Our first full day in Amsterdam was a busy one. After a wonderful breakfast at The Conservatorium Hotel, we took a 5-minute walk to The Rijksmuseum. I’ve been many times to the Rijkmuseum over the past ten years, but it had always been under renovation. This was my first trip since the April 2013 reopening. And it was well worth the wait. I took more photos of the Museum building than I did the artwork – both were marvelous.
Van Gogh Museum
From the Rijksmueum, we walked five minutes to the famous Van Gogh Museum. If you’ve never been, it’s a must-see. But do get skip-the-line tickets in advance to avoid the long lines. The Museum will be crowded; it’s always crowded! This museum has the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world. Our hosts at the Van Gogh Museum were Matthijis Bakker and Greet van Geem, both Trade/Sales and Marketing Specialists.
Bell Epoque Salon Boat
Undoubtedly the most relaxed way to see Amsterdam is in a Salon boat. From the early 1900’s until the 1930’s, Salon Boats were built in the west of The Netherlands. The boats are beautiful, made of mahogany and teakwood. Their owners were often wealthy businessmen or successful doctors. Times have changed, by the allure of the Salon Boat – and the fine lines – still exist.
As a city with multiple canals, this is the way to see Amsterdam! For not much more than an overloaded, open-top tourist boat, you can tour the city’s canals in style…
Our host pictured on the left, was the owner, Tommy Van Riet. He detailed the history of salon boats… and the boat we were on. Through Edwin you can book these cruises complete with wine, lunches, and appetizers. And the prices are quite reasonable! Contact us and we will reach out to Edwin for details – this may be the highlight of your experiences in Amsterdam!
Hotel Pulitzer
Our boat cruise ended at The Hotel Pulitzer. Years ago I stayed at The Hotel Pulitzer and I was eager to visit this unique hotel again. It is a 5-star deluxe hotel made up of 25 canal houses located on both the Prinsen and Emperor Canals. We did a lengthy site inspection followed by a wonderful lunch in the garden. Our host was Merel van Dort, a Sales Specialist with The Hotel Pulitzer.
The Anne Frank House
If it is your first time to Amsterdam you’ll probably want to go to The Anne Frank House. I’ve been fortunate to visit the house a few times. Each year the lines seem to get longer and the monument more and more crowded. Fortunately, Edwin had set up skip-the-line tickets and a special behind-the-scenes tour for us (and he can do the same for you!). The entry lines can easily stretch to 1.5 to 2 hours long.
Our private insider-tour, hosted by Ayellet Grassiani of the Education Department, took us into the annex area and gave us an introduction to the Anne Frank House and the events which created the memorial. Be aware: Inside, expect large crowds and tight spaces.
The Dylan
The Dylan is a 5-stay luxury property located on the Kelizersgracht (Emperor’s Canal). Although small, only 40 rooms and suites, this luxurious boutique hotel is quite impressive. We discovered my favorite hotel room here at the Dylan (top picture seen below). We had an incredible here, hosted by Audrey van de Merwe, Director of Sales.
We finished dinner at The Dylan and headed back to The Conservatorium… a busy, and very enjoyable, day in Amsterdam… coordinated by Edwin Groeneweg, The Dutch Travel Advisor.
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