In co production with Dutch broadcaster KRO-NCRV and Belgium broadcaster VRT the shoot has already started and the series is due to air end of 2026.
Amsterdam-based production company Big Blue proudly announces its new original drama series Grand Hotel by the Sea, the first romantic period drama ever produced in the Netherlands. Set between 1912 and 1919 in a prestigious seaside hotel on the Noordwijk coast, the eight-part series is currently in production and will premiere at the end of 2026.
Created by producer Fleur Winters, who also serves as showrunner, the series is written by Astrid van Keulen (Knokke Off, The Club) and directed by Aniëlle Webster (Swanenburg, Nemesis, What is Love?). Grand Hotel by the Sea is a co-production between Big Blue, KRO-NCRV and VRT. Big Blue previously worked with KRO-NCRV on mini-series The Crash (Studiocanal) and Don’t Fall, Dance.
Dare to Dream
At the heart of the story is hotel owner Sandra, who dreams of turning her seaside hotel into the ultimate destination for Europe’s elite within two years. But as a woman in the early twentieth century, she faces numerous obstacles. The transformation of the hotel not only determines her own future but also that of several women around her. Together, they discover that the world is slowly beginning to make space for them to make choices and maybe even shape their own destinies.
In and around the Noordwijk seaside hotel, the lives of the staff, guests and villagers intertwine — leading to intrigue, blossoming romances, and unexpected turns. Grand Hotel by the Sea combines exquisite costumes, stunning design and complex characters with timeless themes of love, ambition and belonging.
A grand studioset
For the production, Big Blue has built a spectacular studio set — an expansive 1,200 m² recreation of the hotel’s complete interior, including its grand lobby, atmospheric dining hall, guest rooms and corridors. Every detail has been designed and brought to life to evoke the grandeur and optimism of the early 20th century.
Fotocredit: Thomas Jeninga.