AMSTERDAM LUXURY magazine 2019

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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INTRODUCTION

NOCTURNAL AMSTERDAM

Renaissance

Photo series

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TRULY MASTERFUL

A HIVE OF LUXURY

Rijksmuseum

De Bijenkorf

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THE ART OF HOSPITALITY

AT HOME IN AMSTERDAM

Conservatorium

Luxury Suites Amsterdam

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- 58 -

ICON OF DUTCH DESIGN

25 CANAL HOUSES

Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht

Pulitzer Amsterdam

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NOCTURNAL AMSTERDAM

GRANDE DAME REBORN

Photo series

Intercontinental Amstel Amsterdam

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CITY OF DIAMONDS

DOWNTOWN ABBEY

Gassan Diamonds

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam

and Royal Coster Diamonds

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FIT FOR A KING

HIGH PERFORMANCE

NH Collection Grand Hotel

The Royal Concertgebouw

Krasnapolsky

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12 REASONS TO VISIT

CRUISING THE CANALS IN STYLE

Calendar of events

De L'Europe Amsterdam

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THE MODERN MASTER

NOCTURNAL AMSTERDAM

Van Gogh Museum

Photo series

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- 80 -

STARS À LA CARTE

PARTNERS

Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam

and Colophon

For more inspiration and information, go to iamsterdam.com/luxury

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RENAISSANCE “ The general magazine of all Europe” is how Sir W illiam Temple, English Ambassador to the D utch Republic in the late 17th centur y, described Amsterdam. Nowhere, he claimed, could one find a bigger collection of precious wares, from Persian silks to Chinese potter y.

Three centuries later, his words and sentiment still ring true. In the past decade, Amsterdam has quietly become a Luxur y destination that measures up to any other.

Drawn to the attraction of the beautifully preser ved UNESCO Wor ld Heritage Canal Ring, the wor ld ’s finest hotel chains have settled here. Michelin stars, the European standard of culinar y excellence, have rained down on Amsterdam restaurants. And shopping has definitely entered the glitz y stage, with PC Hooftstraat and Van Baer lestraat matching the likes of California’s Rodeo Drive, but with added unique offerings from the wor ld of renowned D utch design. L et us inspire you to join the Amsterdam Renaissance and explore its rediscovered luxur y.

FRANS VAN DER AVERT Director, Amsterdam Marketing

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RIJKSMUSEUM

Truly Masterful

2019 sees an unprecedented exhibition at the Rijksmuseum unite all the Rembrandts in its collection. ‘This is something you can only do once in a generation.’

In 2019, an unprecedented exhibition at the Rijksmuseum unites all the Rembrandts in its collection, the largest on earth. ‘This is something you can only do once in a generation and I think people should have the sensation of “Oh my God, this man made so much”,’ says Dibbits.

Politician Isaac Gogel first tabled the idea that a national museum, following the French example of the Louvre, would serve the Dutch national interest, and on 31 May 1800, what was then known as the Nationale Kunstgalerij (National Art Gallery) opened its doors. Gogel’s first purchase with the first director, C.S. Roos, was ‘The Threatened Swan’ by Jan Asselijn, costing 100

What is a masterpiece? For Taco Dibbits, the General Director, it’s always been a case of knowing one when you see one.

‘I was eight years old when I went to see the restoration of “The Night Watch” and it was hugely impressive,’ recalls the art historian. ‘You could get really close up. I think it was so impressive for me as a child because I immediately realised the physicality of Rembrandt’s art.’

Born in Leiden, the prolific painter and etcher Rembrandt van Rijn is considered to be the greatest artist of the Dutch Golden Age. Rembrandt’s potent depictions of human emotions, light, mood, space and texture are the result of intense study.

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Rembrandt's Night Watch is widely considered to be the artist's greatest masterpiece due to its pioneering composition, dynamic movement and use of light and shadow. © Iwan Baan

Dutch guilders. It is still regarded as one of the top pieces in a museum which – along with the Teylers Museum and the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem – is synonymous with the artistic glories of the Dutch Golden Age, when the young Dutch Republic led the world in the arts, bankrolled by strident advances in trade and science.

It’s true that, when it opened in 1885, some considered the Rijksmuseum we know today quite sacrilegious for its Eregalerij (Gallery of Honour) which displays worldfamous works by Vermeer, Hals and Jan Steen, and lavishly decorated space that the architect Pierre Cuypers created for ‘The Night Watch’. In the popular imagination, Dutch attitudes to luxury have long been elided with Calvinism, a doctrine that swept the Netherlands during the Protestant Reformation and which prizes sobriety and thrift.

But, as historian Jan de Vries argues in his essay Luxury and Capitalism, Luxury and Calvinism, the role of Calvinism in the Dutch Golden Age is misunderstood.

According to De Vries, John Calvin himself shared with the Christian Humanists of his age a relativistic view on the subject of wealth, writing: ‘Let all men live in their respective stations, whether slenderly, or RIJKSMUSEUM Bask in the warm magnificence of the Golden Age: discover artistic treasures including The Milkmaid by Vermeer, and be dazzled by the 19th-century art library as well as the modern glasscovered entrance offers hall.

The Royal Suite of the NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky spectacular views over the city’s central Dam Square.

HENDRIKJE CREBOLDER Director of Development & Media ‘I have worked at the Rijksmuseum for 11 years and every single day I have the feeling I’m in the most luxurious environment imaginable.

The acquisition of knowledge about history and culture is a uniquely elevating experience, one that we have the privilege of sharing with more than 2 million visitors a year. We would like each of those visitors to feel at home with the masterpieces and at home here in Amsterdam, the same place where the likes of Rembrandt lived and worked. When you visit our lush gardens or you dine in our Michelinstarred restaurant, we want you to feel a new expression of that artistry.’

moderately, or plentifully, so that all may remember that God confers his blessings on them for the support of life.’ In essence, a bit of extravagance is fine, as long as you keep your priorities in perspective.

Bear that in mind as you dine at the museum’s restaurant, Rijks.

Executive Chef Joris Bijdendijk has introduced a ‘new cuisine from the Low Countries’ characterised by the simplicity of the Dutch product, and has won a Michelin star for his efforts. Bijdendijk continues to glean inspiration from Dutch ingredients and makes use of the many international flavours that have influenced Dutch cuisine over the centuries. The Golden Age lives on. <

“ This is something that you can only do once in a generation” ------------------------

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* Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

H CONSERVATORIUM

The Art of Hospitality

Crowned as the number-one luxury hotel in the Netherlands repeatedly since opening in 2011, the Conservatorium hotel offers 21st-century luxury in a magnificent historical setting.

Named after ancient Japanese drums said to beat with a mythic rhythm, Taiko is Schilo Van Coevorden’s award-winning Asian-inspired eatery and one of Amsterdam's finest hotel restaurants.

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that the Conservatorium has brought to the Oud-Zuid district. And what’s that around the corner? ‘Van Gogh is our neighbour,’ affirms Van het Spijker.

All of Amsterdam’s cultural crown jewels – The Royal Concertgebouw, Rijksmuseum, Vondelpark and the city’s most indulgent shopping street – are on the Conservatorium’s doorstep.

For culture and for business, there’s no location like this.

The Conservatorium works closely with its neighbours to provide unique cultural experiences for guests. ‘In March we had the Van Gogh Suites,’ recalls Van het Spijker, ‘for which interior walls were decorated with the guest’s choice of works within Van Gogh’s oeuvre.’ And in the spirit of enabling discovery, every March

‘Our location means you can be at the Stedelijk Museum before you’ve learned how to pronounce its name,’ jokes Nina van het Spijker, Marketing & Communications Manager at the Conservatorium hotel. Indeed, the grand entrance of the Netherlands’ number-one contemporary art trove (pronounced, STEH-duh-lick, as it happens) is just across from the entrance of the property that has repeatedly been crowned the numberone luxury hotel in the Netherlands since opening in 2011.

At the time of writing, the bedclothes billowing from the windows of the Stedelijk – part of the exhibition Amsterdam, The Magic Center – seem to speak to the confluence of hospitality and creativity 13

to May the Conservatorium plays host to Art Months, showcasing often spectacular and thoughtprovoking works in and around the Piero Lissoni-designed Lobby for the contemplation of guests. In March 2018, for example, the design studio Martens & Visser installed their captivating ‘HOLONs’: moving objects creating the illusion of waterdrops.

All year round, two Artist-InResident Suites – one by renowned painter Jasper Krabbé and one by Marie Cécile Thijs, a photographer whose work is included in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam collection – are available for unforgettable residential stays. ‘These are suites that have been fully decorated by each artist and the impression is one of having your own loft in Amsterdam,’ says Van het Spijker. Appropriately, each suite has a balcony overlooking the Stedelijk Museum.

