Amsterdam City Centre

Erected in 1896, De L’Europe sits beside the Amstel River on the site of a late medieval fortress. State-of-the-art technology, local heritage and classic design are melded into a five-star style. Elite suites are housed in the Dutch Masters Wing, named after the nation’s illustrious painters and with its own private entrance. The hotel is partnered with the Rijksmuseum, displaying fine art replicas from the likes of Rembrandt and Frans Hals. Haute cuisine is served in the critically acclaimed Bord’Eau restaurant, with alfresco summer dining at Hèt Terras. Freddy’s Bar mixes some of the best Bloody Marys in Amsterdam. And there’s a 4,300-square-foot Le Spa by Skins Institute, with a canalside indoor pool.

Containing a carved spiral staircase by Louis XVI’s architect and 17th-century artworks, the Waldorf Astoria in Amsterdam is a positively decadent architectural wonder. Add to this a multi-award-winning Guerlain spa with a swimming pool, your own personal concierge and a two Michelin-starred restaurant and you’ll soon be living like a VIP. Its 93 bedrooms are housed in a collection of six 17th and 18th-century palaces on the UNESCO protected ‘Gentlemen’s Canal’. As such you’ll find plenty of grand period features, like beamed ceilings and original fireplaces.