Kimpton De Witt Hotel

Just when we were comfortable thinking of Kimpton as the most straightforward boutique-hotel brand in America, they’ve gone and thrown everyone a curveball. The Kimpton De Witt is a statement of overseas ambition, and it’s clear that they’ve taken some care to make a grand entrance in Amsterdam with this renovation of an ’80s hotel that spans a variety of styles as it shades from its contemporary addition into a pair of 17th-century townhouses.

What’s new certainly feels new, though there are nods to Dutch design history everywhere, from the patterned tiles of the lobby floor to modern furniture by local designers and artworks by contemporary Dutch artists. Most of the guest rooms are found in the building’s modern segment, an impressive re-styling of the ordinary chain hotel that stood here before Kimpton took over. But it’s in the old townhouses that you’ll find the most unusual accommodations — the larger of them is divided into several unique suites, and the smaller, the Little House, is the childhood home of playwright P.C. Hooft, and is now a self-contained suite that spans all three of the house’s floors.

Social spaces are key to any boutique hotel, and the De Witt has devoted plentiful square footage to its lobby lounge, which spills into an outdoor atrium. Wyers, the restaurant and bar, serves modern American fare, and the House Bar, which occupies yet another 17th-century residence, serves inventive cocktails — making good use of local genevers and gins — in a dark and richly textured space.