After flying from New York to Amsterdam, we were collected at Schiphol Airport and driven to the Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium Hotel in a luxurious black limousine-sized car. It maneuvered through Amsterdam’s tiny streets – more suited to bicycles than limousines – with ease and deposited us in the Conservatorium’s elegant courtyard.
I was excited at the prospect of staying at this hotel and seeing how this historic neo-gothic building was adapted into a modern 5-star hotel while still maintaining a nod to the past. As an example, during construction of the atrium lobby, an old bronze bell clangor was found buried in the foundation and became the inspiration for the charming collection of rescued bells resting on the reception desk.
While we were registering, I couldn’t resist ringing the dozen or more antique bells. One in particular resounded in the elevated lobby space that was topped with a glass ceiling, causing the bell’s sweet refrain to vibrate back to me. I made it a point to ring that bell every time we passed the reception, and the staff gave me a knowing nod and smile.
The building was designed by Dutch architect Daniel Knuttel in the “Oud Zuid” (The Old South) area of the city at the end of the 19th century to house the Rijkspostspaarbank. The building’s grandeur was in part responsible for the regeneration of the declining Museum Quarter (Museumplein) that is now one of the most distinctive and elegant of Amsterdam’s neighborhoods.
In the 1980s, the building was turned into the Sweelinck Music Conservatorium, and although they eventually outgrew the space and moved into a larger facility, students still return to play live music at the hotel in what is now the cultural heart of Amsterdam.
The Conservatorium opened as a hotel in 2011 with 129 rooms and suites. Renowned Milan-based designer/architect Piero Lissoni expanded the existing structure by adding a modern glass addition and topping it with a glass ceiling, thereby creating the atrium and lobby.
In the interiors, he used soft natural tones, accented with popping color details to decorate the rooms and public spaces. The resulting hotel has repeatedly enjoyed the distinction of being crowned the number one luxury hotel in the Netherlands.
The Conservatorium is perfectly located for visiting some of the world’s greatest museums. Across the street is the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art. Down the block is the gem of the Van Gogh Museum, while within a short walking distance near the Vondelpark – created in the style of an English landscape garden – is the world-class Rijksmuseum.
Lest we forget, the designer-fashion district of posh shops along P.C. Hooftstraat, one of the city’s most opulent shopping streets, is also nearby and will surely satisfy even the most demanding shoppers.
The reception and lounge are situated under the atrium’s glass ceiling, and floor-to-ceiling windows provide a view of the outside world. The lounge is a comfortable space to relax, make new friends, or to enjoy coffee, teas, and cakes.
One day, while waiting for our car, I struck up a conversation with a friendly wheelchair-bound English woman being lovingly attended to by her daughter. They were spending a few mother/daughter spa days at the hotel’s spa and thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Due to the landmarked status of the original building, renovation was limited by its configuration, resulting in many of the rooms being duplex. We were fortunate to get a deluxe room. Incorporated in its design are windows framed by the exterior Gothic arch along with original ceiling support beams that add a note of whimsy.
A word about the staff at the Conservatorium, you will have to travel far and wide to find a more gracious welcome. From our initial greeting by the doorman to the guest service personnel, we felt like honored guests.
No luxury hotel the status of the Conservatorium would be complete without an award-winning restaurant. So there is Taiko, a contemporary Asian-fusion restaurant. The restaurant’s name is derived from a traditional Japanese drum called a “Taiko,” and each guest is drummed into the restaurant by a costumed drummer situated at the entrance.
We ordered Omakase, which is a tasting of the chef’s choosing, using the freshest ingredients in the kitchen. In this case, the Omakase was presented as a written tasting menu incorporating elements from different Asian cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, and more.
The dishes were delectable and very interesting both visually and taste-wise. We had paired wines that included a number of sakes, plus some very nice European whites and at least one that tasted like a Thai Tiger’s Blood.
This was our final dinner in Amsterdam and a lovely ending to an unforgettable visit to the Conservatorium Hotel. But the property also has a bar and a Mediterranean restaurant called Ottolenghi.
Barbara Angelakis is one of the founders of LuxuryWeb Magazine, and she is its Senior Travel Writer. She travels the four corners of the world with a thirst for knowledge and a twinkle in her eye, seeking out the history of people and places and sharing her experiences. She specializes in culture and history along with luxury destinations, hotels/resorts/cruises/spas, and most recently Jewish Heritage, exploring the historical connection between Jews and their host countries. She has been recognized for outstanding coverage as “Journalist of the Year” by the Tanzania Tourist Board and is the recipient of the MTA Malta Tourism Press Award, the first American to receive this honor. For the past 25 years, Barbara has written extensively for LuxuryWeb Magazine, and her work can also be found at The Jerusalem Post, Jewish Link, Epoch Times,and Vision Times.
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