This being the Netherlands, flowers are an important part of the picture.

Master florist Menno Kroon refreshes the flowers throughout the hotel on a twice-weekly basis. ‘For Amsterdam Gay Pride we had rainbow colours everywhere, and when the Van Gogh Museum reopened, everything was yellow with sunflowers,’ says Van het Spijker.

ISABELLE POST Host Manager ‘We are very proactive with our host services – there’s a team of 12 people taking care of each guest before, during and after their stay.

Wellness means different things for different people. I had a phone call from a guest once asking to fill his bath with 60 litres of cold milk because he was sunburned. An artist requested a private gym within the hotel, so we redesigned our largest banquet room into a spacious, high-end, well-equipped gym. All floor-to-ceiling-windows were converted into mirrored walls, the floor was turned into a tailor-made aerobics floor, and we rented the best fitness machines – all within 24 hours.’

Guests are treated to a potted history of the building as they’re welcomed to the Conservatorium. Originally designed at the end of the 19th century by the Dutch architect Daniël Knuttel as a bank, its splendour sparked the regeneration of the Museum Quarter as we know it. In the 1980s the building became the music school referenced in the hotel’s name. The Conservatorium of Amsterdam outgrew its home and departed to its current location at Oosterdokseiland, but Van het Spijker is pleased to report that ‘students from the Conservatorium music school play live music here every weekend, and take part in an annual jazz contest that can win them scholarships.' What a fitting coda in the cultural heart of Amsterdam. <

“ This being the Netherlands, flowers are an important part of the picture” ------------------------

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* Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

CONSERVATORIUM This monumental building in Amsterdam's cultural heart is an oasis for visitors seeking elegance and indulgence, in a backdrop featuring live music performances.

ANDAZ AMSTERDAM PRINSENGRACHT

Icon of Dutch Design

Even better than seeing Dutch design is staying right in the middle of it. Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht immerses you in the creation of Dutch Design icon Marcel Wanders. that helps. But for me it’s as much to do with the international crowd in Amsterdam. It’s nice to work in such a cosmopolitan cultural infrastructure.’

In a country of designers, it takes a lot to stand out, but Marcel Wanders ranks among the very best. Even if you’re not familiar with his name, chances are you’ve already encountered some of Wanders’ genre-straddling output. Perhaps you’ve spent time in KLM’s airport lounge, sipping from shapely Wanders-designed glasses, or paused to admire the outlandish windows of the Moooi design store on Westerstraat, above which Wanders has his creative HQ. It is a modern-day Warhol’s factory of irreverent design. ‘We hide a lot of the innovation,’ says Wanders. ‘We want to

In terms of contemporary design, the relatively tiny city of Amsterdam has punched above its weight for decades, producing a fine-tuned plethora of cutting-edge designers whose functional-yet-whimsical work has colonised the shops, office blocks and style blogs of the wider world.

Two of the most notable design and decor meccas are Frozen Fountain, still bubbling hot some 30 years after it was founded, and Droog, the archetypal conceptual design collective, founded in the early 1990s.

‘Amsterdam is creatively inspiring,’ says Renny Ramakers, Droog’s cofounder. ‘It’s not necessarily for the reasons you might imagine – the wealth of architecture and art that abounds here – although of course 16

This unique Andaz Studio gives an amusing twist to Dutch history with its 18th-century wall facets, glossy wooden entrance doors and iconic furniture designed by Marcel Wanders.

make things that look as if you already know them. There’s nothing that grows old so fast as the new.’

Having risen to fame with designs such as the ‘Knotted Chair’, which now sits in the V&A in London and in New York’s MoMA, Wanders’ status as a global concern was cemented – quite literally – via his involvement in the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht hotel. Set on the site of the former Public Library on the Prinsengracht – part of the 17th-century Canal Ring that was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010 – the the five-star luxury-lifestyle hotel is the starting point for a unique, personalised Amsterdam experience.

Wanders’ interiors resemble something from a fairy tale, with enormous antique wardrobes, chandeliers and cupboards stacked with Dutch-themed treasures. Overly tall Delft Blue vases rub shoulders with porcelain houses given by KLM as gifts to the airline’s trusted customers since the 1950s. Gilded clay vases stand alongside photographs of King Willem-Alexander, his mother and grandmother. In each room, a special concrete table custom-made for the hotel has a mirror connected to it bearing the three crosses of the city, which stand for the motto Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig (‘Valiant,

ANDAZ AMSTERDAM PRINSENGRACHT The whimsical spirit of renowned Dutch designer Marcel Wanders permeates the hotel spaces, including its marvellous Bluespoon Restaurant.

ADAM VARGA Food & Beverage Manager ‘At Andaz we hire based on personality and character, but everyone needs a common trait: a love of service and putting guests first. We don’t have strict 20-step standards; we encourage employees to be themselves instead. Andaz means ‘personal style’ in Hindi, and the individuality and bold attitude and unique personal style of Marcel Wanders perfectly brings our philosophy to life in a visual way. To enter the hotel is to go down the rabbit hole. Whether you’re a guest or a colleague, we want you to be mesmerised.

That’s the magic we’re striving to maintain.’

Steadfast, Compassionate’).

Part of the hotel’s overall design concept incorporates a unique videoart collection. More than 50 works from emerging and established local and international video artists such as Ryan Gander, Erwin Olaf and Mark Titchner make Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht the hotel with the biggest video-art collection in the world.

And when it comes to views, the largest private terrace in the hotel's top suite offers panoramic vistas over Prinsengracht (‘the Prince’s Canal’), with its houses built during the Dutch Golden Age, and the boats that glide past – particularly those of Amsterdam Pride’s annual colourful Canal Pride procession. <

“We want to make things that look as if you already know them. There’s nothing that grows old so fast as the new” ------------------------

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* Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

NOCTURNAL AMSTERDAM

SAIL AMSTERDAM The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest nautical event, SAIL is held in Amsterdam every four years.

Ship owners from around the world flock to the city's harbour to show off their vessels.

Photo by Renzo Gerritsen

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GASSAN DIAMONDS AND ROYAL COSTER DIAMONDS

City of Diamonds

Amsterdamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age-old connection with diamonds can be experienced first-hand at two quintessential representatives of the trade, Gassan Diamonds and Royal Coster Diamonds.

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Taking her inspiration from Amsterdamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s canals, Debora Huisman-Leeser, daughter of Gassan patriarch Benno Leeser, has created the exclusive Choices by DL line.

Ever since Prince Harry slipped a diamond ring onto Meghan Markle’s finger, the curious have turned to the experts at Royal Coster Diamonds to find out more about her squareshaped, rounded-corner ‘cushion cut’ gem whose popularity has, predictably, soared.

They’ve gone to the right place.

Royal Coster Diamonds is the world’s oldest diamond-polishing factory, founded in 1840 by diamond cutter Moses Elias Coster. Today, the company welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year not only to its diamond-polishing factory, but to the Diamond Museum next door that former Coster Diamondshead Ben Meier opened a decade ago. It’s a shining spot in a city that has been one of the world’s diamond capitals for more than 430 years, ever since the first diamond polisher registered in the city’s Chamber of Commerce in 1586. By the 17th century, virtually all of the world’s cut diamonds were manufactured in Amsterdam.

At Royal Coster Diamonds, you can get a first-hand history lesson about Amsterdam’s diamond industry from Pauline Willemse, head of the diamond polishing department. Hired

ROYAL COSTER DIAMONDS The world's oldest diamond polishing company, Royal Coster Diamonds craftspeople create jewellery for The Royal Suite of the NH Collection Grand Hotel everyone Krasnapolsky from royalty offers to heads of spectacular views over the city’s centralstate, Dam Square. and from celebrities to romantic.

RONALD KOSTER Director Marketing, Royal Coster Diamonds ‘We show our clients the best-quality diamonds and watches, and we focus tirelessly on craftsmanship – but I believe there’s another important aspect to Royal Coster Diamonds that’s not so easily defined.

Sometimes a client comes in and tells us their father came here 30 years ago and bought a diamond for their mother and that they want to do the same for their partner. Sometimes it’s a couple who got married with one of our rings and they’ve come back 25 years later.

Amsterdam remains the city of diamonds, and people love the association with a destination that holds so much romance.’

by Meier some 30 years ago as the first woman polisher in a historically male-dominated profession, Willemse took it upon herself to secure diamond polishing a place on the Dutch list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

‘We are very proud of our painters, such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh,’ she says, ‘but the old professions – such as wooden shoe makers, windmill operators and diamond polishers – have to be protected, too, for future generations.’

