Amsterdam’s iconic palace celebrates its 11th anniversary. Visit a neo-Gothic jewel in the heart of the Venice of the North.
For anyone who has been to Amsterdam, this is a place you are bound to have noticed. Like the Anne Frank House, the Red Light District or the famous canals that criss-cross the Venice of the North, the Conservatorium Hotel is one of the must-sees in the financial capital of the Netherlands. With its neo-Gothic architecture, cathedral-like in its dimensions, the building surprises both those lucky enough to stay there and onlookers. Located in the famous museum district (where the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Steljik Museum are located), the Conservatorium has just celebrated its 11th anniversary. But before becoming a reference in the luxury hotel industry, the establishment had several lives. At the end of the 19th century, the building was built to house a bank, the Rijkspostspaarbank. In the 20th century, the building became the home of a music conservatory, the Sweelinck Conservatorium. Finally, in 1987, the building underwent a first transformation by being carefully renovated before being bought in 2008 by The Set (a luxury hotel group that also owns the Hotel Cafe Royal in London and the Lutetia in Paris). In December 2011, after four years of work, the Conservatorium Hotel finally opened its doors. The Italian architect Piero Lissoni was responsible for the complete redesign of the place. While respecting the historical heritage of the building, the Milanese designer (who redesigned the original building) has managed to give the hotel a very contemporary feel.
Glass is the star material of the palace, which is distinguished by its long windows and verticality. Visitors are invited to look “up”. Almost half of the 129 rooms (including 64 suites, ranging from 28 to 170 m2) are configured as duplexes. The experience of a stay in a palace also includes a high quality gastronomic offer. The hotel’s various restaurants and bars (the Brasserie and the Lounge, Taiko Cuisine and Taiko Bar) are overseen by Dutch executive chef Schilo van Coevorden. The Conservatorium’s spa, the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing, has even been awarded the title of best luxury spa in the Netherlands. With its 1,000 m2, 18-metre long swimming pool, large gym and 7 treatment rooms, the place is a real invitation to relax. Luxury, calm and pleasure at only 3 hours by train from Paris!
With Thalys, the travel experience (3 hrs 20 mins) begins at the Gare du Nord station. Passengers travelling in Premium are entitled to a quality service: free access to the various lounges, quality catering with menus prepared by chef Frank Fol, not to mention the extra space provided by the larger seats. Thalys is so chic.
Paulus Potterstraat 50 – 1071 DB Amsterdam – Pays-Bas
+31 (0)20 5700 000 – www.conservatoriumhotel.com