Amsterdam Cool: College Hotel

A new favorite among stylish urbanites is the College Hotel near the Van Gogh Museum (Roelof Hartstraat 1 1071 VE Amsterdam); www.collegehotelamsterdam.com). With Doubles starting at about 250 euros its not a budget stay, but it is wonderful for a special weekend away.

Hotel in the snow

We went there for a friends birthday in December and it was really lovely. An old school building beautifully restored to a high standard. The bar has wonderful fireplaces and sofas for lounging, with various ante rooms off it, for more private conversations.

Not that we made use of it, but  set off the bar area there is a beautiful courtyard where the staff were lighting fire drums for smokers in the December air. I will be back now that summer is coming to see what fun we can have in the longer evenings there.

What started out as a training hotel for students of the Regional Education Centre has grown into a hotel of grand prestige. The 4-star hotel is under supervision of young managers, who aim to boost the international hotel standards to new heights, together with the students who run the hotel.
A nice detail lies in the fact that the hotel houses in a former school building which stems from the same architectural period as the Rijksmuseum. The style can be recognized easily and the building rightfully enjoys a monumental status. The neighbourhood is blessed with many restaurants, bars and a vivid nightlife, although culture-seeking guests will certainly enjoy the surroundings. The Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum are situated at the Museumplein nearby. The beautiful Vondel Park is easy to reach as well. In the P.C. Hooftstraat shopping enthusiasts can indulge in trendy extravagance. This street forms a nice passage to the city centre, although tramconnections will shorten long strolls according to the desired amount of activity

The Bar

There isn’t wifi in the bar, there is in the rooms, but its at an extra charge, which is a bummer for me.

The cocktail list is impressive, and leather bound. The bar food menu looked lovely and most people in my group tucked into hearty sandwiches and soups. There is also a good restaurant in the hotel, which we didn’t check out on the first visit. The staff are young, all being “in training” and as Dutch service is bad at the best of times, you’d be advised to bring your patience, and relax. Amsterdam in general is not a place for rushing and once you realize that, you will love just chilling and people watching.

While saying that the staff were a bit distractible, they were very polite and helpful, assisting us with hiding cakes and lighting candles. Overall I think that a stay here would find a very helpful and youthful staff with good recommendations for things to do in the city and a genuinely pleasant attitude on the front desk

The rooms look plush, even their basic rooms look like they would more than fit the bill for a good nights sleep. My office manager took a tour there recently as she was planning some friends coming to stay, she said the rooms were really comfy and very luxurious. And she travels a lot for business so has an eye for a good room.

Cozy rooms

If I had to compare it to a place in Dublin I would say its a lot like the Dylan (even though we have a Dylan here too) in style but not really like it in attitude. The Dutch on the whole are not “up themselves” so there is no stuffiness or poshness, just relaxed laissez-faire enjoyment. So if you are planning a visit and want somewhere peaceful, upmarket and very luxurious. Try here!