Pulitzer Amsterdam

With its prime location alongside a canal in the historic Nine Streets neighborhood of Amsterdam—home to many of the city’s trendiest shops, bars and restaurants—the Pulitzer Amsterdam fuses the capital’s rich history with quintessential Dutch elegance and style. Deceptively large, the hotel spans 25 400-year-old canal houses and offers 225 rooms and suites that merge stylish and sophisticated décor. The property is an example of gezellig, the Dutch word used to describe a warm ambience. Thanks to creative director Jacu Strauss, room décor draws upon the history of each canal house and features vintage and modern elements. The Pulitzer Amsterdam has also become a dining destination in its own right and the bar channels a private club aesthetic, with dark velvet couches, a black-marble fireplace and hunter-green walls—one of the city’s chicest places for a potent nightcap.

The Standout: The Nine Streets location and the hotel, with its connecting 17th- and 18th-century canal houses

Don’t Miss: A Lemon Spritz in the Pulitzer Garden, the inner courtyard, or a cocktail at Pulitzer’s Bar

• Pulitzer Garden, the inner gardens, where guests can dine and relax al fresco in warmer months
• The proximity to the city’s best shops and restaurants
• A canal cruise on the hotel’s private boat, said to have hosted Winston Churchill
• The maze-like configuration of the hotel, which guests will delight in exploring

The historic Pulitzer Amsterdam spans 25 400-year-old canal houses, and after a transformative renovation in 2016, offers a modern representation of Amsterdam both past and present. The property exists today as a perfect example of gezellig—an oft-referenced Dutch word that describes a cozy, warm feeling. Drawing on Amsterdam’s most alluring attributes—storied canals, unique architecture and rich mercantile history—the Pulitzer is just one of many signs pointing to the second coming of a Golden Age for Amsterdam.

Located just three blocks from Anne Frank Huis in the posh Nine Streets quarter, which teems with chic boutiques, charming cafés and excellent restaurants, the Pulitzer first opened in the 1970s by Peter Pulitzer. The grandson of Pulitzer Book Prize creator Joseph Pulitzer, Peter owned a hotel group with KLM Airlines and was scouting locations when he stumbled upon the block of canal houses where the Pulitzer now resides and was taken by its charm. Now under new ownership, the current hotel pays homage to the Pulitzer family through the library, a cozy hideaway filled with Pulitzer Prize–winning books and an honor bar.

Such thoughtful design elements are courtesy of creative director Jacu Strauss, the interior design wunderkind who previously worked at Tom Dixon and is responsible for the whimsical Mondrian London. Strauss spent years researching the history of each of the 25 canal houses, sourcing antique furnishings from around Europe, designing custom pieces and surveying every detail of the guest rooms, none of which are exactly alike. Giving careful consideration to the structural difficulties of combining so many formerly separate buildings, Strauss created a patchwork quilt–like structure that is a true representation of its parts (different carpets and wall colors denote the boundaries of the former individual houses).

The 225 rooms and suites at the Pulitzer abide by an elegant, industrial décor. Each unique room draws upon the history of the canal house that it resides within (former homes of trade merchants and Dutch aristocrats), and features a mix of vintage and modern furnishings, including Persian rugs, crystal chandeliers and pieces by designers like Anouk Beerents and Piet Hein Eek. But no amount of modernizing could overshadow the intrinsically Dutch feel, which is cemented into the design and overall vibe with such touches as exposed wooden beams and a bike repair set in each room. Rooms are punctuated by pops of color (think soft pink curtains, yellow blankets and playful pattern pillows), while the uber-elegant bathrooms are entirely white with marble floors, tiled walls, rainfall showers and D.S. & Durga bath products.

Particularly noteworthy are the Pulitzer’s five suites. The Pulitzer suite, the top accommodation for couples, boasts a massive bedroom complete with a freestanding marble tub, elegant velvet Sé chair, intricate moldings and stunning views of the garden sanctuary. The four Collector’s Suites offer a taste of what it might have been like to own a canal-side home in Amsterdam during the 17^th century. Each takes its design theme from its previous tenant (an art lover, book collector, music composer and antique collector), and has a private entrance and canal views. The Book Collector’s Suite is a favorite thanks to unique elements like an arched bookshelf in the bedroom, a floor-to-ceiling book wall in the living room (complete with a ladder to reach the uppermost titles) and vintage typewriter.

The Pulitzer’s joined canal houses guard perhaps the property’s most outstanding feature: a beautiful park. There guests will find ample room for lounging, alfresco dining on white-cushioned loungers (made comfortable by heaters in the fall and spring) and a bit of fun: one section, cheekily dubbed the “Adult Playground,” features cool rope swings and a grown up–sized wooden rocking horse.

While the area surrounding the hotel boasts some of Amsterdam’s best restaurants, the Pulitzer has become a dining destination in its own right. Jansz serves international cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is accessed by either the main entrance or through a historic Apothecary (now serving as a waiting space), one of just two protected stores in the Nine Streets. The light, delicate restaurant features an open-kitchen, brass fixtures, moss green banquettes and several canal-side tables, where patrons can enjoy serene views during their dinners of miso-glazed cod and lobster risotto.

In a departure from the light, airy design of the rest of the hotel, Pulitzer’s Bar channels a private club aesthetic, with dark velvet couches, a black marble fireplace and hunter green walls, and is the perfect environment for a potent nightcap. The most casual venue is Pulitzer Garden, which provides service in the lobby and garden, and offers a menu of coffee, pastries and light bites throughout the day.

As another touching ode to Amsterdam’s rich history, the Pulitzer owns a beautiful boat, The Tourist, which runs canal tours daily. The stunning, century-old cruiser famously ferried Winston Churchill around the city when he visited for the one-year anniversary of Amsterdam’s liberation from Nazi Germany in 1946. Impeccably maintained and bedecked in maroon leather, polished teak and marble, The Tourist is a gorgeous boat on which to explore Amsterdam’s iconic waterways. Additional onsite amenities include a fitness center, and while there is no spa, in-room massages can be arranged.

Travelers for whom a central, canal-side location is the priority, as well as those who appreciate a fun, whimsical décor and ample space for lounging alfresco.

Read Upon Arrival Amsterdam to discover points of interest within a few blocks of the hotel.