What’s the draw
I’ve been to Amsterdam twice. The first time was for my first ever trip as a travel writer, and the chance to check out a then brand-new design-conscious hotel from a small cluster of hotels within the hotel group PPHE. The second came 13 years later. The venue for both was art’otel Amsterdam.
There’s something particularly interesting about visiting a flourishing capital city – one whose food and drink scene has been on the up in the near decade and a half between visits – and staying at the same hotel on each occasion. The city’s strive for better, cooler cocktail bars in particular (the fact I was there for the inaugural Europe’s 50 Best Bars awards is testament to that) was amazing to see; the viewpoint was the anchor. It also meant a wave of nostalgia hitting as soon as I got through the revolving doors and glimpsed the set of four enormous, geometric red heads that serve as check-in desks (reportedly changed once since launch, but the replacements are identical), along with other sculptures dedicated to the human form.
The check-in desks at art'otel Amsterdam
The hotel was crafted alongside design studio Atelier Van Lieshout, with the result a combination of statement-making art pieces alongside crisp and colourful room design. My suite was spacious, with high ceilings, vibrant red walls, a leather sofa and desk. Though art and design-focused hotels are relatively commonplace in cool capitals, it was new and exciting when it launched, and the fact it hasn’t tried to constantly reinvent itself shows its confidence in its concept. If you’re lucky, you’ll visit when one of its rotating art residencies are on.
The hotel's Masterpiece Suite
What to eat and drink
I didn’t have time to check out ARCA on my visit, but despite that I can say with a level of confidence that if you do, it’ll be worth a trip. The restaurant comes from Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, who made his name with the Michelin-starred Alma in Lisbon, and its more casual offshoot Tapisco. I’ve been to both on a trip with the chef himself, and through the two restaurants he presents delicious, creative takes on Portuguese food (with some Spanish and modern European influence in the tapas-inspired Tapisco).
Food at ARCA by Henrique Sá Pessoa
Not only that, but he’s already proven he can bring that ethos to another country with JOIA in London’s art’otel Battersea, which is superb. Given the above, I’m guessing that whether you’re in for the tasting menu or a casual brunch at ARCA, art’otel Amsterdam’s flagship restaurant, it will follow suit.
What to do
The hotel could hardly be more conveniently located, being less than five minutes from the exit of Centraal station. Moreover, Amsterdam is known as a city where pretty much everything is a 20-minute walk, so whether you fancy a stroll into De Wallen (perhaps best known for the Red Light District, but a beautiful part of town in its own right, with plenty of great restaurants and shops) or into the younger and hipper Jordaan district, you can get there easily across the city’s network of jaw-droppingly beautiful bridged canals.
The exterior of art'otel Amsterdam
Given I was there to celebrate cocktail culture, there are plenty to try if you’re that way inclined: Sins of Sal in Jordaan is cool and contemporary; while Super Lyan, by London native Mr Lyan, is at the upper echelons of global bars. For something more traditional, wander to one of the city’s many brown bars (the colloquial term for its traditional pubs) for kopstootje, a shot of genever filled to the very top of a tulip glass served alongside a small beer.
