The Heineken beer family owns a historic hotel. It can never be sold

Beyond our breakfast table, couples stroll arm in arm along Amsterdam’s Amstel River, boatloads of tourists ply the famous canals and cyclists tear alongside. On the Muntplein, the city’s busiest square, window shoppers bustle and tourists sip coffee in cosy cafes.

It’s an overcast day with constant drizzle but that doesn’t detract one bit from the captivating views from a grand dame, the newly transformed De L’Europe Amsterdam, owned by the Heineken family and as much a symbol of the city as the canals it overlooks.

Board a classic wooden boat from the hotel’s riverside terrace for a private guided canal tour to the Van Gogh Museum.

The billionaire brewers filled the hotel, built in 1896 on the site of Amsterdam’s first inn, with their priceless Dutch art collection, and acquired neighbouring historic buildings. In his will, the late Alfred “Freddy” Heineken stated his beloved hotel could never be sold and must remain in the family forever.

The beer mogul loved spending time in his namesake bar, doing business on one of the first satellite phones, which he carried in a large suitcase. It’s believed his wife so loved hosting parties at the hotel that he bought it in 1950 as a gift for her.

De L’Europe’s guests are greeted by top-hatted doormen in tails and welcomed with a glass of champagne, though a complete redesign of its rooms, suites and entire ground floor ushers in a whole new chapter.

Rich, natural materials, warm hues, unique objects, antiques and bespoke furniture convey the hotel’s historical grandeur. Several rooms have large balconies and terraces with show-stopping canal views. Most recently, an entirely new collection of suites has opened in the adjacent “’t Huys” wing – “’t Huys” being old Dutch for “house”.

The rooms are decorated with rich, natural materials, antiques and bespoke furniture.

Years in the making, the 14 landmark suites are designed by a roll-call of the city’s leading lights, from the Van Gogh Museum to couturier Ronald van der Kemp and jewellery designer Bibi van der Velden. “We gave creatives a blank canvas and told them to think outside the box for their individual suite collaborations,” says marketing director Mosanne Monod de Froideville over a drink in Freddy’s Bar with its polished timber and resident jazz pianist.

The ground floor of ’t Huys invites guests to lounge on mid-century armchairs amid striking works of floral art by Florian Seyd and Ueli Signer of Wunderkammer.

De L’Europe seeks to reprise its role as a creative hub where locals seek inspiration and share their work. The local has long been associated with craftsmanship; all the Golden Age Dutch artists lived in the surrounding streets while Rembrandt’s The Night Watch was painted nearby.

“While we’re celebrating our 128th year, it’s actually been 300 years that people have been knocking on the door for food, drink and somewhere to stay,” Monod de Froideville says.

New hot-ticket restaurants in the hotel are the charming riverside brasserie Marie, Trattoria Graziella and conscious fine diner Flore, helmed by the Netherlands’ youngest Michelin-starred chef.

Fine diner Flore, helmed by the Netherlands’ youngest Michelin-starred chef.

Luxurious rooms, fabulous dining and a central location are crowned by bespoke experiences. A highlight was boarding a classic wooden boat from the hotel’s riverside terrace for a private guided canal tour to the Van Gogh Museum – complete with gin and tonic and narration from a knowledgeable young Dutch skipper.

Being collected from our river cruise in a chauffeured electric buggy by a liveried driver comes a close second. Hurtling along a bike lane with hundreds of cyclists (there are more than a million bikes in Amsterdam) is an introduction to the Dutch capital we’ll never forget.

The cossetting De L’ Europe is a thoroughly modern yet regal hotel, with a strong sense of place and timeless Dutch hospitality.

THE DETAILS

Stay
Rooms from €526 ($872) a night, including breakfast. See deleurope.com

Fly
Emirates and Qatar fly from Sydney and Melbourne via Doha and Dubai to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. It’s a 35-minute taxi ride to the hotel. See emirates.com; qatarairways.com

Train
Eurostar operates three services a day between London and Amsterdam. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from the city’s Central Station. See eurostar.com

More
See iamsterdam.com

The writer stayed as a guest of De L’Europe following a European Gems cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam hosted by Travelmarvel.