Last Updated on March 2, 2025
Room with a view over Amsterdam
Tulips in Amsterdam was my theme tune for a May bank holiday weekend in this dynamic city. Every public garden, park and window box was blooming with multi-coloured tulips. Far below the 18th-floor window of my room at Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI, buses left every few minutes for Keukenhof, the magnificent tulip park a half hour from the city. If you are in town to visit this park, which draws admirers from around the world, you could not pick a more conveniently located hotel.
Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI is well positioned not only for tulip viewing. Situated in the south of the city, it is a mere 4 stops on the very efficient metro from the Eurostar terminal at Amsterdam Centraal Station and we arrived at the hotel within a half hour. Similarly, it was a very easy journey when we wanted to go sightseeing as the Europaplein metro station is a two-minute walk from the hotel’s front door. RAI is an acronym for Rijwiel en Automobiel Industrie and is a business district comprising a complex of conference centres and exhibition halls. I had thought it might be a bit far out of town but it was easy to access. If you want to enjoy one of the hippest areas of the city, the hotel is but one stop from De Pijp where you can eat all day and party all night. Wanting to see the Frans Hals exhibition currently on at the Rijksmuseum, I was in the ticket queue within 25 minutes of leaving my breakfast table at Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI.
Having stayed previously at NH hotels in Amsterdam – there are a dozen dotted about the city – I knew how warm the welcome would be. The check-in staff are well trained and make visitors feel at home and are helpful with any queries. I also anticipated interesting décor and my expectations were exceeded. The unique design of Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI is apparent as one emerges from the Europaplein metro station. Straight ahead is the hotel – 24 floors of glass windows, divided into three triangles, placed at angles to each other. It is very striking.
Our 18th-floor, Premium room was in the apex of the top triangle. This afforded us two sides of floor to ceiling glass windows with a superb view. The large room was filled with light even on a rainy day, the 10 windows dressed with pleasing light filtering drapes plus plum-coloured black-out curtains for nighttime. The super king bed was very comfy and had good cushions which I always need for a decent sleep. The floor-to-ceiling padded headboard was certainly the most creative I have encountered. It sported a jaunty, life-sized print of a man in Scottish tartan, a sword, a monocle and an extraordinary beard. This image was also found in the passage on our side of the triangle. The other two sides had a woman in Japanese dress and another in an African-style dress. The rooms on those sides of the triangle have these images on the headboards. I understand that there are several other themes throughout the hotel with each different image accompanied by its own colour scheme. You could never get bored if you stay here regularly.
The playful design was evident throughout the room from the bright red, retro telephone to the side table inside which was a small fish. A wall of mirrors brought the outside view into the room itself. A large TV hung above a side table, while a desk provided plenty of space to work alongside the Nespresso machine. A sofa was the perfect spot to sit with a cup of tea and enjoy the view. The bathroom had a walk-in rain shower with all the usual bath products plus a dental kit and hairbrush comb (since travelling in Japan where these items and more are provided in every hotel, I always appreciate finding them in European hotels).
The Premium rooms are larger than the standard rooms on the passage as they have the advantage of the apex aspect. I loved the vista and the views. There is also a Premium View option on the upper floors and a Premium Bath option with a freestanding bath in the bedroom. Plenty to choose from.
I loved this playful approach to design which was in evidence throughout the hotel. The entrance lobby had a kaleidoscopic feel with bright colours on every surface from the floor to the check-in desks and wall art. The double-vaulted ceiling had two enormous fish sculptures suspended in the space, surrounded by huge glass balls. Escalators whipped us up to the first floor from where we could get eye-to-eye with the fish. On this floor, there was a small shop – based on the Hawaiian tiki bar – where one could buy small items like phone chargers or snacks and drinks. The funky Moana bar area curved around the unusual contours of the building created by the angular nature of the structure. There was a series of cabanas with really inviting sofas and furnishings where people were relaxing or working on their laptops.
On the 24th floor the super trendy Sonora bar and the Selva restaurant were both packed and buzzing on a Friday night. They specialise in the tastes of Latin America with a great range of specialist cocktails and meals. The décor was Latin American themed with huge, exotic plants, cacti, wall art with many colourful skulls (presumably a reference to the Mexican Day of the Dead) and a riot of colour. It was very atmospheric. There was also a roof terrace which would be a great place to catch the sunset. More open-air terraces were located on the 17th floor where the breakfast restaurant is found from which there is a 360-degree view when walking around the area.
The breakfast – as at all nhow hotels – was copious. You could begin with a make-your-own Bloody Mary or bottomless Cava – I am too long in the tooth to begin the day like this, but many guests were making a relaxed start to their weekend. The food is set out in stations including a waffle station – essential in the Netherlands – with plenty of sweet toppings laid out in bowls. Dutch cheese and charcuterie looked tempting laid out on shelves above Mediterranean fare including olives, feta and make-your-own salad vegetables.
The Full English was present too – represented by scrambled eggs, baked beans, sausages and sautéed mushrooms. Freshly baked breads and bagels were attractively displayed alongside bowls of smoked salmon, guacamole, hummus and other dips. There were jams and chocolate spreads, yoghurts, muesli and granola and all manner of other cereals, nuts, seeds, fresh and dried fruits and juices. There was also a gluten-free section and more than enough for vegans to fill up on.
On weekends, breakfast is served until noon, which makes for a most unhurried start to my day, considering that checkout is also at noon. On the second morning of our invited stay, the sun shone and we sat on the terrace with our tea and soaked up the rays.
Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI ticks all the boxes for a relaxed stay in Amsterdam – the location is quietly outside the centre but with excellent transport links. The hotel is stylish and fun, with plenty of inviting places to hang out with friends or catch up on work. Food is available all day, there’s a great bar and restaurant with interesting options. The rooms are comfortable, very functional and stylish too with great views. The welcome is genuinely warm and it is an inviting place to return after a day out in the city.
Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI,
Europaboulevard 2b,
1078, RV Amsterdam
