Hotel art’otel in Amsterdam

art’otel features trendy rooms, an indoor pool, Finnish spa, popular restaurant and bar, and lots of art displayed throughout the property.

The signature 12m-tall video curtain at art’otel screens video art as you walk downstairs to the basement art gallery, which hosts exhibitions by contemporary artists.

The Active Club gym is equipped with Technogym equipment, and is open around the clock.

The pool is part of the Active Club and is open 24/7.

The Finnish sauna keeps varied hours, depending on the days of the week.

There is no formal reception, and the whole hotel doubles as an exhibition space for Dutch artist Joep Van Lieshout.

The atmospherically lit 5&33 bar is a popular night hot spot for young Amsterdammers, and serves excellent cocktails, some of them original. Live DJ sets on weekend nights. Open until 1am (until 2am on weekends).

5&33 Kitchen (open noon-1am) specializes in unfussy Mediterranean cuisine, and is popular with locals as well as guests. Dinner reservations a good idea.

Some of Joep Van Lieshout’s art, scattered around the hotel, is rather risqué, such as the ‘fertility lamp’ in the library.

Art Rooms are the most compact, but they come with standard amenities such as in-room entertainment system, flat-screen TV, desk, and rain shower in the bathroom.

Art Rooms – Iconic View look out onto the busy Stationsplein and Centraal Station. It’s not really worth paying extra for the view, especially since the Iconic View side of the hotel is more vulnerable to street noise.

Art Rooms XL and XL–Iconic View offer a bit more space and comfortable sitting areas.

The 4 spacious Masterpiece suites have a separate living area, and 2 TVs apiece.

The hotel sits on the busy Niewezijds Voorburgwal thoroughfare and tramway. Centraal Station, the Netherlands’ main train hub, is 3 blocks north of the hotel, across the Open Havenfront waterway. From in front of the train station, trams run all over the city. There’s also the entrance to the metro.

A block north of the hotel, the pedestrian Nieuwendijk lane leads west towards the historic canal ring. This is one of the most tourist-heavy parts of town, but tacky souvenir shops and kebab takeouts aside, here you can pick up quality magic truffles and weed from a number of shops. Chills & Thrills is locally recommended.

If you take one of the tiny lanes that branch off Nieuwendijk to the south, you find yourself facing De Silveren Spiegel, an early 17th century house turned Dutch fine dining venue. Expect creaky floors, low ceilings, and multi-course tasting menus; reserve ahead.

West across the Singel canal, and overlooking the picturesque Brouwersgracht canal, De Belhamel stands out for the quality of its French dishes and its pleasant canal-side terrace. It’s one of the few good restaurants at the northern edge of the historic canal ring.

Branching off from Niewezijds Voorburgwal, and running parallel to it all the way south to Spui square, busy Spuistraat has a number of worthwhile restaurants and shops. Ashoka, a couple of blocks south of the hotel, is a good bet for vegetarians, with an extensive menu of inexpensive Indian and Nepalese dishes.

Another block south, Rush Hour Records is a worthwhile stop for music lovers, with a particularly strong house and techno vinyl range.

A little further south and to the west, the tiny Torensluis square overlooks the Singel canal, and is one of the gateways to the historic canal ring.

Facing Torensluis is a branch of Puccini Bomboni – some of Amsterdam’s best handmade chocolates.

A short walk west is the Amsterdam Duck Store; novelty rubber ducks range from Harry Potter and Madonna to Game of Thrones characters.

A block north along Herengracht canal, ‘t Arendsnest is the perfect haunt for beer lovers: it serves over 200 Dutch bottled beers, over 30 on tap, and has both an atmospheric interior, and a wonderful canal-side terrace.

Just south of Torensluis is Breda, one of the most imaginative restaurants in the city, the higher-end sister to Guts & Glory (off Rembrandtplein), and a great place to bring a date. Reserve well ahead for the seasonal, multi-course tasting menus.

Around 15 minutes’ walk from the hotel (or a short tram ride) is Westermarkt, with one of the city’s best Belgian fry takeouts beneath the Westerkerk. This is the tram stop you need if you want to visit the Anne Frank House.

Half a block north of Westermarkt is the house where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis, and one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions. Book your ticket online to beat the queues.

East of Torensluis is Dam – Central Amsterdam’s busiest square, filled with visitors and buskers, and home to the Nationaal Monument, dedicated to WWII’s fallen.

The big attraction here is the Royal Palace – the official residence of the King of the Netherlands. When the king’s away, you can check out the sumptuous rooms.

Just north of the Royal Palace, the 15th century Nieuwe Kerk is well worth a look for its beautiful oak chancel, and excellent temporary art and photography exhibitions.

Directly behind the Royal Palace, on the busy Niewezijds Voorburgwal thoroughfare, is the Magna Plaza, a grand, upmarket shopping center filled with jewelry shops and fashion boutiques.

