cool hotels in amsterdam

Hoxton Lloyd Hotel Amsterdam

- Vicki Leave a comment

After the huge success of the original Hoxton on the Herengracht, Hoxton opened, a second hotel in Amsterdam, in a more quiet neighbourhood in the Eastern Docklands area of the city called The Lloyd. I have stayed at both Hoxton hotels in Amsterdam, and they’re extremely different in both style and location, but I have to say without a shadow of a doubt that the Lloyd Hotel is my preferred place to stay out of the two, and have actually been back 4 times in the past 18 months.

The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam, is a striking blend of history and modern design. Housed in a national monument, the building carries a legacy spanning over a century. Originally commissioned by the Royal Holland Lloyd (Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd, KHL), it has served various roles over the years from hosting immigrants to being a detention centre and artists studios, The Lloyd Hotel officially opened in 2004, housing 117 rooms and becoming a popular meeting place for locals and visitors. The Hoxton took over, and gave the tired hotel an extensive refurbishment, doing what they do best, which is blending historic charm with contemporary aesthetics. They opened in September 2023, and I was so excited to visit that I booked a room in October, the hotel was so new, and I was very impressed by all the attention to detail.

The building is so striking and dominates the area, it looks dark and imposing (I love its Wes Anderson vibe) but when you enter the interior is bright and unique. They have done such a good job at keeping so many of the building’s original historic features and making the decor contemporary, it has good energy and you instantly feel comfortable.

The Breman Brasserie, which is the hotels, restaurant is named after the building’s original architect and this grand space is beautiful, with high ceilings, huge windows which let a lot of light in and the decor is elegant and inviting. You can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as taking your time over a coffee or sit at the bar for a cocktail. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and I really enjoyed spending time in here, the food is fantastic, but I do wish they would offer a few more Vegan options.

The hotel is a space for relaxing and taking your time, there are lots of places to sit and let the time pass you by. I am in love with the decor, I really like the way they have not shied away from using pattern and colour. The whole hotel is a vibe and it just feels so inviting and interesting. Everything from the original tiles in many of the rooms and the corridors, the incredible light features and the grand high ceilings add to its rich charm.

I have stayed in a few different rooms, all of which had very different decor and vibe. The rooms photographed below are both ‘concept rooms’ and have features that are protected and could not be changed. Like the white subway style tiles that line the walls and the huge mirrors. I really liked this room but my husband said it was quite cold and clinical, I see what he means, I thought it was very interesting and unusual. The bathroom was massive and bigger than the actual bedroom, the showers in this hotel are fantastic and the ‘blank’ products you get in the shower/bathroom are very nice.

We also stayed in the Tune concept room, this room was insane, it had a split-level connected by a statement spiral staircase with the sleeping area upstairs and living space downstairs. The decor was so whacky and the scale of the room hard to take in at first. The vaulted ceiling was so tall and so too were the windows, the room had the biggest mirror I had ever seen, a grand piano and the staircase was a work of art in itself. Such a treat and a room I will never forget, have you ever seen a room like it?

I think our favourite part of the entire hotel was the bar, Barbue has a level of cool which for the time I was there made me feel like I was a little cool too. The double height room, with a mezzanine level, has wood panelling which gives it a warm feel, and the low lighting makes it feel atmospheric and quite sexy. There is a South American flair, giving a nod to the hotel’s rich history, the classic old ticket office, where travellers once purchased tickets before embarking on ships to seek a better life abroad, has been fully preserved in its original state.

The bar is beautiful, and the drinks/cocktail menu has been very well curated with lots of Argentinian offerings, again in keeping with the hotel’s rich South American connection. The staff are fantastic and very helpful when recommending or explaining the heritage and flavours of the drinks. We spend many a night in the bar, soaking up the atmosphere and trying some new and unusual cocktails. Even if you’re not staying at The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam, I highly recommend visiting Barbue for a drink. The bar is intimate, effortlessly stylish, and exudes a very cool vibe, making it the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy its exceptional drink menu. I can’t wait to head back.

So in a nutshell this hotel is fantastic, unusual and in a quiet part of the city but still very well-connected, and you get to also explore new neighbourhoods. As someone that has visited Amsterdam many times, it is nice to be slightly out of the madness but still have access to it. It is easy to find, easy to get about and a lot more affordable than most Amsterdam hotels, but it is up there with the best I have stayed in. No compromises, they give incredible service, the rooms are quiet and I love the decor.