Willemse developed the Diamond Masterclass to help keep her beloved craft alive. One to two people get hands-on experience polishing a diamond – which they get to keep – under her expert tutelage. ‘It’s a real eye-opener for those who learn how to polish in two hours,’ says Willemse of her exclusive class.

“ The old professions – such as wooden shoe makers, windmill operators and diamond polishers –have to be protected ” ------------------------

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In addition to being the Guinness Book of World Records holder for polishing the world’s smallest brilliant cut diamond – a mere 0.0000743 carats with 57 facets and a diameter of about 0.16 mm – Willemse has become the company’s de facto historian. She is equally enthused talking about the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond, which two of Royal Coster’s polishers recut for Queen Victoria in 1852, as she is on the lasting legacy of Amsterdam’s cutters and polishers.

‘The diamond polishers organised their own union and thanks to their strikes, we all now work five days a week, eight hours a day,’ she says of the union that has morphed into today’s largest Dutch labour union, the FNV. ‘Our healthcare system also started with the diamond polishers, who were very social democratic but not allowed to join traditional guilds.’

BENNO LEESER President-Director, Gassan Diamonds ‘Amsterdam is the city of diamonds, and Gassan Diamonds plays an important role.

We receive 400,000 tourists annually, as do our colleagues Royal Coster Diamonds.

I’m president of the Diamond Exchange in Amsterdam, which is one of the world’s oldest. We are a 100-percent family-owned company. My daughter’s Choices by DL line is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and last year, Gassan Schiphol celebrated its 50th anniversary. Originally, I had intended to work for my father’s high-end fashion business, but my grandfather asked me to join him in diamonds. I said I’d give it a year. Forty-five years later, here I am.’

DIAMONDS & CHAMPAGNE The diamond trade has always been dominated by Jews, who were allowed to work in the non-guilded diamond sector. But some 90 percent of the Jewish work force was killed during the war.

Gassan Diamonds founder Samuel Gassan was one of the few survivors.

He founded what was initially a

diamond polishing company in 1945 after returning home from Switzerland where he had fled with a few diamonds stowed in his pockets and shoes.

Some 70 years later, Gassan’s grandson, Benno Leeser, is the PresidentDirector of the still family-owned company. It boasts eight different brands, including Leeser’s daughter’s exclusive gem-switching Choices

by DL line, and several subsidiary companies. Its flagship Gassan Diamonds is located in the former steam-driven diamond-polishing factory in the city’s historic Jewish quarter. Leeser bought it in 1989 to complete ‘the missing piece of the puzzle’; his grandfather had learned his trade there in what was once the Boas brother’s factory, the largest company of >

“Our healthcare system started with diamond polishers who were not allowed to join traditional guilds” ------------------------

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GASSAN DIAMONDS At this family-owned company dating back to the 1940s, customers are invited to create their own customised diamond jewellery by choosing their favourite setting and cut.

its kind in the late 19th century.

‘We are famous for our quality products,’ says Leeser. ‘People like to buy diamonds in Amsterdam. It’s like buying perfume in Paris, watches in Switzerland and leather in Rome.’

Gassan Diamonds now welcomes 400,000 visitors annually – many of whom arrive by tourist bus or even boat. (Or by metro, in the case of their recently-renovated Dam Square location, where a door was added for easy access to the city’s latest transport line.)

Twenty-six languages are spoken in the factory-showroom that’s open 365 days a year. Visitors can watch diamond cutters at work before purchasing watches and jewels, including the Gassan 121, the company’s newest diamond cut featuring 121 facets and renowned for its brilliance. Today the Gassan 121 accounts for 65 percent of the company’s diamond sales. In addition to VIP tours, the company’s Diamonds & Champagne package sends home one lucky visitor with a real diamond excavated from the bottom of a glass of bubbly.

‘We educate people so they know more about diamonds,’ says Leeser of his company’s successful sales formula.

‘We begin with a 15-minute talk on polishing and then it’s onto the four C’s: carat, colour, clarity and cut.’

Across town, Royal Coster Diamonds offers its own Champagne Surprise Tour in addition to free tours in 25-plus languages. The diamondpolishing factory boasts Europe’s largest collection of unset diamonds, which can be purchased tax-free. The company’s Engagement Workshop educates couples about the gems while offering them the chance to polish one for themselves, culminating in a VIP-room presentation and a glass of champagne.

Today, Royal Coster Diamonds sells arguably the world’s most sparkling cut, its patented Royal 201, from its post Jewish-quarter diamond-polishing factory on the Museumplein. In 2016, Dutch King Willem-Alexander bestowed the Royal title to the former Coster Diamonds in recognition of the company’s excellence. Royal Coster Diamonds created the diamond-studded watch presented to his grandmother, Queen Juliana, in 1959 and often seen today on the wrist of his wife, Queen Maxima.

Throughout the centuries, regal visitors, including Napoléon Bonaparte, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Thailand’s King Rama V and various Chinese viceroys, have helped put the ‘royal’ in Royal Coster Diamonds. And while Royal Coster Diamonds didn’t design Meghan Markle’s splendid pillow-like sparkler, it is certainly the place to go for a royal reproduction. <

“People like to buy diamonds in Amsterdam.

It’s like buying perfume in Paris or watches in Switzerland ” ------------------------

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* Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

The Royal Suite of the NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky offers The Gassanspectacular 121, refinedviews for years overbefore the city’s reaching central itsDam perfect Square. form, is a breathtaking cut with 121 glittering facets.

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THE ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW

High Performance A stay in Amsterdam is incomplete without a visit to the The Royal Concertgebouw, the concert hall that boasts the best acoustics in the world.

Filling one’s cultural agenda is never an issue in Amsterdam. There are international theatre performances, live music shows and open-air spectacles on practically every corner.

But it wasn’t always this way.

Considered by his own family to be somewhat lacking in musical talent, things weren’t looking good for architect Adolf Leonard van Gendt when, in 1881, he accepted his biggest challenge to date: to provide Amsterdam with a music venue to match the grand scale of its cultural aspirations. His design had been chosen by a consortium of six wellheeled citizens who had come together after the paper De Amsterdammer denounced the sad state of the capital’s music scene a few months earlier, 30

stating, ‘While the leaders of all selfrespecting cities abroad have made sure their cities are graced with good concert halls, our government has declared that these ill-fated “arts” are not its responsibility.’

‘The Concertgebouw was never a project funded by the government or the city; it was an initiative undertaken by civilians,’ says Simon Reinink, director of The Royal Concertgebouw, ‘That’s very much in the spirit of Amsterdam.’

Following a consultation with Pierre Cuypers – whose own project, the Rijksmuseum, was taking shape at the time – a plot just outside of the city was selected, and Van Gendt was enlisted to turn a swampy marsh into neoclassical splendour.

The elegant Recital Hall of the Concertgebouw is the perfect venue for listening to quartets and chamber music in an intimate setting..

In the time that this concert hall was being built, the science of acoustics was still considered a mysterious combination of many different and undefinable factors.

Van Gendt didn’t know much about acoustics so, like many a composer, he ‘borrowed’ from those who had gone before him. When it had its official opening on 11 April 1888, The Concertgebouw’s Main Hall bore an uncanny resemblance to the large concert hall of the Neue Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany. Its Recital Hall, meanwhile, was almost identical to the renowned oval hall in the Felix Meritis building on the Keizersgracht.

No-one cried foul, however, when they experienced the pristine quality of the sound. Regrettably, an organ was not present at the grand opening, even though there was space reserved for one. After a benefit concert and a lottery were held, an order was placed in 1890 with a Utrecht organ builder for the now-celebrated Maarschalkerweerd Concertgebouw organ, for a price of 22,352.89 Dutch guilders.

Some 130 years after opening, The Concertgebouw – which gained the royal charter on 11 April 2013 and is now officially known as The Royal Concertgebouw – continues to attract first-class performers from around THE ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW The unique concert hall building and high level of artistic programming connect people of all ages and enrich them with a sublime musical experience.

TIMON BROUWERS Porter ‘I’ve worked at the artists’ entrance to The Concertgebouw since 1999, so I meet all the performers and conductors, including Mariss Jansons, who conducted his final concert as longstanding chief conductor of The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 2015 in the presence of Queen Maxima. It’s an extraordinary venue, and everything that we do needs to be on that level in terms of hospitality. The Concertgebouw really is a 24-hour operation these days, with technicians working through the night in preparation for the demands of a specific concert – you could say that’s a performance in itself.’

the world. It houses three beautiful performance spaces: the Main Hall for orchestral performances, the Recital Hall for quartets and chamber music, and the more intimate Choir Hall for dinners and congresses. Conductor Bernard Haitink memorably described The Royal Concertgebouw as ‘the best instrument of the orchestra it houses’.

