If one thing can be said about the Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel, it’s that it takes its heritage and connection to the famous Dutch Painter, Rembrandt, very seriously. The city’s oldest hotel dates back to the 17th century and when you walk through its revolving doors, you are met with a grand foyer that still manages to maintain a sense of intimacy. Adorned with a grand chandelier, the foyer takes you back to a forgotten time when the Tivoli Doreen was well-known as the preferred retreat of royalty for centuries and hosted intellectuals, artists and celebrities from the Beatles to Empress Sissi.
What's the location like?
The recently renovated hotel is situated in the heart of the mediaeval centre, on the bank of the Amstel River where the city derives its name. Surrounded by many Amsterdam famed sites, Rembrandt House and Square are five minutes walk away, whilst the Anne Frank and Van Gough museums are both 20 minutes on foot, or you can cycle in typical Dutch style.
What about the rooms?
I stayed in a Suite, which was generous in size measuring 52m sq, and maintained a separate bedroom, sitting, mini-bar area and bathroom, with stunning views overlooking the Klovenierscanal. This allows multiple guests to enjoy privacy and minimise distraction whilst carrying out different activities in the room. The suite is tastefully decorated in accents of cream with small touches of red and gold and beautifully lit. Rooms have a mini-bar, a selection of snacks and drinks which can be charged to your room and a coffee machine with tea-making facilities.
The white tile bathroom is elegant and spacious and comes with a large standing shower. There are a wide range of bathroom amenities you would expect from a five-star hotel such as shower gel, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner in full sizes and vanity items.
Spread over 5 floors, the hotel has 81 rooms ranging from small superior rooms to suites. Guests looking for a special stay can opt for the Rembrandt room with its very own replica of his famous painting, The Night Watch, which housed the original painting before it was moved to the Rijksmuseum. There is also an option to stay in the Empress Suite, a crescent-shaped room which was once the boudoir of Empress Elizabeth of Austria with surrounding views of the canal. It's a balancing act to combine the modern touches that guests expect from a modern 5-star hotel with the hotel’s heritage but the Tivoli manages to do so with an understated elegance.
And the food?
The name of the restaurant was inspired by the limited colours used by Rembrandt in his paintings. Omber, a rich brown tone, was the most used colour by Rembrandt.
Gastronomy is not something that is typically associated with the Netherlands, like some of its neighbours, but by investing in rich products produced in Holland, the culinary team at Omber hopes to bring the forgotten ingredients from the 17th century back to the present. Breaking away from the past, the restaurant wants to stand out by investing in the quality of the service and its menu. The newly launched menu is distinctly Dutch and aims to elevate each dish by combining ingredients in new creative ways.
Before launching the new menu, the culinary team visited Rembrandt House to find out more about what the artist ate during his time. Aside from the evidence of food in his work, they discovered a single document which detailed what Rembrandt ate. This inspired the restaurant to launch a herring bite, a fish the artist was fond of so you too can eat inspired by Rembrandt.
Breakfast is a quaint affair set in the Omber restaurant. You can enjoy a variety of hot and cold breakfast options, including scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, pastries, meats, and cheese with hot and cold drinks. Guests can also order from the menu for a wider selection of egg dishes such as omelettes and pancakes.
Available on the dinner menu is Dutch bread, butter and cheese which is matured for 45 months on a farm outside Amsterdam. For dinner, I enjoyed the meat tartare paired with Blare de Blancs wine, sea bass with mashed potatoes, paired with Dynamic Branco wine and apple crumble for dessert with a sweet Madeira Cssort wine which has been matured for five years.
Finally, the people at this hotel are its crown jewel and help create a truly welcoming environment for guests, whether that was the doorman who provided tips on things to do in the city, the restaurant manager who talked me through the tasting menu or the waitors at breakfast and dinner who asked about my time in the city. This is truly the best place to pitch up when you're next in 'Dam.
Prices from £170 per night.