As a Londoner who avoids the tube as often as possible, I thought it was a good idea to walk to The Dylan from the Eurostar terminal at Amsterdam Centraal station. It’s not far - maybe 20 minutes, which is fine if you don’t have a huge suitcase which you overpacked (me) or enjoyed slightly too much of the very pleasant wine on offer on the now direct Eurostar, which takes just under four hours (also me), but it’s fair to say that it’s not the most picturesque of routes, taking you down Damrak, which is one of the more tawdry streets in this remarkably pretty city.
Thank heaven, then, for this serene five-star haven tucked behind an elegant stone gateway on Keisersgracht (a gracht is a canal), where on arrival you’ll be understatedly fussed over and given a drink and a delicious little snack, and your overpacked bag will be whisked away to one of 40 individually designed rooms and suites.
Where is it?
The Dylan is fantastically centrally located - close to the station, yes, and on one of the streets that encloses the tempting ‘De Negen Straatjes’ or The Nine Streets shopping area, where you’ll find independent boutiques and shops selling casually chic new and vintage clothing or stylish little home knick-knacks, alongside bijou cafes (an Amsterdam note - a ‘coffee shop’ is not a coffee shop, it’s a weed shop. If you just want a coffee and you’re asking for directions to one, ask for a cafe, or you’ll get more than you bargained for).
It’s also a mere 15 minutes walk from the Rijksmuseum, home to one of the world’s great historical art collections, and the Van Gogh Museum, and Anne Frank’s house is ten minutes in the other direction.
Style
The two elegant 17th-century canal-side buildings contain 40 rooms and suites, each individually designed by Anouska Hempel (Blakes London and The Hempel). The vibe is a sort of relaxed luxury, with little nods to the city’s history as a centre of global trade, but there are nine different styles, from a sort of softened, upscale minimalism in the Loft rooms, to a warm ostentation in the Loxura rooms, inspired by the copper-coloured Loxura butterfly.
Facilities
Renovated in 2019, the pretty courtyard garden is a delight, either to sit in during the summer, or look out over from the rooms or the brasserie, where breakfast is held. It can also be hired for events, and holds up to 175 guests.
There are two stylish and bright function rooms too, and somehow they’ve squeezed in three private dining rooms, seating between 50 and eight people. There’s also a small gym, but the joy of running or cycling (you can hire bikes from the hotel at EUR17.50 per day, and the Discover Amsterdam Like a Local package includes a full day’s hire of two bikes) through this pretty city means you’ll probably barely use it.
If you’d rather see it lazily from the water though, the Dylan has a relationship with the skipper of a beautifully renovated 19th century canal boat, available to hire for private tours.
Extracurricular
There’s the obvious, of course, and messing about on the river, but Amsterdam’s real advantage is the wealth of quality culture within a tiny radius. The Rijksmuseum contains some of the world’s greatest paintings (don’t miss Rembrandt’s Night Watch, obviously, but also the recently acquired pair of his life-sized, full-length portraits of Marten Soolmans and his wife, Oopjen Coppit); the Stedelijk is the place to go for contemporary art, and the Van Gogh Museum speaks for itself - but there’s also the evolving new district around NDSM Wharf in Amsterdam Noord, a short ferry ride away, which is rapidly blossoming into a cultural hotspot alongside the new modern housing developments (Centraal is gorgeous, but much like central London, nobody normal can afford to live there), with new restaurants and art spaces popping up on a near-monthly basis.
Food & drink
Vinkeles is the grand fromage (grote kaas?) of The Dylan’s two excellent restaurants, based in the historic brick bakery that sits at the back of the hotel. Executive chef Dennis Kuipers and Chef de Cuisine Jurgen van der Zalm’s classy establishment boasts a Michelin star for its fresh, modern take on classic French cuisine.
For something a bit more relaxed but still beautifully presented (and the service at both restaurants is impeccable, not always the case in this otherwise highly sophisticated city) the all-day Bar Brasserie OCCO is a winner. As well as a delicious and carefully considered menu of light but flavour-packed staples like Nicoise, steak tartare and perfectly cooked fish dishes, they do bar snacks - and the High Wine package of four small dishes paired with individual wines is a boozy joy masquerading as a very fancy little thing indeed.
Details
A double room starts from EUR350 per night including breakfast; dylanamsterdam.com. Eurostar operates 3 direct services a day from London St Pancras International to the Netherlands with one-way fares starting from £39 (based on a return journey); eurostar.com
