Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam

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Updated: November 10, 2020

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Review of Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam.

Conservatorium Hotel – Grand five-star hotel in the heart of the Museum Quarter.

This 19th-century former bank and then music conservatory turned five-star hotel is an architectural masterpiece that packs a visual punch. The work of architect and interior designer Piero Lissoni, Conservatorium combines original features such as stained glass and wall tiles with Lissoni’s muted fabrics, clean lines, and bold splashes of color. The hotel’s showpiece is the soaring glass-and-steel atrium/lobby filled with design furniture from Kartell, Cassina, and Divani, where local fashion designers, professionals, and artists meet their clients. The spacious, minimalist rooms are decked out in soothing neutral beiges, browns, and grays, and come with Nespresso machines and complimentary smartphones. Gorgeous bathrooms are equipped with deep, Japanese-style soaking tubs, rain showers, and LCD mirror TVs. On-site dining ranges from refined to casual, and service is welcoming and efficient without being intrusive.

Conservatorium Hotel – Location

  • Address: Van Baerlestraat 27, 1071 AN Amsterdam.
  • Nearest Tram: Van Baerlestraat.
  • Area: Well-heeled neighborhood near the southern boundary of Vondelpark. Across the street from Amsterdam’s Museumplein, Stedelijk Museum, Van Gogh Museum, and Rijksmuseum. Right on the corner of Amsterdam’s most chic fashion street, with the historic canal ring, Leidseplein’s restaurants and bars, and Vondelpark a 10-minute walk away, while the Medieval Center and Centraal Station a 20-minute ride by tram.
  • How to Get There: Take the train from Schiphol Airport to Centraal Station, then tram #2 to the Van Baerlestraat stop, a minute’s walk from the hotel.
  • Handy to: Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Rijksmuseum, Vondelpark.

Conservatorium Hotel – The Basics

  • Ages: Guests tend to be a mix of couples on a romantic break or honeymoon, and business travelers. Children of all ages are welcome, though there are few family-specific facilities. Taiko Bar is 18+.
  • View: Good city views from the large windows in the rooms and fantastic 360-degree views from the private rooftop terrace of the I ♥ Amsterdam Suite.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Jacuzzi access available at extra charge.
  • Laundry: In-room laundry service.
  • Parking: Parking available onsite; €65 per day.
  • Extras: There’s a ‘Human Library’ in place of a concierge service; knowledgeable local experts can advise you on all manner of Amsterdam subjects, and organize personalized outings and tours of the city depending on your interests. Several elegant dining rooms are available for private cocktail parties and special events.
  • When to Book: Reserve 3 to 4 months in advance for the mid-March to mid-May tulip season, the July and August high season, and the Christmas-New Year period.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: 020-570-0000
  • Email: host@conservatoriumhotel.com
  • Website: conservatoriumhotel.com

Conservatorium Hotel – Amenities

  • Pool: There’s a neon-lit lap pool in the basement, with designated pool times for families with small children.
  • Spa: The hip Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre comes with a hammam, sauna, the city’s only private Watsu pool for Shiatsu massage in water, and numerous luxurious signature treatments such as hot seashell massage.
  • Fitness Center: Fitness center, personal trainers, and fitness classes, from yoga and Pilates to boxing and cardio.
  • For Disabled Guests: There are 2 adapted rooms suitable for disabled guests.
  • For Families: Under-12’s stay free in existing beds; there are high chairs and a children’s menu at the Conservatorium Brasserie and the Conservatorium Lounge; there are family pool times, and babysitting can be arranged at 12 hours’ notice.

Conservatorium Hotel – Food and Drink

  • Restaurants: Taiko Restaurant (6.30 pm-10.30 pm) serves elegant, Japanese-inspired cuisine, from sushi, sashimi, and Wagyu beef on the grill to the splurge-worthy 8-course omakase menu (€115). Clean, stylish decor; reservations essential. • $$$$ • Conservatorium Brasserie (6.30am-11pm) is open all day, from the breakfast buffet and the lunchtime salad bar to afternoon tea and the multi-course ‘cultural menu’ in the evenings, popular with concert and theatre-goers. Emphasis on healthy eating and seasonal produce, and there’s frequent live classical music, courtesy of students of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. • $$-$$$.
  • Lounge/Bar: Chic Taiko Bar has a transparent bar designed by Piero Lissoni, deep banquettes, and subtle lighting that create an intimate atmosphere. Taiko is renowned for its signature gin & tonics, with over 40 types of gin and 6 types of tonic, and there are Asian-inspired tapas to boot. DJs Thursday to Saturday nights. Open until 1 am Monday to Thursday, until 2 am Friday and Saturday, and until midnight on Sunday.
  • Breakfast: Not complimentary. Extensive breakfast buffet available from 8-11 am at the Conservatorium Brasserie; €32 per person; €42 for buffet with 1 hot dish.
  • Room Service: Available around the clock from the Conservatorium Brasserie.

