with the most offices and ministries. The Bezuidenhoutseweg, the main thoroughfare, runs straight through it towards the city center.

Bezuidenhout-Midden is the residential area. Gallery flats from the post-war reconstruction period, quiet streets, with the Theresiastraat as its hub. Bezuidenhout-Oost, around Laan van NOI station, is the fastest-changing part. New construction projects like NOI Avenue bring modern rental apartments to a neighborhood that until recently consisted mainly of offices. The Schenkkade, along the water, forms the office axis with companies like Siemens and ministries.

Reconstruction and New Construction Side by Side

The housing supply in Bezuidenhout is twofold. The largest part consists of post-war reconstruction architecture: gallery flats and terraced houses from the 1950s and 1960s. Functionally built, with straight lines and a sober finish. The homes are not large but efficient. Many two to three-room apartments of 60 to 80 square meters.

In addition, new construction is emerging. NOI Avenue, on the Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indie, brings luxury rental apartments to the neighborhood. The Carpentierstraat will get new city dwellings. Bezuidenhout is a neighborhood in transition: reconstruction forms the basis, and new construction adds a new segment.

Two Stations: Centraal and Laan van NOI

The accessibility of Bezuidenhout is its greatest asset. The Hague Central Station directly borders the western side of the neighborhood. Laan van NOI station is within the neighborhood itself, with intercity connections to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. Two intercity stations within walking distance is unique in The Hague.

Tram lines 2, 3, 4, and 6 run through or along the neighborhood. Bus 23 stops there. The A12 and A4 are quickly accessible via the Schenkkade. By bike, you're in the city center in ten minutes. Bezuidenhout is the neighborhood for people who take the train every day: Amsterdam in 50 minutes, Rotterdam in 20, Schiphol in half an hour.

Haagse Bos and the Commemoration

The Haagse Bos directly borders Bezuidenhout. One of the oldest forests in the Netherlands, right in the middle of the city. Walking paths, bike paths, play areas, dogs. It is Bezuidenhout's city park, but in forest size. On Sundays, entire families walk through it.

The history of the bombardment lives on in the neighborhood. Stichting BB45 keeps the memory alive with walking routes and annual commemorations. In 2025, it will be eighty years since the event. The reconstruction architecture is visible proof of what happened and how the neighborhood recovered.

Bezuidenhout is not a trendy neighborhood, and that's precisely the point. It's a neighborhood that works: good connections, a complete shopping street, green spaces within walking distance. Rental prices are lower than in the Statenkwartier and Archipelbuurt. For commuters, expats at international organizations, and young professionals who prioritize accessibility over ambiance, Bezuidenhout is a logical choice.