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Prices $90-$250 per night
The first of our accomodations. The Bridge Hotel is
positioned along side the boat laden Amstel river and next door to the Carre
Theater home to big broadway musicals like Pippin. Nearby is the picturesque
drawbridge for which it was named and sluices that helped clean the canal
water. The neighborhoods yields substantial shopping and food options.
The hotel itself is quaint and quirky. The tenured staff is
knowledgeable, friendly and armed with brawn. The hotel doesn’t have an
elevator so be prepared to lug your stuff up or put away your pride and ask one
of the ladies (that’s all we saw) at the front desk to give you a hand.
The room is spacious, moderate and clean. Not sure Crowder
enjoyed her bed but I know I did. I had no problem sawing logs. Ask for a room
with a view if this is your first time visiting Amsterdam then grab your camera
or glass of bubbly and kick back.
A 5 star boutique
hotel located on the Keizersgracht which is part of the canal ring.
Prices: $300’s-900’s
This beautifuly designed hotel resides in one of Amsterdams oldest buildings. With 7 rooms uniquely themed and designed by dutch based architects and interior designers has character unlike any other hotel in the area. Upon entering the cobblestone compound you walk through large doors and into a friendly foyer with a pleasing room aroma and white orchids. The hotel staff awaits you at large wooden tables ready to address your every need to include a tour of the grounds (living room, dining room, courtyards, bar, fitness center, guest rooms,etc.).
Our room, known as Serendipity, was renovated in two months
and boasts a contemporary design that is smart and sophisticated. Yielding a
color palette similar to my own – charcoal gray and dark wood, the room proved
to be very spacious though the dim lighting was a concern for me. The view was gorgeous as the large windows
allowed you to look over the canal. The bathroom which was covered floor to
ceiling with marble had both a bathtub and individual room to shower and use
the lavatory. Nice. If you’re a hotel snob, you may not be happy that the floor
and toilet doesn’t heat up but for us regular folk, it wasn’t missed. Bonus for coffee drinkers, all rooms have an
Illy coffee maker and fruit. Depending on the vibe of the room, you either had
plated green or red apples.
Here’s a sneak peek of another on the premises should
Serendipity not be your cup of tea. The Loft is probably the most authentically
dutch with its white walls and original wood beams.
Prices vary.
The ability to rent someones room, home or villa for a fraction
of hotels throughout the world is the way to go. The key is doing diligent, thorough searches
and being open to interior design styles. Due to the time of year and the
prices of some of the hotels, we opted to spend 4-5 days at an apartment in the
Westerperk area (burbs for those unfamiliar). Our host who was new to hosting
was in Austrailia the duration of our stay shared a similar aesthetic to Nicole
and I. She appreciated art, boho fashion and splashes of color. We loved this as it provided an endless amount
of photo opportunities.
$150-$400
Boutique hotel located
in the Jordaan district
I couldn’t agree anymore with a guest who stated that this
hotel reminded them of a U.S. boutique hotel. The only major difference was
that this one didn’t have an elevator. So imagine my surprise when I realized
on day two that I had overpacked. By the time we got to this hotel where we’d
be for 24 hours, we both considered taking out only what was needed and leaving
bags at the front desk. Sigh. Fortunately the staff was used to these
conundrums so they were ready to invoke their super human strength to haul our
bags up two flights of stairs. I digress. Back to the accommodations.
This is hotel was quintessentially a hipster one. With a black wall and mirrored foyer, Morgan and Mees had 9 stylish guest rooms. The check-in desk was positioned in the back under the stairs on the ground floow and flanked by both a bar that reminded me of the Standard Bowery and a restaurant that was accessibly and friendly. Our room which was a loft style (bed at the top) had hands down the most comfortable bedding and mattress. It was so great I didn’t need my mouth guard to lull me to sleep. The color palette of black and white was dominate throughout the room even into the bathroom. Every fixture to include the radiator was coated a in slick matte paint. If you didn’t know any better you’d think it was an art installation. Bring your own washcloth.
One more thing, our uber driver pointed out that we
shouldn’t stumble into the unassuming building across the way because it was a
Swingers club. (Good looking out. 5 stars for you buddy.)
See my Travel Diary //Amsterdam blog posts in two parts: 1 2
See my Travel Diary //Amsterdam blog posts in two parts: 1 2
