The Grand Hotel Amsterdam states a truism in its name, for this hotel is truly grand. The oldest part of the building dates to 1411, and its history includes housing a convent, a Royal lodging, the Dutch Admiralty, the City Hall of Amsterdam, and now a five-star deluxe luxury hotel.
Thankfully, its recent transition to a Sofitel Legend hotel, under the guidance of famous French interior architect Sybille de Margerie, managed to integrate all of the architectural features of its historic march through time into a modern-day hospitality venue updated with 21st century amenities.
Fashionably located facing the Oudezijds Voorburgwal (canal), the entrance is through a “grand” courtyard. The building to the left was the Saint Cecilia Convent and Catharina Monastery, which played host to Prince William of Orange in 1581 and the French Queen Maria de Medici in 1632.
After the Reformation, it was converted into the Admiralty headquarters and then functioned as City Hall for almost 200 years. Finally, in 1992, it was restored and opened as The Grand Hotel. In 2011, after extensive renovations, Sofitel took it over.
The courtyard that once played host to horse-drawn carriages now entertains sleek luxury vehicles, but with the same time-honored, liveried doorman greeting and assist from your car into the waiting reception.
You are welcomed like a returning friend and shown to one of the 177 guestrooms or 52 suites with butler service, each individually decorated in soft, elegant, natural tones and rich materials. Heads of state and celebrities often stay in one of the spacious and well -appointed suites or in the Canal House Suites, which are more like a private home than a hotel suite.
The twelve Canal House Suites were formerly official residences of famous Dutch admirals when the main building was the Admiralty headquarters during the 17th century.
Several of the Canal House Suites have an individual separate entrance from the street, but all offer complete privacy and security for visiting dignitaries or guests who prefer anonymity but with all the luxuries that a deluxe hotel can provide, including a Michelin star restaurant. Or if preferred, a guest can bring their own personal staff and/or cook, and everything will be provided with the suite stocked according to the guest’s taste.
The hotel is so unique that daily sightseeing tours are offered to registered guests to just explore the historic building. Especially appealing was that all of the staff displayed enormous pride in the property, including the Head Concierge, Niels Essink, who led a team that included himself and five members of the international organization of excellence, Les Clefs d’Or.
From the refined lobby, you enter into the Library “OR,” which is off the reception. The library isn’t only a place to relax around the fireplace, but also the venue for The Grand Afternoon Tea. Weather permitting, however, this delightful tradition can be enjoyed in the Garden Terrace. This is a full-blown traditional English afternoon tea with all the trimmings.
Continuing on, we mounted the elegant marble split-stairway with stained-glass artwork leading to the upper floor banquet and conference rooms.
The Grand has some of the most beautiful public rooms I have ever seen. One called the Council Chamber is where H.R.H. Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands got married in 1966. But for the ultimate in special occasion venues, the Marriage Chamber takes your breath away and is available for wedding ceremonies or private dinners.
The Marriage Chamber was designed by Chris Lebeau (1878-1945) when the building was Amsterdam’s City Hall. The walls, ceiling, and stained glass windows are decorated with delightful scenes of love and marriage, and when the windows are opened, an interior garden view is revealed.
Imagine a perfect wedding scene: sailing into the Oudezijds Canal, entering the grand courtyard, and being led through the marble halls to this spectacular room to be married. Afterwards, a reception in the interior garden followed by a wedding night in one of the elegant suites.
During the WWII Nazi occupation, the room was declared “Entartete Kunst” or degenerate art, and it was covered over until 1953, when the Mayor of Amsterdam, Arnold J. d’Ailly, had the wallpaper removed to reveal the spectacular design once again.
Today, no deluxe hotel is complete without a spa, and at The Grand, there is the SoSPA, which houses an indoor heated swimming pool, Turkish Hamam, Jacuzzi, and sauna. There is a fitness room and, of course, rooms for different massages, facials, and body treatments with elite French skincare products.
The Michelin star restaurant, Bridges, can be entered from the hotel, but for diners who are not registered guests, there’s a separate entrance from the street. The name “Bridges” refers to the fact that the restaurant fronts the river between two pedestrian bridges.
The restaurant is a fish and seafood establishment, and its motto is taken from English writer Jonathan Swift: “Fish should swim three times: first in the sea, then in butter, and finally in good wine.”
Barbara Angelakis is one of the founders of LuxuryWeb Magazineand 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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