Tivoli Hotels & Resorts has just launched its first property in the Netherlands. ;The Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel is a 16th-century property in the classicist style overlooking the Amstel Canal; it is considered to be the oldest hotel in the Dutch capital. The property was the original home to Rembrandt Van Rijn’s famous painting The Night Watch (completed in 1642), which hung on a wall in what is now one of the hotel’s bedroom suites until it was relocated to the city’s famed Rijksmuseum.
Centrally located in Amsterdam’s historic city center and walking distance from the city’s main tourist attractions, the heritage property has 81 guest rooms including seven suites, most of them overlooking the canal. It also boasts the elegant new Omber restaurant and bar, which is inspired by the art of Rembrandt, who lived very close to the hotel.
Inspired by the Dutch Golden Age and the unique atmosphere of Amsterdam, Tivoli Doelen’s interiors blend an old-world elegance with contemporary service and special Tivoli touches. The guest rooms and suites offer views over the canals or the city, with the interiors featuring pastel tones with splashes of red for a relaxing but vibrant atmosphere, combined with touches of natural wood. New beds and bed linens provide the best night’s sleep, while marble bathrooms feature amenities from the French luxury brand Lalique.
For an ultimate Dutch experience, guests can book the 506-square-foot Rembrandt Suite, where they can view a perfect replica of The Night Watch, in the same room and on the exact wall where the masterpiece originally hung for 70 years. Another interesting room is the Empress Suite, which was once the boudoir of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, most well-known as Sisi. With a unique C-shape design to maximize views of the canal, the suite has a king-sized bed with Dutch shields on the ceiling, which are a symbol of protection.
On the ground floor and overlooking the canal, Omber restaurant and bar now offers a Mediterranean-Dutch fusion menu. The restaurant’s name was inspired by the craftsmanship of paint making and the limited colors Rembrandt used in his works of art-- omber, or amber in English, being one of his signature colors.) Every dish on the menu contains an element inspired by his color palette. The menu also takes inspiration from the artist’s favorite dishes, such as herring and pickles, which has been recreated by the team and given Dutch name “Rembrandt Pauze”. The restaurant’s slow-cooked Dutch Veal with Parsnip, Carrots and Purslane is perfectly paired with Portuguese Cartuxa wine from Alentejo, a nod to the Tivoli brand’s Portuguese heritage.
Omber Bar, which opens daily at 4:30 pm, serves several signature cocktails have been created with Jenever, a typical Dutch gin that was also Rembrandt’s favorite drink. Most of the bar’s gin cocktails are made with a local Jenever producer, Wynand Fockink, which operates a similar distillery process to that used in the Dutch Golden Age. The star cocktail, “Night Watch” is based on an old recipe found in the hotel archives dating back to the 17th century and is made with old Jenever, coffee liqueur, syrup and cherry bitters.
Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam helps guests make the most of its canal side location with a range of personalized tours starting and ending at the hotel dock, exploring the vast IJsselmeer, the city canals or Oudekerk aan de Amstel.
With an immersive “In the Footsteps of Rembrandt” tour, guests can visit his home and studio, the gothic Zuiderkerk, his family church featured in his art, and the artists’ guild of De Waag, one of the oldest buildings in the city, which he also painted. Along the way, the guide will share more details about Rembrandt’s life, as well as his connection with the Doelen property, the first home of his most famous painting, The Night Watch, which was completed in 1642.
The hotel has created a partnership with The Rembrandthuis museum, giving hotel guests the opportunity to book a very exclusive dinner experience, served by the Tivoli Doelen team in the actual kitchen of Rembrandt’s house. Guests can also experience the art heritage of Amsterdam first-hand by booking a painting workshop, inspired by the Dutch grand master.
With a journey that dates back to 1933 in Lisbon, Tivoli arrives in Amsterdam in March 2023, the hotel brand’s 90th anniversary month. Tivoli will be celebrating its sophisticated tradition of hospitality with events and special guest experiences to be revealed throughout the year.
Suites at Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel start from $643.00 including breakfast for two people. For more information on Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam, visit https://www.tivolihotels.com/en/tivoli-doelen