This is from The Hoxton website, on how to find The Lloyd & get about by tram, car,

‘Rietlandpark tram stop is a mere 3-minute walk from the hotel and you can hop off there from any point in the city – including Amsterdam Centraal Station, which is around 10 minutes’ away by tram and connects to regional / international train services. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is a 20-minute drive.’

The Hoxton Hotel Amterdam

- Vicki Leave a comment

I have been to Amsterdam countless times over the years, if you know me you know that it is joint number one (with Berlin) as my favourite cities to visit. Amsterdam has such a special place in my heart. Before Brexit, we were all set to move there but as a result of leaving the single market we would not be able to take our business with us, so sadly a move is off the table for us. Instead we try to visit as often as possible, and we recently came back from a visit in March (it was FREEZING)

Until my most recent visit, we have always stayed in the same hotel (creature of habit) we liked being in a quieter area of Amsterdam, a little off the beaten track, out by the Tropenmuseum at The Manor Hotel. Surrounded by parks, nature and fewer tourists. We (still) love it out there, it’s relaxed and leafy it has nice restaurants, good travel links, and it is a beautiful walk (if you wanted to walk) into the more central areas.

Over the years, we have popped into The Hoxton Hotel for drinks and dinner (or just a cheeky wee). I always wondered what it would be like to stay there, right on the Herengracht Canal, in the centre of the 9 streets. I have heard so many people rave about this hotel and The Hoxton Hotels in general.

So I bit the bullet, and booked 5 nights (for early March). I was so looking forward to it, after my husband had lost a close family member over Christmas, we really needed a holiday. That was not the case, sadly my dad passed away suddenly 2 weeks before we were set to go away. I was torn between going and staying home. Knowing I wouldnt get a refund, and it was a pricey trip, (my dad would have been annoyed at me loosing all that money). I decided to go and try to make of it what I could.

We stayed for 5 nights in a Cosy Canal View Room on the 2nd floor, the room was small but had everything you might need. Lovely big window overlooking the Herengracht Canal, this view was worth every penny, so beautiful, and we loved seeing and hearing all the goings on out there. We have never had such a grand view before, and it really made me very happy to sit in bed with a cuppa and look out the window.

The bed was very big, comfy and with it being -5 degrees one day & snowing it was very warm too! We slept very well, even though I was pretty stressed and emotional. There is a desk in the corner and a desk chair, I used this space as a vanity. You get tea & coffee in the room, as well as daily bottles of water & milk (if you require it). The mugs in the rooms at The Hoxton are fab, very big, and perfect if, like me, you enjoy a nice cup of tea! There is also a fridge, we kept our Almond milk in there & some bits & bobs.

The bathroom had a rainfall shower and lovely products, shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I loved the white subway style tiles in the bathroom, it was a cool looking small bathroom. The wardrobe big enough for us & the huge drawers under the bed were great for our stuff too, for a small room there was plenty of storage.

The bar, and lobby is very, very busy at all times. We found that getting a seat was like a game of cat & mouse, it is a popular place for people to work out of (like a co working space). People would arrive when I left the hotel at 9ish, and they were still there when I came back in the late afternoon. It’s great that you’re able to do that, but if you want to use this space as a hotel guest, it is challenging. On the odd occasion we managed to get a seat, the light bites bar menu was great, coffee very good and the cocktails were even better. There is a great atmosphere here in the evening, and they have lots of live music in the evening.

So all in all, The Hoxton was a treat, I booked it in January and my wonderful Dad passed away in February, so I didn’t have the relaxing trip I had envisioned, but I am glad I went. I want to go back, so I can really appreciate it, with a calmer mind and more energy.

If you want to stay here, I would say sign up to their newsletter, or keep an eye out on Expedia for deals, otherwise (in my opinion) it is on the pricey side. The location is amazing if you want to be in the thick of it, in a nice area of Amsterdam, with shopping, restaurants and the hustle and bustle on your doorstep. Everything in Amsterdam is pretty much within walking distance, and what I love most about this city is that it is incredibly beautiful no matter what time of year you visit. Walking everywhere is the best thing to do, the way to discover cafés, bars, and shops tucked away.

There is also a Old school B&W photo booth in the hotel, we didn’t use it this visit as there was a constant queue of about 20 teenagers waiting to use it. We took these photos 3 years ago in 2019.

I will do another post about all the places we ate & cafés we visited. I just wanted to do a post about staying here, at The Hoxton, as it was such a small dream of mine, even if the circumstances were emotional.