Even though its programme changes with the times, Reinink is keen to stress that, from the light bulbs to the carpets, even the tiniest change to the building is scrutinised to ensure it doesn’t affect the acoustics for which it is famed: ‘That quality of sound is our biggest asset, and we will never forget that.’ <

“ This was never a project funded by the government or the city; it was an initiative undertaken by civilians” ------------------------

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* Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

EVENT CALENDAR December 2018 to November 2019

EVENT CALENDAR

DECEMBER

FEBRUARY

Gauguin & Laval in Martinique

All the Rembrandts of the Rijksmuseum

When Gauguin and fellow painter Charles Laval escaped bustling Paris for the Caribbean island of Martinique, they created a series of exquisite artworks. It was an artistically and emotionally significant period for Gauguin, but has often been overshadowed by his later exploits in Tahiti. The warm, vivid paintings and large, elaborate pastels and sketches by the two artists are displayed together for the first time.

2019 is designated Rembrandt Year, as it marks the 350th anniversary of the Golden Age painter’s death. Numerous special events are taking place in Amsterdam, The Hague and Leiden to celebrate this remarkable artist. Tying it all together is All the Rembrandts, in which the Rijksmuseum shows its entire collection – the world’s largest – of Rembrandt works. With 22 paintings and 60 drawings, plus the 300 best examples of his more than 1,000 prints, this is an unrivalled overview.

Van Gogh Museum, until 13 January 2019 Rijksmuseum, 15 February-10 June

JANUARY

MARCH

Amsterdam Light Festival

HISWA Amsterdam Boat Show

Now is the last chance to catch Amsterdam’s premier winter event, which returns each year to illuminate the city’s streets and waterways with bewitching light installations by international artists.

The sculptures can be spotted all over the city centre, illuminating and transforming familiar monuments in magical and unexpected ways. A boat tour along the sparkling canals is the best way to experience the festival.

For boat owners and water sports enthusiasts, the HISWA Amsterdam Boat Show is a great introduction to the new season. Even if you don’t consider yourself a sailor, the impressive expo is still worth a visit. With hundreds of small and mid-sized boats, clinics and workshops, special offers and boating accessories, there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained.

RAI Amsterdam, 6-10 March

Various locations, until 20 January

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EVENT CALENDAR

EVENT CALENDAR

APRIL

JUNE

Keukenhof Gardens

Holland Festival

Each spring, visitors can tiptoe through the tulips at the world’s largest flower gardens, as the Keukenhof Gardens come alive with blooming flowers in every colour of the rainbow. Seven million flowers blossom over 32 hectares, and the park is awash with the sights and scents of spring. Keukenhof also offers flower shows, a theme pavilion and various delightful sculptures.

This leading international performing arts festival provides Dutch and international theatregoers with a survey of the latest, most widely-acclaimed productions. A selection of Dutch premieres and opera, theatre, ballet, contemporary dance, art and multimedia performances from around the world, plus classical, contemporary and world music, take over the stages of Amsterdam.

Keukenhof, 21 March-19 May Various locations, dates to be announced

MAY

JULY

Zaanse Schans & Tsar Peter House

Royal Concertgebouw Summer Series

Located just north of Amsterdam, the Zaanse Schans is a famous open-air museum that offers a perfectly preserved glimpse into the Netherlands’ past, with traditional wooden houses, windmills and workshops. Nearby, find another fascinating remnant of times past: The Tsar Peter House, a humble dwelling that famously housed Peter the Great when he visited the region to learn about Dutch shipbuilding techniques.

The grand Concertgebouw is home to one of the world’s most renowned orchestras, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with current chief conductor Daniele Gatti. In addition, the concert hall offers a plethora of concerts by illustrious visiting orchestras, ensembles and choirs throughout the year.

Its annual summer series takes place in July and August and is an integral part of the city’s summer cultural calendar, pushing the boundaries with classical concerts, swinging jazz and lively pop offerings. * Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

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EVENT CALENDAR

EVENT CALENDAR

AUGUST

OCTOBER

Grachtenfestival (Canal Festival)

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

The magnificent Grachtenfestival, a festival of classical music held annually in August on and around Amsterdam’s canals, is one of the cultural highlights of the summer.

The historic canal belt, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010, hosts the ten-day festival at numerous beautiful locations.

It culminates in the free Prinsengracht Concert, which takes place on the pontoon by the Pulitzer Hotel and draws in huge crowds each year.

ADE is the gateway to the international electronic music scene. As the world’s biggest club festival and Europe’s leading electronic music conference, it’s a true dance lovers’ Mecca. The line-up features world-famous headliners alongside an enormous list of rising stars in a suitably diverse programme that includes electro, acid, techno, trance, house, hip-hop and jungle. More than 2,500 artists descend on 140 locations across the city.

Various locations, 9-18 August

Various locations, dates to be announced

SEPTEMBER

NOVEMBER

Unseen Amsterdam

Turn on the Lights

Unseen is the city’s leading platform for contemporary photography. It’s collaboratively organised by Amsterdam’s key photography and art institutions, and more than 50 leading galleries from all around the world are invited to participate.

Exclusively focusing on what’s new in the photography world, the fair provides a channel for up-and-coming talent to showcase their work. A VIP programme includes previews, an exclusive breakfast and other special events.

Each year, Amsterdam’s luxury department store De Bijenkorf opens the festive season with brilliant spectacle and festive cheer.

The special event on Amsterdam’s Dam Square culminates in the illumination of hundreds of thousands of lights on the façade of the majestic De Bijenkorf building, as well as a dazzling firework display. To follow, De Bijenkorf organises a special late-night shopping event.

Westergasfabriek, 20-22 September

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Dam Square, 2019 date to be announced

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M VAN GOGH MUSEUM

The Modern Master

Vincent van Gogh, the quintessential Dutch modern painter who was shunned during his lifetime, ironically got his temple in Amsterdam right across from that of Rembrandt.

Van Gogh's Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, painted in the winter of 1887–88 using his own version of the Pointillist technique.

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‘Portrait of Dr. Gachet’, for example, fetched a whopping $82.5 million at auction back in 1990.

In the context of his blockbuster appeal, it’s curious to think of Van Gogh as an unknown artist, travelling to Amsterdam to visit the newly-opened Rijksmuseum, as he did in 1885 with his friend Anton Kerssemakers. After seeing the paintings on display, Van Gogh was moved to write to his beloved brother Theo, ‘Rembrandt goes so deep into the mysterious that he says things for which there are no words in any language. It is with justice that they call Rembrandt “magician”.’

There’s a touching irony to the fact that Van Gogh would one day have his very own posthumous museum within

Boasting a prestigious calendar of annual events such as Amsterdam Art Fair, PAN and the Unseen photography fair, Amsterdam is nowadays a multifaceted contemporary art destination like no other. Still, one name tends to dominate: that of Vincent van Gogh.

Van Gogh was one of the Netherlands’ most prolific and influential Post-Impressionist painters.

He created some 2,100 works in a little over a decade, most of them in the last two years of his life.

Landscapes, portraits and self-portraits are characterised by bold colours and impulsive, dramatic brushwork.

Originally shunned by the art world, Van Gogh’s works are now among the most sought-after in the world – his 41

sight of the hallowed Rijksmuseum, attracting visitors from all over who seek the magic of his brushstrokes.

Opened on Museumplein in 1973, the Van Gogh Museum houses the world’s largest collection of works by Van Gogh – more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 of his letters – and has been expanded and modernised over the years, ensuring it’s a truly cutting-edge exhibition and visitor space. In 2015, for example, a striking new glass entrance hall was unveiled to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the artist’s death.

As well as bespoke private tours and even private dining experiences within sight of the famous selfportraits, the museum is proud to offer a new generation of top-flight products that merge the worlds of Van Gogh and luxury.

Practically indistinguishable from the famous Post-Impressionist works on permanent display, limitededition Van Gogh Museum Editions replicas have been created with help from Fujifilm, using a 3D scanning and printing process known as ‘reliefography’. They cost around $25,000 each and are available to purchase at the museum.

