Spain Extravaganza – Day 2, Amsterdam:

Amsterdam is lovely. Overlook the red-light district, seedy hash bars, sex shops and tourist restaurants and you’ll see the gorgeous meandering canals, picturesque bridges, stunning 17^th century homes, tulips and hundreds of folks going about their day on bicycle. First, I must describe the Dylan Hotel on Keizersgracht canal. Founded in 1612, this gorgeous building was originally a theatre, then a Catholic poorhouse, then a bakery. The black-painted brick exterior welcomes you into to a wood-paneled lounge with fireplace, chic little bar and beautiful courtyard. Breakfast is served in the converted bakery kitchen; the industrial ovens still line the brick sidewalls. It’s elegant, sexy and hip while still retaining a classic style and warmth.

There are six different room types based on color scheme, décor and location: Loft and Kimono are in the newer wing, most with canal views; Klassbols, La Carmona, Manhattan and Garden rooms are in the main house and face the courtyard. We stayed in a large, sunny, white-on-beige Loft room on the top floor featuring a flawless view over the canal. We avail ourselves of the huge bathtub and Moulton Brown amenities, incredibly appreciated, as we have no luggage hence toiletries of our own. Our bags arrive hours earlier than planned (hooray United!), and conveniently right after our nap. We skedaddle off to explore, take photos and get some food. Trip is splendid so far.

One of my favorite things to do is visit hotels. I love hotels. I love staying in them, having drinks at their bars, dining in restaurants, relaxing in lounges, using the facilities (I know all the best hotel bathrooms in Manhattan from The Pierre at Central Park to The Greenwich in Tribeca) and performing site inspections. Sometimes I arrange appointments in advance, many times I just drop in, guerrilla-style. I opted for the latter in Amsterdam. I haven’t been to the city in three years and some new properties have opened, others recently renovated (sadly others in need of). Day two we take our bikes out and spin to all the best hotels in the city. The Amstel, the grande dame, is still exquisite and ornate with Delft ceramics, still-life paintings, toile wallpaper, and the Riverside: a sun-filled lounge where you can enjoy high tea. Built in 1867 by a famous doctor as a well-appointed mansion where his patients could convalesce, everything was created so extravagantly that he ran out of money and the two other proposed wings were never made.  Unfortunately the location isn’t ideal as it’s a bit of a hike to get to any desirable area and the ongoing construction makes walking (and biking) a slightly harrowing experience. The other hotels visited were sub-par and therefore I will not recommend them to clients or readers.

We spend most our time in the Jordaan neighborhood, just Northwest of the Dylan. It’s filled with sharp boutiques, wine bars, cute restaurants and gourmet markets. It’s a real local area and we note there are no tourists, and blissfully no coffee shops or falafel vendors. One adorable restaurant we visited is La Oliva, a tapas spot with an impressive wine list. After a bottle of white we decide to get gourmet deli sandwiches and eat alongside a quiet canal, watching boats and ducks go past.

We didn’t get to any museums on this visit, the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museums are all musts for first-timers (or old-timers) to Amsterdam. The city is infused with the spirit of Rembrandt; one can imagine top-hatted men in black sporting moustaches and neck ruffles, walking along the canals, and some of the most famous Van Gogh paintings are found in this city.