9-3-2011
About Hotel De L’Europe: Opened in 1896 and forever synonymous with refined taste and quiet elegance, Hotel De L’Europe is often referred to as the other “Royal Palace of Amsterdam,” continuing to attract the city’s elite and the world’s most celebrated names. As a member of Leading Hotels of the World, it’s internationally regarded as one of the group’s most iconic properties: the distinctive décor sets it apart, surrounding visitors with original Dutch Masters paintings from the private collection of Alfred “Freddy” Heineken. The hotel is located on the Amstel River in Amsterdam’s center, and is convenient to several of the world’s most heralded museums and the city’s points of interest. Of note, the Hotel has received international accolades for its ongoing commitment to the environment, becoming the first five-star certified hotel of The Green Key program in Amsterdam. It has been the backdrop of numerous movies, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent.

Following a complete renovation of the historical Theodoor Gilissen Bank just next door, Hotel De L’Europe recently opened the new Dutch Masters Wing, an all-suite annex of 23 uniquely appointed, spacious loft-like quarters each with a different yet exacting replica painting from the nearby Rijksmuseum National Gallery. The city’s top local architect/interior designer Cees Dam, whose zeal for sustainable development is revealed via his curriculum vitae of high-profile projects throughout the Netherlands, transformed the bank into a distinguished haven for residents and travelers alike.

The Dutch Masters Wing features separate entrances for discretion; elegant new private dining rooms for events; a heated indoor swimming pool and fitness center with panoramic views of the Amstel River; and a new spa debuting fall 2011. Brasserie Le Relais and Freddy’s Bar are temporarily located here while Hotel De L’Europe’s exquisite original Rondeel Building, a city-designated landmark and long considered an oasis of calm in the midst of Amsterdam’s buzzing city center, undergoes a top-to-bottom refurbishment (anticipated completion February 2011).