Top 10: best luxury hotels in Amsterdam

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (January 12, 2015): Top 10 most luxurious hotels in Amsterdam.

Each one of the thousands of buildings that line Amsterdam’s main canals can be classified as a monument, beautifully kept as apartments, offices, cafés, restaurants, and even brothels. All together they form an aesthetic uniformity that make Amsterdam one of the most beautiful cities in the world, a stunning place of bridges and bikes crossing canals, picturesque cobbled streets, and strikingly elegant architecture. World-class attractions include the Rijskmuseum, the Van Gogh museum, and of course, the Anne Frank House. And while Amsterdam is a beautiful place on its own, a trip to the Dutch Capital deserves accommodations that are equally interesting, so here’s my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in town.

There is more information below the slideshow. Think I missed one? Share your favorite Amsterdam hotel in the comments section, or take my poll below!

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10. PESTANA AMSTERDAM RIVERSIDE

Rising above the hippest part of town, De Pijp, Pestana Amsterdam Riverside is a sophisticated and intimate 5-star hotel. Formerly the Town Hall and Archive of the Amstel Community, the Pestana is the perfect hotel to visit one of Europe’s most picturesque and exciting cities. The property offers 154 beautiful bedrooms, an indoor swimming pool and sauna, 10 meeting rooms, a gym, and a world-class restaurant run by Master Chef judge Peter Lute.

Hotel website: Pestana Amsterdam Riverside
Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP perks when booking via Classic Travel (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, a personalized welcome note and amenity, and $75 USD hotel credit).

9. HOTEL PULITZER

This unique hotel offers an authentic Dutch experience with accommodations in 25 restored 17th and 18th century merchant houses, all reflecting Amsterdam’s rich heritage. You can explore the city’s canals in the hotel’s own canal boat (Winston Churchill chose to tour the city in this very same vessel in 1946). All 230 guest rooms have been recently remodeled. Each room is different, with either a garden or canal view. Pulitzer Amsterdam is a unique blend of up-market, traditional and modern Dutch craftsmanship hidden amongst the city’s iconic canals.

Hotel website: Hotel Pulitzer
Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, welcome amenity and $75 USD hotel credit).

8. INTERCONTINENTAL AMSTEL AMSTERDAM

The InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam is housed in a striking building on the banks of the beautiful Amstel river. The hotel first opened its doors to guests in 1867 and has been praised ever since for its regal presence and homely warmth. The minute you enter the stunning lobby you are aware of its unique atmosphere with its high ceilings, monumental staircase, and shimmering chandeliers. All 55 guestrooms and 24 suites are furnished with authentic furniture, rich pleated curtains and handmade Delft porcelain.

Hotel website: Intercontinental Amstel Amsterdam
Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, Dutch welcome cocktail in the A-bar, homemade Chocolate welcome amenity daily, breakfast, a boat tour through the canals of Amsterdam, and one way airport transfer when booking an Executive Suite or higher).

7. HOTEL DE L’EUROPE

This legendary hotel has been a member of The Leading Hotels of the World for over 25 years. With its location on the banks of the Amstel River in the heart of historic Amsterdam, it’s impossible to escape the city’s rich history while staying at this iconic 19th century treasure. Expect timeless design, intimate ambience and genuine service. De L’Europe boasts a distinctive decor, enhancing each room and suite with a replicated Dutch Master painting, handpicked in exclusive partnership with the nearby Rijksmuseum.

Hotel website: Hotel de l’Europe
Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, $100 USD food and beverage credit, and one way airport transfer for junior suites & above).

6. ANDAZ AMSTERDAM, PRINSENGRACHT

Located in the historic centre of the city and within the ring of canals, the five-star boutique hotel Andaz Amsterdam, Prinsengracht, provides a unique refreshing taste of the city. Reflecting its lively and distinctive surroundings through the adventurous and modern Dutch design of renowned local designer Marcel Wanders, the 122-room hotel offers not merely a place to come home to and relax, but a place that will energize and inspire. This is by far Amsterdam’s triendiest hotel!

Hotel website: Andaz Amsterdam, Prinsengracht
Review: read my review of Andaz Amsterdam, Prinsengracht here.

5. W AMSTERDAM

Just steps away from the vibrant Dam Square and the Royal Palace, the W Amsterdam features 238 stylish guest rooms and suites spread across two historic buildings, an erstwhile telephone exchange building (from the 1920s) and a 1906 former bank. Guests arrive in style when they check in at the rooftop W Lounge, the W brand’s re-interpretation of the traditional hotel lobby, on the sixth floor of the Exchange building. Looking out to the Royal Palace and lively historic centre, the 22 meter (72 ft) Wet Deck is Amsterdam’s first rooftop pool and is heated in winter.

Hotel website: W Amsterdam
Other accolades: W Amsterdam features in my top 10 list of Europe’s best hotel rooftops.
Review: read my review of W Amsterdam here.

4. THE GRAND AMSTERDAM, A SOFITEL LEGEND HOTEL

From a 15th-century convent to royal lodgings to Dutch Admiralty headquarters to the city hall of Amsterdam, this hotel is housed in one of the most historical venues of Amsterdam. Now, after a careful renovation by French designer Sybille de Margerie, it is a place of hospitality, art and culture. Furnished with French elegance and grandeur, the hotel blends sleek design with five-star facilities, including 52 luxury suites with butler service, an indulgent spa, and the Michelin star restaurant Bridges.

Hotel website: The Grand Amsterdam, a Sofitel Legend Hotel
Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, and $100 USD food and beverage credit).
Review: read my review of The Grand Amsterdam, a Sofitel Legend Hotel here.

3. CONSERVATORIUM HOTEL

The Conservatorium Hotel is a luxury lifestyle palace, evoking glamour and elegance for sophisticated, design-literate travelers. Located in Museum Square, the cultural heart of the city, the hotel is an architectural masterpiece that combines a landmark heritage building with contemporary design, offering guests a selection of restaurants, a bar, lounge and the impressive Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Facility. The hotel has 129 rooms and suites, all equipped with state-of-the-art in-room technology as well as luxury linens and amenities.

Hotel website: Conservatorium Hotel
Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, bespoke welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and $100 USD hotel credit).

2. WALDORF ASTORIA AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam’s outpost of the famous Waldorf Astoria brand is located in some majestic canal palaces along the Herengracht. Boasting a historical exterior comprising six monumental 17th and 18th century double-front canal palaces and featuring a unique grand staircase built by the architect of Louis XIV, Daniel Marot, the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam hotel offers sophisticated comfort and unparalleled service. The hotel has 93 spacious rooms and suites overlooking the city’s canals or the courtyard garden.

Hotel website: Walfdorf Astoria Amsterdam
Other accolades: The Waldorf Astoria also features in my top 10 list of the most amazing city hotels in Europe.
Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, and $100 USD food and beverage credit).

1. HOTEL TWENTYSEVEN

Crowds of people ebb and flow down on Dam Square, but at TwentySeven Hotel, you’ll feel you’ve left the city far behind. This boutique hotel, set on the upper floors of an iconic landmark building, brings a new level of luxury to Amsterdam city breaks. Every inch of TwentySeven’s 16 suites has been carefully designed to delight you, from hand-blown contemporary chandeliers to custom-made furnishings from Europe’s finest design houses. At Restaurant Bougainville, the culinary masterpiece of Hotel TwentySeven, innovative tastes wait to be discovered.

Hotel website: Hotel TwentySeven
Other accolades: Hotel TwentySeven also features in my top 10 list of the world’s best hotel restaurants.
Review: read my review of Hotel TwentySeven here.