Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam

It’s no small distinction, being the oldest hotel in one of the largest cities in Europe. Amsterdam was founded in the 14th century, and the 300-year-old building that’s now the Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Doelen has had its doors open to overnight guests for a substantial part of that history. It’s true, of course, in hotels and in life, that you can’t have everything. You can’t have history and culture and location — the brick building is even older than the hotel, with an enviable address on the edge of the Kloveniersburgwal canal in the heart of the historic center — and also have huge suites with picture windows and Jacuzzi tubs.

The rooms are on the smaller side, but thanks to recent renovations, they’re also pristine white and filled with light. Some of the better rooms and suites look out over the canal. The Rembrandt Suite, as the name suggests, occupies the space where the Night Watch (1642) used to be on display. You’ll have to cross town to see the original at the Amsterdam Museum: today, the suite features a good reproduction.

Despite many updates, much of the old charm remains. Note the marble staircase, and the lavish Dutch breakfast spread of fruit, pastries, meats, and cheeses, plus freshly baked bagels topped with salmon and a truly decadent hot chocolate. The view over the canal is lovely, and there’s a bar, too, should you desire an aperitif or a nightcap later on. But with a location like this, you’re unlikely to linger at the hotel: there’s simply too much to see and do within a few minutes’ stroll. Consider it an elegant place to crash in the center of happening Amsterdam. If it was good enough for the Beatles — fun fact, the Fab Four slept here — it’s certainly good enough for us.