What’s more, the museum’s highend Boutique sells a Jaeger-LeCoultre

Originally shunned by the art world, Van Gogh’s works are now among the most sought-after in the world ------------------------

PEPIJN SCHAAFSMA Event Manager ‘“Wow” is one of the words I never tire of hearing when coordinating private dining experiences and private tours at the Van Gogh Museum – and I hear it a lot. Private dining among the collection can be arranged for parties ranging from an individual to 250 people. The smaller the group, the closer you can get to Van Gogh’s art. “The Potato Eaters” might be the first culinary association that people make but our top chefs are incredibly creative, drawing interesting associations between the work and what they serve.

However fine the food, the most heartfelt compliments go to Van Gogh.’

watch with a miniature hand-painted reproduction of a Van Gogh selfportrait on its dial. Priced in the region of €100,000, it’s one of just four, commissioned after the success of another limited-edition series featuring the iconic ‘Sunflowers’.

Ricardo Van Dam, director of Van Gogh Museum Enterprises, notes that the Van Gogh Museum is uniquely placed to oversee such exquisite products. ‘We have the involvement of the Van Gogh family, all the letters and the greatest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world, with all the expertise that comes with it.’

It begs the question: Will you be taking home a masterpiece? <

* Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

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VAN GOGH MUSEUM Visitors from around the world are enthralled by the arresting colours and dramatic brushwork of Van Gogh's iconic paintings, as well as by the modern and airy museum building.

WALDORF ASTORIA AMSTERDAM

Stars à la Carte

Staying in what is effectively an open-air museum in itself – the six 17th-century canal houses that comprise Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam – you will be treated to the height of Dutch cuisine.

Amsterdam is enjoying a culinary Golden Age. Michelin stars have been bestowed upon some two dozen of its restaurants, where exquisite cuisine is offered at exclusive locations. The fine dining scene is bustling with creativity and modern concepts. At &Samhoud, for instance, Head Chef Moshik Roth throws the spotlight on vegetables.

Alongside its à-la-carte listing, this stylish two Michelin-starred restaurant presents a vegetarian menu of sustainable, plant-based solutions, brimming with innovative choices.

One of the restaurants leading the field of local and sustainable cuisine is Rijks, the Rijksmuseum’s restaurant which is also awarded with a Michelin star. The kitchen of young Executive Chef Joris Bijdendijk uses products

solely found within the national borders, such as duck, langoustines, flat Zeeland oysters, Dutch cheeses and vegetables from fertile local soil. The (former Michelin-star) chefs of the recently opened Resturant 212 along the Amstel River, have shed high-end food formalities: their gastronomic restaurant only offers seats at the bar and has no tables.

Even among these truly wonderful restaurants, Spectrum at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam hotel stands out, in more ways than one. First there is its jaw-dropping location. The hotel spreads across six of Amsterdam’s grandest 17th-century canal mansions.

This beautiful setting on Herengracht in the heart of the city, is the showcase for the high-level gastronomy of 44

A grand Waldorf Astoria tradition, Peacock Alley serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and a festive afternoon tea in an intimate yet lavish setting.

Executive Chef Sidney Schutte, a protégé of Jonnie Boer and 2017 Chef of the Year, whose restaurant De Librije in provincial Zwolle earned three Michelin stars. Schutte rapidly rustled up two Michelin stars of his own and firmly established Spectrum (formerly known as Librije’s Zusje – ‘Librije’s Sister’) as one of Amsterdam’s leading restaurants.

In the charming, intimate dining room overlooking the courtyard at the back, the chef ’s unique creations are presented as beautiful miniature paintings. Schutte and his team take you on a culinary journey of distinct yet surprisingly subtle flavours, often combining Asian and Western ingredients into perfectly balanced dishes. Foie gras and yuzu cream with tuna belly, crispy prawns and dark chocolate for instance, or duck with bergamot-flavored yoghurt and a sensational dish of langoustine with kimchi, sea buckthorn and oyster. Schutte’s style is inspired and adventurous. He even gives his own witty take on the famous Waldorf Salad. The celery, apple and walnuts of the traditional salad are transformed into a delicious and surprising predessert. Characteristic of Schutte’s style is the exceptional use of vegetables – it even delivered Spectrum

WALDOF ASTORIA AMSTERDAM Along with canal and courtyard garden views, the hotel also boasts a luxury spa, an indoor pool, and the Vault Bar serving a wide range The Royal Suite of the NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky offersof fine wines and spectacular views over the city’s centralspirits.

Dam Square.

ROBERTO PAYER General Manager ‘When we opened here five years ago we brought a drastically different approach to the city and I honestly believe that everything we have achieved, we have achieved through service and the creation of meaningful moments that have an impact on the guest. That’s why I asked Dutch couturier Jan Taminiau to design the clothes for the whole team – the way that people present themselves is important. Luxury is a much-misinterpreted term, and too often it’s pretentious, but we have developed an approach here that’s at once exquisite and thoroughly uncomplicated.’

the ‘Best Vegetable Restaurant of the Netherlands’ award. The chef creates outstanding vegetarian dishes such as marinated watermelon and tomato with lemongrass, horseradish and pistachio.

Of course, every dish can be paired with the absolutely perfect wine – the wine list is impressive with over 350 options to choose from. The intimate setting and superb service contribute to Spectrum’s unforgettable culinary experience as well – whether you opt for a table at the stylish restaurant itself or have a private soiree amid the authentic Rococo decor and 18th-century frescoes of the Maurer Room. <

In the charming, intimate dining room, the chef ’s unique creations are presented as beautiful miniature paintings ------------------------

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NOCTURNAL AMSTERDAM

AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION View to the South from the ADAM Lookout Tower shows the Amsterdam Central Station and the Canal Ring beyond. The recently expanded station where high-speed trains leave to every direction in Europe includes three shopping arcades.

Photo by Renzo Gerritsen

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L DE BIJENKORF

A Hive of Luxury

No other edifice in Amsterdam embodies the spirit of indulgent shopping as well as de Bijenkorf, the luxury department store gracing Dam Square, just across from the Royal Palace.

A most luxurious shopping experience, with five floors of fashion and designer brands including Gucci's boutique with its signature bags, shoes, watches and accessories.

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found temporary accommodation in a building on Damrak, where the business really took off, enabling Goudsmit to leave the premises on Nieuwendijk and commission architect J.A. van Straaten to design a new department store on Damrak.

It’s here that de Bijenkorf (literally meaning, ‘the beehive’) has thrived for decades, earning national listedbuilding status for its architectural and cultural significance. After extensive renovations, this six-floor, 75,000m2 temple to fashion and home decor is back with high-end shop-in-shops and an airier, brighter and even more lavish atmosphere.

Prada, Gucci and Alexander McQueen are just a few of the luscious brands to be found in the fashion

Few towns have a heritage of luxury trade as rich as that of Amsterdam.

During the mercantile boom of the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century, the city became the hub for the finest goods the world had to offer.

As Sir William Temple wrote of the Dutch, ‘They are the great masters of the Indian spices and of the Persian silks.’ To this day, Amsterdam remains a shopper’s paradise. In a city that boasts more than 10,000 stores, any visitor with a keen eye will return home laden with treasures.

The history of de Bijenkorf began with a haberdashery shop that Simon Philip Goudsmit opened on Nieuwendijk in 1870. The business flourished, enabling the shop to be extended. Meanwhile, Goudsmit 51

department, which is now even more spacious and grandiose. The most sinful fantasies of shoe-shopping addicts come true on the third floor with more than 65 brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo and Chloé, but also hard-to-find Dutch brands such as the sneaker label Filling Pieces, which pre-empted the current global trend for deluxe sportswear.

On the ground floor, the selection of leather goods includes the collections of Furla, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior and – an exclusive in the Netherlands – Céline – well worth a detour in the vast palaces of white marble. With the added privilege of a tax-free lounge, it would be difficult to leave this fashion heaven without armfuls of shopping bags, à la Pretty Woman. De Bijenkorf ’s Beauty World department has also had a world-class makeover, with more than 200 skincare specialists and blissful treatment rooms.

For a well-needed break from the shopping fever, de Bijenkorf naturally offers refreshments and fine foods at The Kitchen, its chic fifth-floor restaurant with a roof terrace. And on the second floor, de Bijenkorf ’s

IRENE VAN LIESHOUT Head of Buying, Accessories ‘We are the destination store in Amsterdam and luxury is what sets us apart from all other stores in the Netherlands, but at the same time I think we retain an open ethos that’s typically Dutch. Nothing is closed off – you can see, feel and touch everything and that makes for a richer and more visually captivating experience. Our personal shopping service overlooking Dam Square creates a real sense of destination, of course – and the luxury hotels of Amsterdam all know that they can call on us to deliver a bespoke service for their guests. With us, everything is possible.’

exclusive personal shopping lounge provides a discrete and friendly service for men and women, where customers can sit back and enjoy the store’s famed hospitality and the expert eye of a personal shopper. The view over Dam Square is truly breathtaking.

