5 hotels with history in Amsterdam

Het Scheepvaarthuis (the Shipping House) is one of the finest examples of the Amsterdam School architecture. It was built in 1916 as a modern office building for six shipping companies, teeming with references to Holland’s rich shipping history. Lavishly decorated, the Shipping House is a feast for the eyes. The building was restored and reopened as a five star hotel in 2007.

The Windketel is the smallest building on the site of the former municipal gas and waterworks. The small octagonal brick tower, which was built in the late 19th century, is located in a quiet car-free square, somewhat overshadowed by the apartment buildings of an eco-friendly neighbourhood and a large white water tower. Amazingly, this tiny tower is now a three-storey luxury apartment for two, furnished with Dutch design. It is run by a cooperative of neighbours.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their famous bed-in for peace here in 1969. On a less positive note, this is also the building singer Herman Brood jumped from to end his life in 2001. When the Hilton Amsterdam opened its doors in 1962, it was the first international chain hotel in the Netherlands. Its v-shape was designed by Dutch architect Hugh Maaskant.

This is where poet Joost van den Vondel premiered his famous play Gijsbrecht van Aemstel, Antonio Vivaldi once conducted, and Rembrandt van Rijn made sketches. Now only the gate of Amsterdam’s first stone theatre, built in the 1630s and burned down in 1772, remains. It gives way to The Dylan Hotel, a five-star getaway with a Michelin-starred restaurant.

This large neo-Renaissance hotel building dates from the late 1900s. Amsterdam’s first tour boat departed from here in 1909. It was also where the Beatles stayed when they visited Amsterdam in 1964. Long before that, it was called Kloveniersdoelen or the civic guard’s hall. Rembrandt’s famous painting The Night Watch used to hang here. Tivoli Doelen is now a 4-star hotel.