Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Ambassy

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is undoubtedly the cultural and artistic capital of the Netherlands. Numerous tourists come here every year to visit its approximately fifty museums, and to discover their abundant collection of remarkable works of art. Two museums stand out above the others and are absolute musts. The Van Gogh Museum is totally dedicated to the renowned painter, with several hundred of his drawings a huge number of paintings, as well as works by his contemporaries. The world famous Rijksmuseum is the place to admire and contemplate the works of the greatest names in Dutch painting including Rembrandt with his famous Night Watch and The Jewish Bride, and Johannes Vermeer’s, The Milkmaid. Amsterdam however, is not just a museum city, and is world famous for its canals crossed by more than1,200 bridges, which tourists often discover on bicycles, rain or shine, since the city is charming whatever the weather may be. And if it’s cold, there’s nothing better for getting warm than enjoying one or several delicious Dutch sandwiches known as broodjes in one of the brown or white cafes in the city, which are also part of the local folklore.

A totally design building steeped in history

Located in the trendy eastern quarter of the port of Amsterdam, the Hotel Lloyd attracts a great many curious eyes. This imposing, 1921 gray brick building is in radical contrast with the neighborhood and its modern structures. And those who are not totally won over by the outside of the building should remember that beauty also comes from the inside. And the inside of the hotel is a surprising jewel thanks to the work of the best names in local contemporary design and by the popular modern architectural agency, MVRDV, which brilliantly made use of the original character of the site.

More than a hundred different size rooms, ranging from one to five stars rival each other for originality and off the wall concepts like a shower in the middle of a room, a bed hidden in a cupboard, a polystyrene bathtub, a kitchen for inviting friends to have a meal with you, children’s books by C. S. Lewis or a magnificent piano. And although originality reigns supreme here, comfort and the well-being of guests are also top priorities.

There are two places to eat, the Snel, which is a kind of lunch counter and the Slomm, a more classic restaurant but very arty as well, where the cuisine is French inspired using local and seasonal products. The library and the other common areas offer large, well lit spaces for moments of relaxation after a long day of discovering the city’s treasures.

Before becoming a hotel, the building had a hundred year old history. It was originally built to house the offices of KHL, a company dealing with the transportation of goods and people to South America and which eventually went bankrupt. Then, during World War II, it was transformed into an incarceration center for Germans. It retained its prison status until 1999 when it became an atelier for artists and finally, a hotel, which opened in 2004 after renovation.