Our History
Founded in 1634 with the Dutch conquest of the Island, the city of Willemstad was initially home to small Spanish forts. Named after Mayor Pieter de Meij, Pietermaai came into existence in the late 17th century to address overcrowding in adjacent Punda. By the early 18th century, Willemstad became a central hub of the slave trade with ship captains, merchants and sailors making their homes out of coral rocks in Punda and Pietermaai. Later in the 19th century, Pietermaai would become famous for its entertainment district with theaters, artists, musicians and restaurants. For the past fifteen years, after years of neglect, the historic Pietermaai District has been experiencing a renaissance with an abundance of high-end restaurants, charming boutique hotels, jazz bars, nightlife and cultural intrigue fusing together to create Curacao’s undisputed cultural epicenter.
In 2006, Pietermaai Boutique Hotel took part in an extraordinary neighborhood restoration project, bringing renewed life to Pietermaai, Curacao.
