The Best Boutique Hotels to Book in Amsterdam

Voted the best luxury hotel in the Netherlands numerous times, you know you’re in for a treat at Conservatorium Hotel. An architectural wonder in itself, the hotel expertly blends historical features with contemporary design, thanks to award-winning designer Piero Lissoni. What’s more, you are right in the mix of Amsterdam’s best attractions, from the Van Gogh Museum to Rijksmuseum and Vondelpark.

A charming 17th-century vicarage on the shores of a pretty lake, situated 10 minutes from Amsterdam Central Station, the Inn on the Lake is perfect for secluded stays away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. This private guesthouse boasts three unique rooms with original features and plenty of homely touches. The inn’s private boat can even take you out on the water to explore the picturesque surroundings that change with the seasons.

A stately, five-star escape, Hotel Seven One Seven is situated in a historic canal-side mansion that was once inhabited by a wealthy sugar trader in the 19th century. Now you can find nine rooms and suites, all individually decorated with sumptuous interiors. The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, but with its prime location in the heart of town, 10 minutes walk from the Rijksmuseum, the city’s best cafes and restaurants are on your doorstep.

A cosy bolthole that combines refined luxury with a homely ambience, Pillows Anna van den Vondel is a great base from which to explore Amsterdam. Sleep like a queen in one of the 30 charming, comfortable rooms, featuring period features and contemporary, minimalist interiors in hues of calming blue. It is also close to the pretty green space of Vondelpark.

The Dylan may well be Amsterdam’s best-kept secret, as discerning visitors have been congregating here for years. That said, there’s no disputing that this is one of Amsterdam’s most luxurious boutique hotels, its 41 immaculate guest rooms lodged within a graceful 17th-century building, complete with courtyard and terrace. There is lavish attention to detail here, plus a superb Michelin-starred restaurant, Vinkeles, in what was once the bakery.

This grand old hotel, with its fin-de-siècle flourishes, has a prime waterside location and prestigious boutique rooms, each featuring a replica of a Dutch Master recommended by the city’s leading art gallery, the Rijksmuseum. Opulence is key – there are rich colours and top-flight facilities, from Apple TV to Nespresso coffee machines, in each room. Relax at Freddy’s Bar, one of Amsterdam’s smartest cocktail bars, from where you can watch the city stroll by.

Londoners may already be familiar with the Hoxton brand – there are three boutique hotels in the capital, alongside one here in Amsterdam. The Dutch version, in a tastefully converted house on the Herengracht, continues the Hoxton tradition of crisp modern decor and an inviting lobby where locals and hotel guests meet to shoot the breeze. Lively and convivial, the hotel holds a gallery featuring local artworks and offers a cultural events programme. You can also relax in your room knowing that the minibar prices are the same as the local supermarket. Three cheers for that.

One of Amsterdam’s most distinctive hotels, the Lloyd occupies a large rambling building in the eastern docklands, a short tram ride from the city centre. Curiously, the premises once housed prisoners on remand and then refugees – some of the guest rooms still have barred windows – but the whole lot has been imaginatively reinvented in a modern style. The hotel has become something of an arts hub, too, offering exhibitions, readings and performances in an expansive lobby.

This lavish, medium-sized boutique hotel is converted from a pair of elegant old canal houses, one of which was once home to the Dutch prime minister. Cross the hotel threshold and you are soon sucked into a different world, for this is retro-chic to all-encompassing effect. Period details like the marble fireplaces jostle with the vivid, velvet wallpaper, while lush fabrics in purple, red, black and gold abound. The breakfast room and bar are similarly sumptuous, inviting you to sink into a sofa with a whiskey on the rocks.

No one was quite sure what to do with the old tram depot in Amsterdam West, but the new owners had a brainwave, converting it into a boutique hotel. Imaginatively, many of the key features of the depot have been preserved – from the vaulted glass ceiling to the rails in the dining-room floor – and the place has a really lively buzz. Its 57 modern rooms and suites are spread over two floors around a spacious atrium, each with walk-in rainfall showers and luxurious Coco-Mat beds.

For something completely different, Amsterdam offers the rare chance to sleep up an old crane. Located in the former docklands, Crane Hotel Faralda is just a quick ferry ride from the centre on the north side of the River IJ. In an extraordinary, award-winning conversion, the crane now holds three brightly decorated, deluxe suites perched at various levels up the crane, as well as a heated hot tub near the base. If you want more high-flying excitement, you can even book a bungee jump.