by De L’Europe’s neoclassical facade sits on the banks of the Amstel River, ideally situated for visitors looking to explore central Amsterdam before retiring to their well-appointed rooms.
After first opening its doors to Europe’s fin de siècle elite in 1896, Alfred ‘Freddy’ Heineken bought the hotel in the 1950s.
Best known for his fabulous wealth and the unfortunate escape of the kidnapper, Freddy was said to be such a regular guest that he had his own table at the hotel’s brasserie. After frequent disagreements with the in-house sommelier, he chose to buy the hotel outright. The hotel, now a registered landmark, has remained in the family ever since.
After 125 years, any venerated grande dame would need to be restored. So in 2021 the interior architecture studio in Amsterdam, Nicemakers, was bought to remodel De L’Europes 97 rooms, the grand lobby and three restaurants.
The result is a post-modern space that the hotel magnates have restored and transformed into the place where Amsterdam’s brightest young things can be seen and seen.
More inventively, De L’Europe made the most of renovation downtime and pandemic travel lockdowns by inviting local artists and designers to take up residencies in the unfinished rooms.
The creative energy of these ad-hoc studios was so fierce that these residents were invited to redesign 14 of the rooms. The result is one-of-a-kind rooms that offer a truly unique hotel experience if you’re lucky enough to make a reservation.
Design details
It would be nice to say it while bringing history into the present, encouraging a new generation of guests not to be alienated by history lovers, but Nicemakers managed it very well.
Guests enter through a revolving space into a plush lobby space that is the Titanic through Annabel’s nightclub. The original sculptural tiles on the reception desk have been retained, screened behind rich velvety curtains that tie the space together without overwriting the past.
Mirrored panels above doors allow for a true appreciation of the lobby’s impressive ceiling height. Time-controlled curtains pull back in the evening to reveal the Heineken family’s impressive art collection, rehung against polished bronze panels that bounce the lights of the glittering (and painstakingly restored) glass chandeliers.
Nicemakers have also expertly unpicked some missteps since an expansion in 2008, when a quick refurbishment of De L’Europe’s large function rooms brought the magic of an airport lounge. Vintage furniture and antiques have been carefully sourced to complement the period details.
The hotel was expanded in 2008 when the nearby building, a former bank, was bought. Nicemakers converted this additional wing to ‘T Huys, with a new entrance from the street. Next to a concept store (more on that later) and trattoria Graziella is The Wunderkammer, a wonderful flower and curiosity shop curated by friends of De L’Europe Florian Seyd and Ueli Signer. Expect rare plants and interesting trinkets.
Which room?
If you are tired of the relaxing plug-and-play hotel rooms, the T Huys rooms are a riot of individual design to stimulate the imagination. Be warned, you may return home wanting to revamp your own living space in radical ways.
Sustainable haute couture designer Ronald van der Kamp’s RVDK Suite is a fashionista’s dream. Devil Wears Prada-esque Zoom has a custom desk made of re-created objects and an editorial collage as the backdrop for a work holiday.
The all-white bedroom has wall-to-wall mirrors, a shag carpet and white fringed curtains set by van der Kamp.
For a sensual experience, the Sisters Jannssen Suite is painted in red and purple, with murals and sculptures that evoke the divine feminine.
If you’re ready for some zen out there, the suite from creative studio D/Dock completely breaks the hotel room mold with moody gray walls and fringes, a wall of ceramic vulvas, and tatami mats that let you sleep anywhere. imagined surface.
Art history buffs will look forward to the Van Gogh Museum Suite, which contains replicas of the painter’s work and sketches that will make you want to tour the museum itself, just down the river.
For those looking for a more standard luxury hotel experience, the original renovated rooms at Nicemakers offer classic continental elegance. Extra large beds are framed by delightful patterned fabric headboards and full-height curtains, while capacious wardrobes have a built-in bar that elevates the hotel’s minibar to glamorous heights.
Try booking one with a balcony overlooking the canal and ordering extravagant hotel room service for breakfast with the best view in all of Amsterdam.
Good to know
Be sure to grab a drink at Freddy’s Bar, named for the original Heineken patron. British national treasurer Nigella Lawson filmed her Christmas special here. We’re reliably informed that her favorite Tipple is the Tuschinski, a black currant brandy from the brilliantly named Wynand Fockink.
If you’ve had a wild case of the shoppers waiting in ‘T Huys’ rooms, make a pilgrimage to the IN HUYS concept store on the ground floor.
Alongside pieces from each of the designers and artists who designed the rooms (including a delicate fragrance by RDVK Mind Vaccine), there are curated pieces from Amsterdam’s finest artisans – including hats crocheted by one of staff at the trattoria next door.
Be sure to leave room in your suitcase for art books or a one-off afghan coat. The hotel is also very close to the wonders of the Nine Streets shopping district.
Knowing you’ll be loaded with finds is an excuse to take the Eurostar and enjoy the far more civilized alternative to flying, which is a comfortable train journey – unlimited champagne refills if you treat yourself to the first class.
You don’t even have to leave the hotel if you want to taste the fine food of Amsterdam. Chef Bas van Kranen won two Michelin stars in the hotel’s Flore restaurant – as well as a green star for his commitment to sustainability. The menu changes constantly, but if you’re lucky you’ll be able to try the delicious drunken gummy bears that give grown-up roosters a childish wonder.
How to book
Rooms at De L’Europe Amsterdam start at €759 (approx £650) on a B&B basis, with stays in the hotel’s ‘t Huys rooms from €1,500.
With thanks to Eurostar.
