Conservatorium Hotel

The first Design Hotel to open in the Dutch capital, the Conservatorium Hotel has fantastic rooms and friendly, attentive service as well as a restaurant and bar that’s luring the city’s beautiful people.

• Stylish, comfortable, loft-like rooms, many with duplex layouts and oversized bathrooms
• Delicious restaurant as well as the cool Tunes Bar
• Located in the heart of the museum district

Hotels don’t multitask well. Those that cultivate hip clientele and a good scene garner low marks for service and accommodations. Those with the gorgeous rooms and attentive staff aren’t the places the cool crowd rushes to for cocktails. Amsterdam’s Conservatorium Hotel, which occupied a former music conservatory and opened in 2012, manages to do both. The grand staircases, gorgeous tile work and soaring ceilings of the late 19th-century structure remain, but the interiors have gone totally modern.

The 129 rooms and suites feel like the ultimate urban lofts, with platform beds, Eames-inspired chairs and low, streamlined sofas that look ultra-contemporary yet are incredibly comfortable. The aesthetic is minimalist but comfortable and the bright light from the large windows creates a warm feeling upon entry. Bathrooms are expansive, with rainfall showers and LCD televisions installed in the mirror, even in standard rooms. Closet and bathroom doors are hidden and slide open via small finger holds. Due to the height of the ceilings in the original building, 40 percent of the rooms are duplexes and feature double-height windows with massive curtains controlled by a click of a bedside button. As a big plus, you don’t need to book the penthouse for a real wow. The Grand Duplex Suites are the entry-level suite category but feel like a splurge on something fancier. Guests visiting in the warmer months may want to upgrade to the I Love Amsterdam Suite, a triplex that includes a rooftop terrace with fabulous views of the Amsterdam skyline.

The hotel sits in the middle of the museum district, across from the Stedelijk and the Van Gogh and just down the street from the Rijksmuseum. Vondelpark is just a few blocks away, and I was able to walk to the famous Nine Streets area in 15 minutes. Although the Conservatorium is not as centrally located as some of the city’s other hotels, Amsterdam’s compact size makes navigating easy from almost anywhere, and the proximity to the museums is awfully convenient.

Other amenities worth noting include the excellent spa and gym. European hotels don’t generally offer much for travelers used to Equinox-style facilities, but the Conservatorium’s Akasha Wellbeing Center offers yoga and Pilates classes in addition to a large and well-equipped gym plus a low-lit spa pool and full spa services. The main restaurant, Taiko, serves Asian-inspired cuisine from chef Schilo Van Coevorden and the glass-enclosed lobby lounge is perfect for relaxing with an afternoon tea or a drink, as it is a fun and buzzy place to people watch. The brasserie leads up to the buzzing Tunes bar, where they serve a renowned gin and tonic.

Guests who like an uncluttered look and a cool scene plus proximity to the city’s best museums.

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