Amsterdam is widely known as the city of canals and is home to some of the worlds best culture, cafe’s and architecture. Amazingly you can be there in just over one hour from any UK airport, making it the perfect spur-of-the-moment European city break destination!
Ideally in Amsterdam, you want to be within walking distance to all the hotspots, nearby Dam Square and the pretty canals on Nine Streets and that’s one of the reasons why I chose to stay at the fashionable Hoxton Hotel. It’s perfectly situated to explore everything Amsterdam has to offer in a hip and happening area.
Here are the results of my three-night solo mini break at the stylish Hoxton.
The Hoxton Hotel, Amsterdam
This was my first trip to Amsterdam and instead of having a plan I left the trip completely open, I had chosen the Hoxton Hotel over the Christmas holidays – to be the integral part of my whole experience and it delivered!
The ambience of this hotel is electric, I enjoyed healthy breakfasts at Hoxton’s popular Lotties restaurant, sipped their tasty signature cocktails each evening, met plenty of Amsterdammer’s in the lobby, strolled around the gorgeous neighbourhood, sat outside pretty cafés along the canals and saw the main attractions at leisure – all the ingredients of a perfect solo trip with a touch of luxury!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Arriving at The Hoxton felt like stepping into a secret hip bar. The property is made up of five houses overlooking beautiful Herengracht Canal along the sort-after Nine Streets – a popular shopping area full of hidden gems, buzzing cafés and top class restaurants. It’s a land mark building in the middle of all the cool things, made to feel like you are entering a warm and welcoming lounge. The hotel as a high level of detail, friendly staff and the most stylish open plan foyer.
Each day I noticed something different from the vintage black and white pictures in the lifts, old fashioned bicycles in the corridors to the cool light fixtures and hexagonal mirrors including the floor to ceiling one in my cosy double room!
COSY DOUBLE ROOM
The best feature apart from the cool mirror and jazz music playing from the retro radio on entry was the space! It was so much bigger than I had anticipated for a ‘cosy double’ room and the bathroom on a seperate mezzanine level was also impressive!
While the bathroom had a industrial feel about it with iron piping and tiny cream square tiles the main bedroom was very retro-luxe, all moody blue vintage, herringbone flooring and an expensive looking tan leather headboard. If I could have stretched to a canal view room I would have done, but this was Christmas and a last minute booking, I was nonetheless happy with my interior court view room and a bit of quiet time!
SERVICES AND FACILITIES
Each morning I went down for breakfast or brunch (served until 3pm) in the popular Lotties bar and restaurant, even though I could have ordered a free grab-and-go from by room, I just loved the atmosphere and the menu from downstairs! The toughest thing was deciding what to have, I felt spoiled with the choices – avocado and eggs, Dutch pancakes and fresh juices, it was all good and great coffee too!
Its hugely popular with Amsterdammers, (a good sign) as is the bar and lobby area, which really turns in to a happening place to be in the early evenings especially when the electro DJ makes an appearance!
One of the main reasons for this trip was to experience the Christmas holidays somewhere else, without too much sightseeing or ticking things off a list. Staying at the Hoxton was perfect, you are already in the best neighbourhood with cool things on the doorstep and a lobby bar that locals and visitors are drawn to – day and night. It was a really relaxing, fun and enjoyable trip!
THE DETAILS
Style: Luxury Boutique, hip vintage cool décor with unique details and exposed walls.
Price: Starting from £140 to £280.
Rooms: The Hoxton has 111 room and 7 different room types. They range from single to king with canal or interior views. To be totally honest they do advertise a single room, but it’s a shoe box, I would skip it and move on the the ‘cosy room”.
Special Features: Cool lounge with tan leather sofas and vintage chairs, a mezzanine library, DJ nights and a stylish circular bar. Popular onsite restaurant (with locals) Lottie’s serving brunch until 3pm and bicycles to hire from reception.
Location: The five houses reside on sort-after Herengracht Canal. A pretty section of nine streets, which is the affluent region of Amsterdam and only 0.3 miles from Dam Square and Anne Frank museum.
This was my first experience of staying at a Hoxton Hotel and I’d jump at the chance to stay at one of their hotels again. I loved the warm welcome, décor, facilities and ambience and it felt good to be a part of it as a solo traveller. If you are after a treat and stylish stay in Amsterdam, don’t hesitate to book the Hoxton!
Book: The Hoxton Hotel, Amsterdam
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*Images supplied by Hoxton Hotel.
Love this hotel! Great location