Conservatorium Hotel – Rooms

  • Room Types: Superior • Superior Duplex • Deluxe • Deluxe Duplex • Corner Suite • Junior Suite • Grand Duplex Suite • Rooftop Suite • Conservatorium Suite • Conservatorium Suite with balcony • Royal Duplex Suite • Van Baerle Suite • Residence Suite • Conservatorium Suite • I ♥ Amsterdam Suite • Penthouse Suite
  • Smoking Rooms: Conservatorium Hotel is 100% smoke-free.
  • Best Room: The triplex I ♥ Amsterdam Suite has a private rooftop terrace with wonderful 360-degree views of the city – perfect if you’re on a romantic break. Grand Duplex Suite 528 has the best view of Stedelijk Museum, as well as 2 bathrooms.
  • For Families: No family rooms per se.

Conservatorium Hotel – Local Transport

  • Walking: Across the street from Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, and Stedelijk Museum. Easy walking distance to Vondelpark, the fashion boutiques along Cornelis Schuytstraat and P.C. Hooftstraat, and the historic canal ring. Walkable to the Medieval Center, Red Light District, and De Pijp.
  • Tram: Direct tram connections from the nearby Van Baerlestraat stop to Centraal Station (20 minutes) via the historic canal ring (4 minutes) and the Medieval Center (12 minutes).
  • Taxis, Uber: Taxis and Uber charge around €35 from the airport to the hotel. Within the city, Uber rides cost around half of taxi fares. It’s often quicker to walk, cycle, or jump on a tram.

Conservatorium Hotel – What’s Nearby?

Recommended Nearby Tours

Nearby Restaurants and Cafes

  • Bagels & Beans – Popular café chain. Bagels with numerous sweet and savoury fillings, fair trade, and organic ingredients. Extensive range of fresh juices, herbal teas, and coffee drinks. 2-minute walk.
  • Seafood Bar – Casual seafood joint specializing in fish and chips as well as seafood platters. 2-minute walk.
  • L’Entrecote et les Dames – Sophisticated French menu, old-world ambience. The entrecote is the star here, followed by crepes au Grand Marnier. 4-minute walk.
  • Renzo’s Delicatessen – Get homemade pasta dishes and sandwiches to take away or eat them here, on the tiny mezzanine. 6-minute walk.
  • Restaurant de Knijp – Classy French bistro (go for the cold lobster with fries, veal entrecote, or escargots). Open early for dinner – ideal if you’re attending a concert at the nearby Concertgebouw. 6-minute walk.
  • La Falote – Wallet-friendly, home-style Dutch dishes such as meatballs, calf’s liver, and stewed fish. 10-minute walk.
  • Hosokawa – Slick, contemporary Japanese restaurant specializing in sushi, teppanyaki, and robatayaki dishes. Great onsite bar too. 10-minute walk.

Nearby Bars and Breweries

Nearby Shopping and Cool Shops

  • Coster Diamonds – Blow your budget on diamond jewelry fit for royalty at the oldest diamond polishing facility in the world. Or book a free tour to see the diamonds being polished and cut. 4-minute walk.
  • & Klevering Zuid – Hip homeware by own brand, &k Amsterdam, as well as the likes of Marimekko, HAY, and Vitra. 5-minute walk.
  • Manwood – Heels, boots, shoes, sneakers, and other stylish men’s and women’s footwear by Dutch designers and several select international labels. 8-minute walk.
  • Nikkie – Street-smart women’s fashion design by former Dutch actress Nikkie Plessen. 8-minute walk.
  • Pied a Terre – Europe’s largest travel bookshop, with a staggering array of travel guides, maps, globes, and much more. 9-minute walk.
  • Ennu – Men’s and women’s fashion from the likes of If Six Was Nine, Rick Owens, LGB, and Ann Demeulemeester. 9-minute walk.
  • VLVT – Stylish women’s wear by Dutch designers such as Anna + Nina and ByDanie; also international labels such as Pinko, Boy London, and Lola Cruz. 9-minute walk.
  • Buise – Upscale women’s wear, including sweatshirts by Paul & Joe Sister, floral prints by Black Coral, and jackets by Isabel Marant. 9-minute walk.

Nearby Market or Grocery

  • ZuiderMRKT – High-end, fresh organic produce market behind the Concertgebouw, with attached food stalls that sell crepes, hot dogs, and Indonesian satay. 7-minute walk.

Conservatorium Hotel – The Hotel

The fitness center offers several fitness classes.

