After the opening of the Groot Badhuis Hotel in 1828, Zandvoort saw the addition of several other hotels, including the Hotel Kaufmann / d’Orange (1879), Hotel Kurhaus (1881), Hotel Bèlvédere (1882), Grand Hotel Victoria (1882), and Hotel Passage (1883). These were all upscale hotels that attracted affluent guests. A few artifacts have been preserved, such as: a soap dish and a fish fork and knife from the Kurhaus; spoons, a bowl, and a pan from the Groot Badhuis; and a stained-glass sign from the Hotel d’Orange.
The most famous little man from Zandvoort is undoubtedly Simon Jane Paap. As an adult, he was about 70 cm tall. He made the best of a difficult situation by performing at fairs and for royal families. He received this candy dish as a gift, presumably from Duchess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld—who was married to Duke Edward August of Kent (Queen Victoria’s father and mother)—as a token of appreciation for his performance. Paap died in 1828 in Dendermonde.