Last Updated on May 15, 2024

A four-star stay in central Amsterdam

As befits its name, the four-star NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market is located alongside the famous floating flower market in the centre of the city. In walking distance of most major sights and with bus and tram stops outside the hotel, this was a wonderfully convenient location for a three-day visit. Choosing a city centre hotel in Amsterdam made all the difference to a weekend in the ‘Venice of the North’ as we had easy access to the charming canals that run through the area. The NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market is found on the Singel Canal very close to the other major waterways – making strolling at all times of day a real pleasure.

We arrived at the hotel around lunchtime, having caught the 8.15 Eurostar from London. Nowadays one relaxes with a book – or a snooze in my case – and four hours later hops off at Amsterdam Centraal station. Twenty minutes later we had a warm welcome at the hotel where the lobby was festooned with fresh flowers. Large bouquets in attractive vases stood on the coffee table in the lounge which was appointed with comfy contemporary sofas and lighting. A red bicycle covered with red flowers picked up the flower market theme which continued up the walls with oversized blooms on the colourful wallpaper.

We went off for a wander through the flower market and the surrounding streets which are filled with shopping opportunities from unique stores selling endless varieties of peanut butter to one with homemade halva of every flavour imaginable. Then there are countless cheese shops with tasting tables, local gins and beer outlets, stroopwafel shops – fabulously sweet Dutch biscuits dripping with syrup – or even the magic mushrooms outlets and the Dutch coffee shops for those who have come to Amsterdam for recreational purposes.

Returning to the hotel we were shown to a Premium room with a balcony on the seventh floor with a panoramic view over the city. We could watch the canal boats ferrying tourists around on the canal and every hour we were treated to the sound of church bells from Munt Tower, situated across a small square. Rebuilt in 1620 after a fire, the tower has a clockwork with four clock faces and a carillon of bells. We had a clear view of it from our bijoux balcony and were fortunate to have sunny weather during our stay so that we were able to enjoy the outdoor space. A chilled bottle of Vilarnau Rosé Delicat organic cava was delivered to our room along with two slices of delicious cheesecake topped with a fruit glaze. This got our weekend off to a bubbly start.

The hotel has a range of room options from Superior rooms (with or without balcony) to larger Premium rooms (with or without balcony), family rooms that accommodate four, and Junior suites with sitting room facilities. The rooms are very light with large windows which have excellent blackout curtains ensuring a good night’s sleep. A complimentary pack with earplugs and a facemask along with a fragrant spray for the pillows made sleep even better. I could hear no noise from the street below so fortunately had no need for earplugs despite the central location! A king-sized bed was very comfortable with excellent cushions and good lighting for reading in bed. There was a grey sleeper couch and an armchair with a side table. The small bathroom had an inviting walk-in rain shower and fragrant NH Collection Hotel green tea products. There were bathrobes and plenty of towels. There was a coffee-making machine as well as tea-making facilities. A minibar was available along with crisps and chocolate. A safe to lock away valuables was located in the spacious wardrobe.

For those who wish to work out, the hotel has a small gym with all the fitness equipment you will need. Or, if you are hungry, there is a restaurant and funky bar off the lobby. Ter Marsch – serves award-winning hamburgers and seems to be a popular venue at all hours of the day and night. Amsterdam is a great foodie city with restaurants at all price points so there is much to explore on the culinary front.

We were in Amsterdam to see the Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum. The reception staff at NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market were relieved to hear that we had tickets as the show is long sold out. We heard that some guests arrive to stay at the hotel expecting that tickets can still be booked and are presumably disappointed to discover that this is not possible. The Rijksmuseum is a pleasant 15-minute walk along the canals from the NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market, making it very convenient indeed for anyone visiting this world-famous museum or the other big hitters on Museumplein which includes the Van Gogh and MOCO museums. We took our time walking to the museums as we were constantly stopping to look inside small antique shops and small galleries. It is a lovely part of town.

 

In the morning a hearty breakfast set us up for a long day of museum hopping. The breakfast room overlooks the canal on one side and is a large, light-filled room with beautiful cornicing on the ceiling, a very pleasant space in which to start the day. A central buffet had everything one could need for breakfast from a range of cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, breads and pastries to a selection of Dutch cheese and charcuterie,  salads and fresh vegetables. There was also a range of hot items including scrambled egg, bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomato, and baked beans – the full English should you prefer that to the cold buffet. I particularly liked the fluffy mini pancakes and the Dutch treat that is the poffertjes – mini pancakes made in a special mould – that one can buy at market stalls around the city.

For those who wish to join the locals cycling around this gorgeous city, there are bikes available to rent at the hotel. NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market is so well located that over our three-day visit we did not use the bus or tram at all as we could walk everywhere. Strolling along the canals in the early evening sunlight, when Amsterdam locals sat outside their gabled houses at tiny café tables or along the canal on blankets, drinking a glass of wine with a few bowls of nibbles, I had thoughts of moving to the city permanently.

Fact Box

NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market is a four-star hotel, part of the NH Collection Hotel group that boasts 95 hotels across 21 countries. The hotels are found in Europe, North and South America and the Middle East. The hotels are located in contemporary or traditional buildings and all have the same style of rooms and facilities so regular guests will be familiar with what is on offer in each location.

The NH Collection Amsterdam Hotel Flower Market is one of three in the chain located in Amsterdam. The hotel is built in the Amsterdam School Style and began its life in the 1920s as the Grand Central Hotel, later the Carlton Hotel. Built-in red brick, the façade includes sculptures by Dutch artist, Theo Vos.

NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market

Vijzelstraat 4,  1017 HK Amsterdam