The fitness center is open from 6.30 am to 10 pm, with fitness classes ranging from boxing to Pilates.

The basement pool is Amsterdam's only private Watsu pool.

The basement pool is open from 6.30 am to 10 pm; family times for kids aged 3 to 16 are 10-11.30 am and 2-3.30 pm daily. It’s also the city’s only private Watsu pool; Shiatsu massage in water is one of the treatments on offer.

The yoga room offers daily classes.

Daily yoga classes of varying intensity are held in the yoga room.

The Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre features a sauna as well.

The sauna is part of the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, open 6.30 am to 10 pm.

The hotel lobby is designed by Piero Lissoni.

Designed by architect and interior designer Piero Lissoni, the soaring glass-and-steel atrium/lobby is filled with design furniture from Kartell, Cassina, and Divani.

Brasserie & Lounge often features live classical music.

Open all day, the Conservatorium Brasserie specializes in healthy dishes and seasonal produce, often accompanied by live classical music performed by the students of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

The outdoor terrace is very popular on warm days.

The outdoor terrace is a popular extension of the Conservatorium Brasserie, busy on warm and sunny days.

The Taiko Bar is well-known for its gin-based cocktails.

The Taiko Bar is open until late (2 am on weekends), and is particularly renowned for its gin-based cocktails.

Taiko Restaurant is popular for its Japanese-inspired cuisine.

Elegant, Japanese-inspired cuisine is on the menu at Taiko Restaurant, open nightly for dinner. Make reservations.

Deluxe Duplex rooms feature beds on the mezzanine level.

The compact Deluxe Duplex rooms feature mezzanine beds and comfortable work spaces.

The Van Baerle Suite's bathroom has an oval stone bathtub.

The Van Baerle Suite looks out over Van Baerlestraat, and its bathroom comes with a stone oval bathtub.

The Rooftop Suite features heavy wooden beams.

Heavy wooden beams and a king-sized bed are features of the atmospheric Rooftop Suite.

The Rooftop Suite's bathroom had a triangular architecture.

The Rooftop Suite come with a triangular marble bathroom, deep soaking tub, and separate rain shower.

The Penthouse Suite's every aspect can be customized using a dedicated iPad.

The spacious Penthouse Suite is one of the most high-tech; guests can customize every aspect of its ambiance using a dedicated iPad.

The Concerto Suite's bathroom features an oval stone tub.

The palatial Concerto Suite bathroom is equipped with an oval stone tub and separate rain shower.

The Concerto Suite face a quiet courtyard.

The striking, signature Concerto Suite overlooks the quiet courtyard; preferable for light sleepers.

Deluxe rooms feature bathrooms with tubs and rain showers.

Deluxe rooms are more spacious than Superior, look out over lively Van Baerlestraat (less ideal for light sleepers), and the bathrooms come with deep soaking tubs as well as rain showers.

I ♥ Amsterdam Suite is a triplex with a king bed in the loft.

The minimalist, triplex I ♥ Amsterdam Suite boasts a king-sized bed in the loft with monumental wooden beams.

I ♥ Amsterdam Suite's bathroom features a deep marble tub.

One of the two bathrooms in the I ♥ Amsterdam Suite comes with a deep marble tub.

I ♥ Amsterdam Suite's private terrace gives a fantastic view of the city.

View of the city from the private roof terrace that is part of the I ♥ Amsterdam Suite.

The loft Junior Suite has a deep soaking tub.

The atmospheric Junior Suite up in the loft comes with a deep soaking tub in the bathroom.

Penthouse Suite's living area is decorated with art and porcelain.

The 6th floor signature Penthouse Suite looks out over Rijksmuseum, and its spacious living area is filled with art and precious porcelain.

Superior rooms feature modern in-room entertainment.

The smallest of the rooms, Superior rooms are mid-sized by Amsterdam standards, look out over a quiet side street, and come equipped with state-of-the-art in-room entertainment and rain showers.

Museumplein features 3 extraordinary museums.

The hotel is just across the street from the Museumplein, the square featuring Amsterdam’s trio of heavyweight art museums.

Stedelijk Museum features Netherlands' largest contemporary art collection.

Also just across the street is Stedelijk Museum, Netherlands’ biggest collection of contemporary art, with excellent temporary exhibitions by big-name artists, and a first-rate cafe-restaurant in the lobby.

Van Gogh Museum showcases the world's largest collection of the artist's works.

Next door is the super-popular Van Gogh Museum showcasing the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh works. Access is by timed ticket only; book your time slot online.

Moco Museum hosts changing exhibits of contemporary art.

Around the corner from the Van Gogh Museum, the lesser-known Moco Museum hosts changing exhibits of contemporary art, from Banksy to Dali.

The Rijksmuseum is especially famous for Rembrandt's Night Watch.

