An early 20th-century villa in the Museum District, converted with immense care into a hotel with soul, and a good deal of eco-awareness. The welcome is warm and personal, and there’s a ‘home from home’ atmosphere, offering comfort with luxury where it matters. Breakfast is good value, though there’s no restaurant.
Location 8/10
Amsterdam Zuid is the realm of Amsterdam's “old money” (and these days big-budget expats) – not as flash as living on the canals, but discreet and still residential in tone, with a scattering of very smart boutiques. You’re a step back from the tourist hurly burly, yet just five minutes’ walk from the Concertgebouw and major museums on Museumplein. Centraal Station is 20-30 minutes away by tram. The big-name designer boutiques of P.C. Hooftstraat are 10 minutes’ walk away, and you can stroll to the main canal area in around 20 minutes.
Style and Character 8/10
The hotel occupies an early 20th-century villa converted with immense care into a comfortable, welcoming hotel. A cosy lounge and breakfast area ambles through different moods, from armchairs around a fireplace at one end, to a glass-box conservatory overlooking a secluded garden patio at the other.
I loved the focus on attention to detail, from the comfort of the seating to stylish design touches (such as sleek lamps by Dutch lighting star William Brand), and I especially enjoyed the restful domestic air.
Service and Facilities 9/10
Amiable general manager Nikolay (who spent years at sea, before decades in the hotel business) offered a warm welcome, with a cheery raconteur touch – a spirit sustained throughout my stay. There’s free coffee and top-quality loose leaf tea, and an honesty bar downstairs – I found the bespoke organic wines (from the vineyard of a friend of the owners in Georgia), irresistible. The hotel is highly eco-conscious, from carpets made out of recycled plastic bottles (softer and more smart-looking than you’d think) to energy-efficient temperature control and air circulation systems. Pets are welcome.Rooms 8/10
My room was spacious, with a period fireplace and some splendid Delftware. Other rooms vary in size, from modest Bunk Rooms (with a chunky, custom-built wooden bunk bed), through standard Comfort rooms, to spacious Deluxe and family rooms – and there are also two apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes. The Comfort rooms have quite enough space for two, without tripping over your luggage, and are fine for short stays. Colour schemes vary: powder blue, perhaps, soft greys, or golden beige. Scatter cushions with Van Gogh or Mondrian prints and photos of Amsterdam add a local note.I especially enjoyed the thoughtful extra touches such as real milk brought to the room on request and organic mosquito spray – a must in summertime Amsterdam. More standard luxuries included the superb mattresses, pillows and bed linen; espresso machines with Illy coffee.
Bathrooms are pristine with white marble walls and floors, and are a good enough size for one-at-a-time. Walk-in showers have both rain and hand-held fittings, and organic, vegan products come in recyclable dispensers. The apartment rooms also have baths.