A block north, the central branch of Mark Raven Amsterdam Art sells posters of Amsterdam cityscapes and t-shirts adorned with Amsterdam scenery.

From Dam, the Medieval Center’s other main thoroughfare, Damrak runs to Centraal Station. Most shops along Damrak are heavily geared towards tourists. So is the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store, but it’s still an excellent place to pick up a range of Dutch cheeses as souvenirs.

Nearby is Heinen Delfts Blauw, the most central branch of the store that sells the famous blue-and-white ceramics that Holland is known for. You can get anything from collectors’ pieces to inexpensive souvenirs here.

Just off Damrak is the dock for most canal cruise boat companies. Have a look at a few, since some offer open-boat and small group tours that can explore the narrow, less well-trodden canals, while others have large boats that may only navigate the main canals.

Across the street from the boat dock, Sexmuseum Amsterdam is the most entertaining of the city’s erotic museums, with several floors of the world’s earliest nude photos, X-rated ceramics through the ages, mannequins recreating scenes from the Red Light District, and more. Over-18s only.

Kimpton de Witt sits on the edge of the maze of medieval tiny lanes that stretches between the Niewezijds Voorburgwal and Damrak thoroughfares. They’re dotted with atmospheric bars, and bisected by the pedestrian shopping street, Niuewendijk, that runs all the way south to Dam square.

Two blocks south of the hotel, tiny Kolkstraat hides In De Wildeman, a beer cafe that specializes in Dutch and Belgian beers. Numerous brews on tap, and a great little terrace for people-watching.

A couple of blocks further south along Niuewendijk and west along narrow Nieuwe Nieustraat, La Zoccola del Pacioccone is a tiny, authentic pizzeria that’s popular with locals and visitors alike.

A block north of Dam square, tiny Zootsteeg lane is home to 2 excellent bars. De Drie Freschjes, a 17th century tasting house, is the best place in central Amsterdam to sample a wide range of jenevers and other local liqueurs.

A little further west, Café Belgique is a local favorite for Belgian beers, with 8 brews on tap, many more bottled ones, and a good little people-watching terrace.

Running parallel to Damrak to the east, and culminating in the popular nightlife hub street Zeedijk to the north near Centraal Station, Warmoesstraat is another popular pedestrian shopping street. Its proximity to the Red Light District means a plethora of sex-themed shops, the pick of which is Condomerie Het Gulden Vlies, a condom boutique that sells condoms in all colors, shapes, and sizes.

Further north is RoB Amsterdam, with its wide range of bondage and dressing-up gear.

Just east of the Oude Kerk square is Oudezijdz Voorburgwal, arguably the prettiest canal in the Medieval Center.

A block east is the heart of the Red Light District. Amidst the live sex show venues, the Red Light Secrets Museum of Prostitution lets you check out a replica Red Light room, play dress-up in the dominatrix room, and learn about the inner workings of Amsterdam’s prostitution industry. Over-18s only.

Nearby, the Erotic Museum offers a quirky look at eroticism through the ages, with nude photo and bondage equipment exhibits. Pricier than Amsterdam’s other sex museums, so you’re better off going to the Sex Museum along Damrak in the Medieval Center. Over-18s only.

Off Warmoesstraat, down the Lange Niezel pedestrian street, Cannibale Royale is the most central of the popular meatery’s branches. Gourmet burgers and steak tartare at lunchtime; steaks in the evenings.

Further north and also off Warmoesstraat, down the narrow Oudezijds Armsteeg lane, Brouwerij de Prael is a real treat for beer lovers. The tasting room of the eponymous craft brewery has numerous brews on tap.

Towards the north end of Warmoesstraat, Kam Yin is a cheap and cheerful place favored by local students, with heaped portions of Chinese and Surinamese dishes, and a canteen-style ambience.

Next door, Kokopelli is an excellent smart shop with a wide range of magic truffles and marijuana. Smart shops are a dime a dozen in the Medieval Center, but this one has both, knowledgeable staff, and a cool lounge.

Around the corner, tiny Nieuwebrugsteeg lane is home to the central branch of Omelegg. Like the original in De Pijp, it’s all about the egg here: a couple of dozen different omelettes, shakshuka, and other eggy creations served all day.

At its north end, Warmoesstraat turns into the tiny Sint Olofspoort lane. In De Olofspoort is a tiny, characterful tasting room that’s very much part of the local scene, compared to the tourist magnet bars in this part of town. A great place to sample jenevers, and occasionally locals will break out in impromptu songs.

Directly across Zeedijk street, In ‘t Aepjen is another atmospheric watering hole inside one of the last few remaining wooden buildings in Amsterdam. It’s a mellow spot, with vintage jazz on the stereo, and not a stag party in sight.

The north end of Zeedijk is part of the Medieval Center’s nightlife scene, with scores of bars, pubs, and largely mediocre eateries. Exceptions include Dabka, a longstanding local favorite for Lebanese mezze, and a great canal-side terrace to boot. Check rates and availability: art’otel.