For clients who prefer to peruse de Bijenkorf ’s merchandise from the comfort of their own room or suite, there’s a special hotel delivery service.

Meneer Goudsmit would doubtless have been proud. <

“ You can see, feel and touch everything and that makes for a richer and more visually captivating experience” ------------------------

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DE BIJENKORF A trip to Amsterdam is incomplete without a visit to the grand Bijenkorf department store.

LUXURY SUITES AMSTERDAM

At Home in Amsterdam Luxury Suites Amsterdam is an immaculately maintained portfolio of 25 unique suites and penthouses, that feel like a home away from home.

mainly out of a desire to practice Protestant Christianity, which was strictly forbidden by the Spanish. It was at this point that religious tolerance became enshrined in the constitution of the new Dutch Republic, and its capital soon became known as a refuge for Protestants and also Jews, who were being persecuted or oppressed in many parts of the world.

Many of these incomers were successful merchants, and the wealth and expertise that they brought with them benefitted the Republic materially. The Spanish Jews moved their goods and operations here to maintain foreign trading relationships, including previous associations with Morocco and the Levant. New trade missions to India proved hugely

Give or take the odd mobile phone, to stroll through the Canal Belt is to be transported back to an era when Amsterdam was Europe’s importer of treasures and its factory of ideas. As UNESCO put it when designating the area a World Heritage Site in 2010, the Canal Belt’s ‘gabled facades are characteristic of this middle-class environment, and the dwellings bear witness both to the city’s enrichment through maritime trade and the development of a humanist and tolerant culture linked to the Calvinist Reformation’.

A short history lesson: The whole of what’s now known as the Netherlands used to be part of the Spanish empire, but in 1581 the northernmost Dutch provinces declared independence, 54

One of Luxury Suites elegant rooms, many of which have a small terrace, which makes guests feel truly connected to the city.

commercially successful and in 1602 the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company) was founded. The city of Amsterdam had a majority share in the organisation, which was to become the first multinational company in the world, financed by the sale of shares that established the world’s first modern stock exchange. The company acquired the Dutch monopoly on Asian trade, and the Dutch provinces became the most important financial centre of Northern Europe.

During this period, the city of Amsterdam underwent two massive urban expansions, and for the first time both functionality and beauty were taken into consideration during the planning stage. The results were the Jordaan district with its modest dwellings for an expanding working class, and the now-famous Canal Belt – prime real estate whose grand houses were status symbols for the very wealthiest merchants.

Available to the most discerning travellers, two unique constellations of Amsterdam’s Golden Age real estate fall safely in the lap of the merchant elite, and demonstrate handsomely why the entire Amsterdam Canal Belt was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site in the first place. Luxury Suites Amsterdam is an immaculately maintained portfolio of 25 unique

LUXURY SUITES AMSTERDAM Each Luxury suite has been individually designed and is equipped with its own kitchen, so it truly feels The Royal Suite of the NH Collection Grand Hotel like Krasnapolsky a home away offers from home. spectacular views over the city’s central Dam Square.

WLADIMIR SCHRIJVER Managing Director ‘I love to make sure that our guests have the time of their life in our hotel and in Amsterdam. In fact, I really think of my staff as the ambassadors of Amsterdam for this reason. Hospitality can be taught, of course, but to be a real host is something that you need to have in your soul. I like my staff to find the best host within themselves and transmit it to our guests. Because we are a boutique hotel, everybody knows everybody else by name and I think that brings something of the old-world intimacy of the Canal Belt into the picture.’

suites and penthouses ranging in size from between 50 and 90m2. Each Luxury Suites Amsterdam property has the amenities to satisfy the luxury traveller, with an individually tailored, sumptuous interior in golden and neutral hues. Some of the suites even have their own little terrace, so guests can really live like locals.

The penthouses in particular boast an amazing view out over the Oudeschans, an Amsterdam canal scene so picturesque that it attracts sketchpad-wielding artists on a daily basis. Equipped with every comfort and convenience, each suite has its own kitchen, so guests can even try their hand at Dutch cuisine, should the mood take them. <

“ To be a real host is something that you need to have in your soul ” ------------------------

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H PULITZER AMSTERDAM

25 Canal Houses Set within 25 interlinked 17th and 18th-century canal houses, Pulitzer Amsterdam’s suites are inspired by the the characters who have lived here throughout the years.

The Book Collector's Suite at Pulitzer Amsterdam. The sitting room showcases a diverse collection of books with something to entertain even the most discerning reader.

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Overlooking the Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht canals, the newly restored Pulitzer Amsterdam is a luxury hotel set within an astonishing 25 interlinked 17th and 18th-century canal houses, Pulitzer Amsterdam's suites. Blending traditional and modern Dutch craftsmanship and service, the hotel offers 225 guest rooms, a tranquil inner garden, and meeting and event spaces, as well as a restaurant and bar that showcase local tastes. All this is located in the heart of Amsterdam’s historic city centre next to the postcard-perfect

amenities of the Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) shopping district.

In fact, the hotel’s impressive new entrance was the first new building since the canals of Amsterdam received UNESCO status. Guests are guided into an eccentric yet luxurious lobby, furnished with vintage Persian rugs, antique furniture and a collection of historic and contemporary artworks.

Four exceptional Collector’s Suites are inspired by the narrative of elaborate Canal Belt characters who may have lived in the buildings 59

throughout the years. One such personality is the compulsive art devotee who informs the Art Collector’s Suite. Of course, the sign that you’d really ‘made it’ as a merchant was a fabulous painting or two, and the dealing of art flourished during this time. Lavish still-life paintings such as those hanging in the Rijksmuseum evoked the rich abundance of life during the Golden Age by depicting a diverse array of exotic fruits, flowers and game. Sculptures were commissioned all over town for government buildings, private dwellings (often adorning house facades) and the exteriors of churches. Within just 30 years of the establishment of the Canal Belt, Amsterdam was a thriving cultural centre, leaving a legacy of Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and, of course, one Rembrandt van Rijn.

Science and philosophy also benefitted from Amsterdam’s climate of tolerance. Books concerning topics that might have been deemed too controversial elsewhere were printed here and covertly exported abroad. It’s highly appropriate, then, that Pulitzer Amsterdam’s Book Collector’s Suite has its own private library, whereas the Music Collector’s Suite contains an extraordinary display of trumpets – a

“Guests will discover endless historical secrets and stories in this labyrinth of a building” ------------------------

ALEX VAN GASTEL General Manager ‘Creating unique guest experiences is at the heart of what we do at Pulitzer Amsterdam every day. As an energetic and devoted team, we continuously strive to exceed guests’ personal expectations and provide them all with the true Pulitzer experience. While wandering through our 25 connecting historic canal houses dating back to the Golden Age, guests will discover endless historical secrets and stories in this labyrinth of a building.’

wall of sound if ever there was one.

Meanwhile, the beautifully romantic Pulitzer Suite, with its freestanding grand bathtub, super king size bed and views over the gardens, is ideal for a romantic retreat. ‘Our guests truly feel as if they’re living along the canal and they just love it,’ says Pulitzer Amsterdam’s PR Manager Sophie Janssen.

Pulitzer Amsterdam is within easy reach of the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. In addition to the fashionable Negen Straatjes, the quaint shops of the Jordaan, the city’s famous Flower Market and the Royal Palace are also a short distance away. <

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PULITZER AMSTERDAM If the walls could tell stories, they would regale guests with tales of the Golden Age at this conglomeration of historic canal houses along a 17thcentury canal.

INTERCONTINENTAL AMSTEL AMSTERDAM

Grande Dame Reborn

Towering like a palace over the Amstel River’s east bank, the magnificent InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam hotel was the first grand hotel in the city. Guests know it still is. beautiful detailed arches in the Golden Age architectural style in the richly decorated lobby, the hotel has attracted many prominent figures and guests looking to experience the glamour of the Amstel Hotel since it first opened its doors on 27 April 1867.

The hotel prides itself on its range of fine dining options. Guests can enjoy high tea featuring sweet and savoury treats created by the in-house patissier in the charming Amstel Lounge. Later, guests can feast on a seven-course French Mediterranean menu in Restaurant La Rive, or sample seasonal dishes in the intimate Amstel Brasserie. On fine days, you can sip a fine glass of wine or a local beer on the river terrace. And for the perfect ending to your day, kick back in

The physician Dr Samuel Sarphati was a true 19th-century Renaissance man and a very Dutch sort of hero.

