InterContinental Amstel

Opened in 1867, the InterContinental is housed in a gorgeous turreted palais whose lobby, complete with a soaring coffered ceiling, chandeliers, a dramatic central staircase and a wraparound mezzanine, conjures visions of Belle Époque grandeur, but the property could use a refresh.

• Spacious rooms with details such as Delft pottery and antiques
• Sunken indoor pool that allows guests to swim eye-to-eye with the canal

The Amstel is still the place where many of today’s high-profile travelers (royalty, politicians, celebrities) choose to stay when in town, and frankly, the location is best for those who have a driver. Despite its size, the hotel has just 79 spacious rooms and suites, all different in layout. The details are well done: each room is stocked with L’Occitane bath products and an Illy coffee maker; some boast walls covered in pastel toile de Jouy; old-world touches include whimsical Delft pottery and well-chosen antiques. The accommodations to get are the ones on the higher floors (there are five altogether) facing the Amstel river, which snakes by the property and, from some angles, makes it appear as if on its own little island. Ask for romantic suite 422, tucked under the roof, with amazing views from four small window nooks; and Penthouse Suite 414, a red duplex extravaganza with round windows. But even a standard room like the well-laid-out No. 106, on the first floor, has high ceilings and a nice river view.

The river plays an important role in many of the common spaces as well. There’s something magical about watching the afternoon melt into the early evening, when the water sparkles with hundreds of small light reflections, while seated in the Amstel’s main lounge. It’s a great spot for a cocktail if you’re heading to De Kas restaurant, a fifteen-minute taxi ride southeast. Another draw for families or serious swimmers is the beautiful health club, which has a sunken pool facing a long floor-to-ceiling window so that, floating in the serene space, you’re eye-to-eye with the river.

Be sure to take advantage of the concierge, a charming, plugged-in Amsterdammer who can arrange everything from private canal tours to tickets for performances at the Concertgebouw. He also prides himself on staying abreast of new openings and current hot spots—an unexpected bonus from such an old-school institution.

Travelers who like their hotels old-world and grand and don't mind a slightly inconvenient location.