De L’Europe Amsterdam

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the Royal Penthouse frame the Amstel River and the National Opera & Ballet beyond. De L'Europe occupies a site on the river where a defensive tower called Het Rondeel once stood; the current building opened in 1896 and later passed into the hands of the Heineken family, who bought it after Freddy Heineken grew fond of its grand rooms and riverside terrace. The 2020 renovation, led by Dutch studio Nicemakers, kept the classic bones and updated 107 rooms and suites, an indoor pool, and three restaurants. Flore holds two Michelin stars. Fourteen suites in the 't Huys wing were each designed by a different Amsterdam name, from couturier Ronald van der Kemp to the Van Gogh Museum, so no two rooms tell quite the same story. You can take afternoon tea on the terrace overlooking the river, weather permitting, with a miniature chocolate canal house on the tray. Freddy's Bar, named for Heineken himself, keeps the pub he used to frequent largely as he left it. Suites range from 30 m² up to the 220 m² Royal Penthouse, which can extend to five bedrooms. It sits two minutes from the Rijksmuseum on foot.