Not content with transforming Amsterdam’s public health prospects by providing the city with affordable bread and a refuse collection service, he also put the city on the map in terms of high-end tourism. Sarphati envisioned an architectural landmark – a ‘palace’ on the Amstel River banks – that would lure visitors with its sheer elegance. Nowadays that palace goes by the name of the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam.

Built in collaboration with Cornelis Outshoorn, one of Amsterdam’s most progressive 19th-century architects, the hotel was inspired by some of Europe’s most famous buildings. With 62

The regal lobby features original 19th-century staircases, beautifully detailed arches in the Golden Age style, atmospheric chandeliers and elegant marble floors.

A Bar, a chic and contemporary space specialising in classic cocktails with a modern twist.

Guests can relax in the quiet atmosphere of the Amstel Health & Fitness Club's pool overlooking the river. All 55 Executive Rooms and 24 suites are exquisitely appointed with either a view of the square or overlooking the picturesque Amstel River, featuring classical French design with two large double windows, spacious marble bathroom with cascade shower and separate bath.

Each room is fully air-conditioned and has a private bar and entertainment system.

To mark its 150th anniversary in 2017, the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam undertook a year-long restoration of its roof and facade, culminating in the return of eight lions – 1.60m in height and clasping a coat of arms in their front paws – which had previously crowned the corners of the roof of Outshoorn’s building. During the planning stage, all the old facade images from the city archives were thoroughly studied. In consultation with architects, a decision

INTERCONTINENTAL AMSTEL AMSTERDAM Rooms fit for kings and queens, a swimming pool overlooking the Amstel River, comfortable lounges and several fine offers dining options: you'll The Royal Suite of the NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky want to check out! spectacular views over the city’s centralnever Dam Square.

AAD VAN DEN BERG Head Concierge ‘Dr Sarphati was an inspiration to us all. He managed to do things that were incredible, always pushing to improve the quality of the city of Amsterdam and the lifestyle of its citizens. The hotel was built within a year, which is quite remarkable, but he’d only achieved crowdfunding to finance 25 rooms.

Those rooms were so beautiful that it wasn’t long at all before he was able to raise the money for another 75. I’ve been working here for 26 years and one of my specialities is a tour of the hotel and the area, telling Dr Sarphati’s story.’

was made to produce the lions from scratch, using traditional methods, and a replica of the lions, found on the grounds of Castle Biljoen – a noble house that lies between the Veluwe and the IJssel near Velp – served as a model. Restorers used the original colour and design palettes to restore the balustrades and iconic architectural ornamentation that define this much-loved landmark. Now, the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam is ready and waiting for future generations. <

Enjoy high tea featuring sweet and savoury treats created by the in-house patissier ------------------------

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SOFITEL LEGEND THE GRAND AMSTERDAM

Downtown Abbey Like a quiet country house in the bustle of the city centre, Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam is the retreat of choice for the traveller who wants to unwind.

Furnished with French elegance and grandeur, the hotel blends sleek design with five-star facilities, including 177 rooms, of which 52 luxury suites with butler service and an indulgent spa.

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Many will have heard of the Neoclassical architectural style, but one hotel in the Netherlands’ capital is a spellbinding history lesson incarnate.

Located between two canals in the heart of the city, Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam – or ‘The Grand’ for short – boasts a rich and royal heritage.

In former lives, this building served as a 14th-century convent, royal lodgings, Dutch Admiralty headquarters and even as the City Hall of Amsterdam. No wonder there’s a daily tour for guests wanting to learn more.

The ship-shaped weather vanes

on the roof of the main building, and the original marble floor in the lobby date from the time the building was the Admiralty headquarters. In the words of Head Concierge Niels Essink, ‘You shouldn’t pass by too quickly!’ Like many of his colleagues, Essink has become enchanted by the hotel’s prominent role in the story of Amsterdam.

Today, The Grand is a five-star luxury hotel that meets the highest demands of modern travellers. Kees Hogetoorn, Director of Sales & Marketing, likes to quip that the hotel is Downtown Abbey: ‘It’s like a country house in the middle of the 67

city. You come from a busy airport, and once you’re through the gate here it’s a different world – there’s a sense of space and grandeur. Because it’s the former headquarters of the Admiralty, it was built to impress but then inside it feels intimate, and there’s a sense of calm.’

As Hogetoorn’s analogy suggests, The Grand's personnel can satisfy the most demanding travellers. Mauricio de Aguiar Silva relishes his role as Head Butler. ‘I thrive on the direct contact with our guests,’ he says. ‘You instantly know whether everything is to their liking.’ De Aguiar Silva is the trusted assistant of, and adviser to, VIPs and international celebrities visiting Amsterdam. ‘Many come to Amsterdam for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, to unwind and to be themselves. That’s what makes Amsterdam so special: personal freedom.’

One of Amsterdam’s best kept secrets is the hotel’s Garden Terrace, the beautiful courtyard garden that offers a view onto the balcony of the Marriage Chamber and the majestic windows of the Council Chamber, where former Queen Beatrix married Claus von Amsberg in 1966. Adjacent to the celebrated Michelin-star restaurant

“It’s like a country house in the middle of the city.

There's a sense of space and grandeur” ------------------------

KEES HOGETOORN Director of Sales & Marketing ‘Experiential travel is something our guests really appreciate, they love to feel something of the city of Amsterdam at every touchpoint when they stay at The Grand, and we love to provide it. Because the building itself goes back 600 years through different historical incarnations, we are able to use inspiration from those elements to enhance the luxury experience. It can be something very subtle – for example, the pastry chef might incorporate flavours and details that reference the legendary people who have visited the building and the age of Admiralty. Even guests who travel a lot pick up on those bespoke elements and remember them.’

Bridges, the location lends itself perfectly for a relaxing drink, coffee, business lunch or intimate dinner.

The garden has retained many of its authentic Amsterdam School style features, including a sculpture by Amsterdam-based artist Jacob Kaas, dating from 1931.

The hotel in its latest incarnation is a blend of French elegance and Dutch stylistic elements. French interior architect Sybille de Margerie drew much of her design inspiration from the lively colours of the hotel’s famous mural by COBRA artist Karel Appel.

The tulip and butterfly motifs recur again and again – as, of course, do the loyal guests of this city palace. <

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FIVE STAR LUXURY Lavish rooms and suites, the outstanding restaurants Bridges Dining and Bridges BarBisto and a hidden Garden Terrace are some of the secrets of Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam.

NH COLLECTION GRAND HOTEL KRASNAPOLSKY

Fit for a King

The favourite spot for the royal family in the 1900s is now open to anyone who values a firstclass view on the heart of Amsterdam.

fortunately for visitors to the city today it is open to the public, only closing for occasional state functions.

Facing the palace across Dam Square is a monumental building with an equally fascinating history that includes the royals as well. In 1865, Abraham W. Krasnapolsky, the son of Polish immigrants, bought the Nieuwe Poolsche Koffiehuis (‘The New Polish Coffee House’) at Warmoesstraat 181.

In 1883, to mark The International Colonial and Export Exhibition, he expanded his business to a hotel bearing his name, which means ‘Beautiful Poland’, hosting a healthy share of the estimated one million delegates and visitors who came from around the world. Designed by

Of the three official residences held by the Dutch monarchy, the Koninklijk Paleis (‘Royal Palace’) in Amsterdam remains symbolically the most important. Originally built as a City Hall in 1648, it was transformed into the Royal Palace by King Louis Bonaparte, Napoléon’s brother, in 1806.

Designed along classical lines, the building stands on 13,659 wooden piles to counter Amsterdam’s sand; Atlas perches atop the palace, holding the 1,000kg weight of the world on his shoulders; and inside, the Magistrates’ Court features carved reliefs that date back to the mid-17th century.

The Royal Palace was referred to as the eighth wonder of the world by the poet Constantijn Huygens, and 70

Enjoy a breakfast buffet in the beautiful Winter Garden, an airy space that’s flooded with natural light filtering through the glass roof.

architect G.B. Salm, the Krasnapolsky’s Wintertuin (‘Winter Garden’) with its enormous plants and palms under a glass dome was to become a famous attraction that is still in use to this day.

In 1890 King Willem III celebrated his 40th royal anniversary here, and his daughter, the late queen Wilhelmina, kept having her birthday parties in the exotic Winter Garden until her inauguration in 1898. The hotel was also one of the first buildings in Amsterdam to be fitted with electric lighting.

Today, the hotel has 451 guest rooms, each with chic contemporary decor and a natural colour scheme.