The most famous of the Museumplein museums is Rijksmuseum, with the biggest and best Dutch art collection in the world. Book your ticket online or come early to beat the lines, and make a beeline for Rembrandt’s Night Watch before the crowds arrive.

House of Bols offers a history of jenever making in Holland.

Across the street from the Museumplein, the House of Bols walks you through the history of jenever (the granddaddy of gin) making in Holland. At the end of the experience, you get to mix and drink your own jenever cocktail.

Diamond Museum showcases a glittering history of the Dutch diamond trade.

Next to the House of Bols, the Diamond Museum is worth a peek for the history of the Dutch diamond trade, and the glittering replicas of the world’s most famous diamonds, such as the Orlof and the Koh-i-Noor.

Coster Diamonds is a popular place for buying diamonds.

If money is no object, you might want to pick up some diamonds of your own at Coster Diamonds next door.

Blue Boat canal cruise company offers popular cruises.

A couple of blocks north of Rijksmuseum, the Blue Boat canal cruise company offers popular daytime and evening cruises.

Hosokawa is one of Amsterdam's best Japanese restaurants.

If you cross the bridge over the Singelgracht canal to Leidseplein, you’ll reach one of Amsterdam’s best Japanese restaurants, Hosokawa. It’s not cheap, but the sushi is amazing.

Seafood Bar is popular for its seafood platters and fish and chips.

North along Van Baerlestraat from the hotel, the Seafood Bar is one of several branches around the city; good for seafood platters and fish and chips.

Pied a Terre is Europe's largest travel bookstore.

Northwest, along busy Overtoom, is Pied a Terre, Europe’s largest travel bookstore with scores of travel guides in English, and a plethora of maps.

Gollem’s Proeflokaal sells dozens of Belgian beers.

Across the street, local beer aficionados swear by dozens of Belgian beers by the bottle and many on tap at Gollem’s Proeflokaal.

Concertgebouw is a stunning Neo-Renaissance style concert hall worth visiting.

Head south from the hotel along Van Baerlestraat and you’ll hit the Concertgebouw, a stunning, neo-Renaissance style concert hall with exceptional acoustics. Even if you don’t come here for a concert, it’s well worth taking a guided tour (Mon & Fri at 5 pm, Wed at 1.30 pm, Sun at 12.30 pm).

Café Welling is a popular haunt for musicians and arty types.

Just behind Concertgebouw is Café Welling, a popular watering hole where you’re likely to rub shoulders with musicians and arty types.

Saturday-only ZuiderMRKT is famous for its fresh produce and food stalls.

A block west from the back of the Concertgebouw, ZuiderMRKT takes place on Saturdays only, with stalls selling homemade bread, organic vegetables, locally-made sausages, cheeses, and more. Get there early, since it winds down by 5 pm.

De Knijp French bistro is popular with concert-goers.

Further south from Concertgebouw, De Knijp is a French bistro popular with concert-goers.

Renzo’s is a small but popular Italian deli.

Right across the street, Renzo’s is a popular Italian deli; get pasta to go, or grab one of the few tables.

L’Entrecote et Les Dames is an upscale French fine-dine restaurant.

Just down the street from Renzo’s, L’Entrecote et Les Dames is excellent French fine dining; reserve ahead.

La Falote is known for it's inexpensive home-style Dutch dishes.

Further south, La Falote specializes in inexpensive home-style Dutch dishes.

Nikkie is a designer boutique located on Cornelis Schuytstraat.

Head west along Willemsparkweg to reach Cornelis Schuytstraat, a popular shopping street lined with designer shops, including Amsterdam’s own Nikkie.

Manwood is known for its selection of locally-designed footwear.

Next door to Nikkie is locally-designed footwear by Manwood.

VLVT sells stylish womenswear.

Further down the street is VLVT, stylish womenswear by local designers such as Anna + Nina.

Ennu sells designer men's and women's wear.

Nearby is Ennu, with men’s and women’s threads by the likes of If Six Was Nine.

Buise sells upscale women's wear.

Also along Cornelia Schuytstraat is Buise selling upscale women’s wear by Black Coral, Isabel Morant, and more.

& Klevering Zuid nearby sells good locally-designed homeware.

On a quiet side street closer to the hotel, & Klevering Zuid is a good place to pick up hip, locally-designed homeware as gifts.

Bagels & Beans is great for coffee and bagels.

Just across the street from the hotel is a branch of the ubiquitous Bagels & Beans, a reliable spot for good coffee and filled bagels.

‘t Blauwe Theehuis is a 1930's Modernist cafe known for its coffee and cake.

Detour through Vondelpark for coffee and cake at ‘t Blauwe Theehuis, a 1930’s Modernist café.

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