Design hotspot: Amsterdam's Pulitzer Hotel is a unique, hidden design gem — perfect for a weekend getaway
The Pulitzer Hotel Amsterdam's dark brick façade and subtle signage make it look more like an art gallery or a private home, rather than a five-star hotel.
However, a full-sized piano dramatically hanging from the entrance is the first not-so-subtle clue that this elegant Dutch hotel is full of surprises.
The Pulitzer is uniquely made up of 25 canal houses, thought to be the city’s largest private collection, so the entire property is arranged over three picturesque streets on the edge of Amsterdam’s De Negen Straatjes neighbourhood (Nine Streets).
Just west of the city centre, and a must-visit destination in their own right, the streets are famous for their exclusive independent boutiques, art galleries and busy cafes.
INTERIORS VIBE
A total renovation two years ago saw the hotel’s décor overhauled by creative director Jacu Strauss, formerly a senior designer at Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio, whose previous projects include Barbecoa for Jamie Oliver and Mondrian London inside Waterloo’s Sea Containers.
As you’d expect from such a unique collection of historical buildings, every room is slightly different – Strauss stayed in all 255 of them before deciding what should go where. Throughout the rooms and suites are colourful jewel shades on sofas and soft furnishings, Tom Dixon lamps and metallic touches.
Along the hotel corridors, there are subtle changes to highlight where one formerly private home ends and where the next would have begun. Look out for a slight change in the carpet or wall paint. Each room comes with its own story, hanging in a frame by the entrance.
DINE ON DESIGN
Named after 17th-century coppersmith Volkert Jansz, a keen conversationist who’s passions included entertaining and hosting dinner parties, the hotel's restaurant exudes simple elegance.
Think pastel pinks, blues and greys – all very instagrammable – with marble tabletops and plush green banquettes. Antiquated paintings on walls and copper motifs throughout the space are a nod to the history and inspiration behind the space.
In contrast to the open feel of Jansz, the Pulitzer Bar is a dark, moody space characterised by inky blues, wood details and leather accents.
HIDDEN DESIGN GEM
Walk through the hotel’s glass-walled courtyard, turn right towards the Jansz restaurant and look out to your left for a unique view of the top of the Westerkerk tower. Still in use, the bells are those described by Anne Frank in her diary.
WHICH ROOM?
Opt for a Generous King or Queen Canal if budget allows. With a velvet sofa, king- or queen-sized bed and huge bathroom, overlooking the canal, this room makes for a luxurious sanctuary — albeit one you won't want to leave.
The hotel recommends the smallest, so-called Cosy rooms for one person but it would also suit a couple looking to use it as a base for exploring the city.
The Pulitzer Suite is a showstopper with a freestanding bath, statement chandelier, Tom Dixon bell lamp and a sumptuous velvet Sé chair.
A family suite can sleep up to four, across two levels, and there are also four uniquely designed Collector Suites – more like apartments – in former canal houses, all with private entrances from the street. Inspired by eccentric characters who may have lived in the buildings, the collectors suites include that of a compulsive art devotee, a book lover, a music composer and a grand antique collector.
LAST-MINUTE DEALS 2018
Look out for last-minute seasonal packages on offer: the ‘Paint like Van Gogh’, available until 23rd December, and ‘Touch of Christmas’, available until 31st December, are two special ones. The former includes an overnight hotel stay and breakfast, access to the Van Gogh Museum and a private 75-minute painting lesson with Van Gogh cocktail, priced from £890.
Upgrade your stay to a night in the Art Collector’s suite, with interiors decorated with works from the hotel’s extensive art collection collected over the years, for a chic experience fit for any art devotee.
The ‘Touch of Christmas’ package is a minimum two-night stay, with Christmas cocktail in Pulitzer’s Bar and a canal tour during the Amsterdam Light Festival. Priced from £574.
The light festival runs until January 20, explore it by canal or by foot; while other must-see installations and activities include the Pulitzer hotel’s 10-metre-tall Christmas tree in the inner courtyard gardens and, nearby, the Museum Square ice skating opposite the Rijksmuseum, the rink is open until February 3 2019.
HOW TO BOOK
Prices start from £228 (€255) a night. Visit pulitzeramsterdam.com to book or click here for special deals.