Those occupying the Royal Suite, accessible by private elevator, are afforded the very best view of a poignant annual ceremony each May, when King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima lay a wreath on Dam Square on Remembrance Day. Every morning, guests can enjoy an NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky breakfast under the slanted glass roof of the Winter Garden. Throughout the day, Grand Café Krasnapolsky offers a unique dining experience, whether for a relaxed lunch or dinner, or simply afternoon coffee overlooking Dam Square. In the evening, guests are invited to unwind and relax in The Tailor, a bar serving bespoke cocktails, or dine in

GRAND HOTEL KRASNAPOLSKY Pamper yourself with afternoon tea served in Grand Café Krasnapolsky, Michelin-starred cuisine in The White Room, and award-winning cocktails in Bar The Tailor.

HERMAN KLOK Hotel Director ‘At NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, we have a history to tell. We were founded over 150 years ago, and it is unique to have venues such as the monumental Winter Garden, with its pillarless steel structure and glass ceiling. I am awed by it every day.

Our long history with the royals also begins there, with a painting commemorating the 1879 wedding of King William III and Princess Emma. The current King and Queen also held one of their wedding receptions there. And our Royal Suite with its unique view of the Royal Palace, offers a truly regal experience.’

The White Room, the fine dining restaurant under the signature of threeMichelin-star Chef Jacob Jan Boerma, and the guidance of Executive Chef Arturo Dalhuisen. Just 18 months after opening its doors for the first time, The White Room, which combines the best Dutch ingredients with worldwide influences, received its first Michelin star.

The name The White Room derives from the historical De Witte Zaal, which is what the restaurant was called when it first opened in 1885.

Considered to be the oldest restaurant in Amsterdam in its original condition, the room is listed, and thanks to the modern styling of this unique venue, past, present and future interact handsomely. <

“Our Royal Suite, with its unique view of the Royal Palace, offers a truly regal experience” ------------------------

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DE L’EUROPE AMSTERDAM

Cruising the Canals in Style

The picture-postcard beauty of De L’Europe Amsterdam has always drawn the world’s most celebrated guests, who quietly venture into the city aboard the hotel’s own luxury salon boat.

Located on the banks of the River Amstel, the hotel offers a unique gourmet dining experience aboard their luxury salon boat.

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and a private canal cruise is an absolute must during any visit to the city. With 165 canals and UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition, Amsterdam has a historic connection with water, and famously boasts more bridges than Venice. The city is at its most magical when viewed from a boat and, with its prime location along the Amstel River, the De L’Europe Amsterdam is uniquely qualified among the city’s grand hotels to offer a maritime perspective on Dutch history.

Opened in 1896, De L’Europe Amsterdam has been favoured by the city’s elite and the world’s most celebrated names, many of whom have enjoyed the 75-minute private salon boat tour guided by the hotel’s

These days it’s innumerable tinkling bicycles that keep Amsterdam’s public on the move, and should you rise to the challenge of the city's thronging cycle lanes, any hotel will gladly provide you and your company with the twowheeled steed you need.

At the end of the 17th century, horse-drawn coaches were all the rage among the Amsterdam bourgeoisie.

But traffic snarls in the narrow alleys became such a problem that many thoroughfares were declared one-way by the local authorities. Most opted to tap into the extensive system of ferries cruising the canals to avoid the chaotic city roads.

Cut to the present day, when the waters are thankfully more tranquil, 75

dedicated Clefs d'Or Concierge team.

Including a drink of your choice, the tour is offered daily at 10.30 and 16.30 directly from the picturesque De L’Europe Amsterdam boat jetty. It’s the perfect way to acquaint yourself with Amsterdam whilst benefitting from the wealth of the concierges’ insights.

The hotel’s Michelin-starred fine dining destination, Bord’Eau Restaurant Gastronomique, has something very special to offer in the way of upscale experiences as it has collaborated with the luxury boat company Rederij Friendship Amsterdam to create Bord’Eau sur l’Eau. For a group of 12-18 guests, a Michelin-starred lunch or dinner on the beautiful boat Dyos is the ultimate way to take your Amsterdam stay to the next level. With a wellequipped kitchen, comfortable seating, uniformed staff and sumptuous decor, Dyos has every facility you need for an unforgettable experience that marries the enjoyment of gastronomy with Amsterdam’s abundant eye candy.

Diners are treated to a menu full of sparkling, flavourful sensations, adventurous dishes and unique textures. This unmistakable work of Executive Chef Bas van Kranen of

EEF SPARLA Head Concierge ‘During my 19 years here, I’ve facilitated nine marriage proposals. Normally, we arrange it all on an antique boat, with roses and champagne. One time, we used the setting of the city to help with a proposal, specifically, three bridges along the boat’s route. On the first one, we hung a banner. On the second, we had a violinist playing the couple’s song. And on the third bridge, we had another banner saying: “Will you marry me?” We arranged it all in one day. Of course, she said yes. They all have!’

Bord’Eau Restaurant Gastronomique is highlighted even further by the calm waters of Amsterdam’s beloved canals, which provide an ever-changing backdrop.

It’s what’s on the inside that counts, of course, and De L’Europe Amsterdam doesn’t disappoint. Guests can admire true replicas from Dutch Masters in all rooms and suites at the historical Rondeel building and the contemporary Dutch Masters Wing, including the six-bedroom Presidential Suite. Feel at home in this 19th-century treasure while exploring a modern and vibrant city. <

De L'Europe Amsterdam is uniquely qualif ied to offer a maritime perspective on Dutch history ------------------------

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* Find out more: iamsterdam.com/luxury

DE L'EUROPE AMSTERDAM The hotel is a hub of haute cuisine, boasting one of the city's finest restaurants as well as 111 beautifully appointed guestrooms and suites.

NOCTURNAL AMSTERDAM

MUNTPLEIN The Muntplein (Mint square) where coins were minted in the 17th century, connects the Amsterdam's central north south axis to the rest of the city.

Photo by Renzo Gerritsen ------------

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PARTNERS

PARTNERS

--- ARTS AND CULTURE ---

--- HOTELS ---

--- SHOPS ---

ANDAZ AMSTERDAM PRINSENGRACHT Prinsengracht 587 +31 (0)20 523 1234 amsterdamprinsengracht. andaz.hyatt.com

CONSERVATORIUM HOTEL Van Baerlestraat 27 +31 (0)20 570 0000 conservatoriumhotel.com

DE L’EUROPE AMSTERDAM Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-14 +31 (0)20 531 1777 deleurope.com

INTERCONTINENTAL AMSTEL AMSTERDAM Professor Tulpplein 1 +31 (0)20 622 6060 amsterdam.intercontinental.com

LUXURY SUITES AMSTERDAM Oudeschans 75 +31 (0)20 723 8300 luxurysuitesamsterdam.com

NH COLLECTION AMSTERDAM GRAND HOTEL KRASNAPOLSKY Dam 9 +31 (0)20 554 9111 nh-hotels.com

VAN GOGH MUSEUM Museumplein 6 +31 (0)20 570 5200 vangoghmuseum.nl

DE BIJENKORF AMSTERDAM Dam 1 +800 8001 2222 debijenkorf.nl

PULITZER AMSTERDAM Prinsengracht 315-331 +31 (0)20 523 5235 pulitzeramsterdam.com RIJKSMUSEUM Museumstraat 1 +31 (0)20 674 7000 rijksmuseum.nl

SOFITEL LEGEND THE GRAND AMSTERDAM Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197 +31 (0)20 555 3111 sofitel-legend-thegrand.com

WALDORF ASTORIA AMSTERDAM Herengracht 542-556 +31 (0)20 718 4600 waldorfastoria.com/amsterdam

GASSAN DIAMONDS Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 173-175 +31 (0)20 622 5333 gassan.com

THE ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW Concertgebouwplein 10 +31 (0)20 671 8345 concertgebouw.nl/en

ROYAL COSTER DIAMONDS Paulus Potterstraat 2-6 +31 (0)20 305 5555

COLOPHON

For more inspiration and information, go to iamsterdam.com/luxury

Amsterdam Luxury Selection is a publication by Amsterdam Marketing Managing Director Frans van der Avert Marketing Nico Mulder Project Management Olga Witteveen Partnerships Roel Sprangers Traffic Laura van Batum Editor-in-Chief Bart van Oosterhout Art Direction and Design Sabine Verschueren Copy Editor Julia Gorodecky Proofreader Ann Doherty Writers Lauren Comiteau, Toby Main, Famke & Floor van Praag Portraits Bram Belloni / Phenster Print Joh. Enschedé Amsterdam (JEA)

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