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BLAKES HOTEL

 

With scenic canals studded with couples strolling hand-in-hand, tree-lined cobblestone streets and outdoor cafes serving up amour with a side of coffee, Amsterdam is not the city that most people envision. It’s the more sophisticated and contemporary “Venice of the North.”

 

Home to paintings by impressionist Van Gogh and baroque artist Rembrandt as well as stunning architecture and design, a floating flower market, and picturesque waterfront Victorian townhouses, Amsterdam boasts an array of Dutch culture.

 

The best place to experience the grandeur is at Blakes Hotel along the famous Keizersgracht canal. Dating back to the 17^th century, the building was a theater with a celebrated history that hosted many famous thespians, playwrights, and even music conductors like Antonio Vivaldi.

 

Today Blakes Hotel has been resurrected and reinvented into a stylized hotel by renowned designer Anouska Hempel. Blending modern, Asian and contemporary design while retaining the period look and character of the building, Hempel has designed a boutique hotel that can compete with the best of them.

 

As you step into the property through a wrought-iron gate and stone façade into the courtyard, you immediately feel transported into an era of years past. However, that changes as you enter the building where fashionably-attired staff greet you in a reception area that merges traditional features like white marbled floors and crown moldings with modern elements like long black lacquered wood tables and oversized black lamp shades that span from the ceiling to eye level.

 

Moving into the adjacent bar and garden area, the theme of black and white contrasting tones continues with plush white couches layered with black and white pillows in an almost systematic pattern. Floral arrangements (mostly in green tones) and lush topiaries insert the only hint of color against the dramatic black and white look.

 

The rooms, suites and duplexes are as carefully appointed as the rest of the hotel, however, the guest have the upper hand in selecting the color palette that most appropriately whets their appetite. For those daring enough to plunge into a pool of reds, the Klassbols or La Carmona style rooms are a splurge. The Kimono and Black and White rooms cater to those who appreciate the two-tone look of the lobby, while the Manhattan rooms are quintessentially Park Avenue chic. The Garden suites are adorned in jade tones while the Loft suites offer the most neutral option with white, taupe, and cream shades.

 

Whatever the room choice, texture is the keyword. Linen bedding, canopy beds with draping heavy fabrics, weaved rattan rugs that massage your bare feet, and billowing curtains that frame floor to ceiling windows are just the tip of the iceberg. Hempel’s décor alludes to Amsterdam’s rich colonial history as a trading post with the Far East by incorporating Asian accents like rich lacquered trunks, screens that partition rooms, end tables in a deep coral hue with Chinese detailing and a Zen aesthetic that is so in vogue.

 

The indulgence of color, texture, and contrast is equally  apparent in the impeccably presented food at the restaurant in Blakes Hotel. With a tantalizing menu of Asian and European cuisine, you can be sure of discovering inventive fusion dishes like Chicken Fabergé with Lobster and Ginger Lemongrass Sauce.

 

At the top end of the price scale expect that the service at the hotel is just as exceptional as the environment. The staff is ready to please your every whim from greeting you at arrival with a fresh fruit smoothie to arranging a chauffeured limousine to take you on a private tour of a diamond factory.

 

www.blakesamsterdam.com

Rooms from €250

Blakes Hotel Amsterdam

Keizersgracht 384

1016 GB Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Tel: +31 (0)20 530 20 10, Fax: +31 (0)20 530 20 30