Name: Hotel Amsterdam–De Roode Leeuw
Address: Damrak 93-94, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012 LP, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0)20-555–0666
Price range: $$

Fodor's Expert Review

This landmark hotel with its 19^th-century façade opposite bustling Dam Square is a comfortable base for those who want to be in the center of it all.

You Should Know This review was written while the hotel was undergoing renovations. The front of the building was covered in scaffolding, and the restaurant was closed. Fodor’s will revisit this review when the renovations are complete.

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Room

Rooms are unremarkable yet functional, with armchairs, desks, comfortable beds with plenty of pillows, and practical lighting for work or play. Furnished in a neutral color scheme with the occasional pop of orange, rooms also feature large photographic prints of Amsterdam and wood veneer floors. All rooms have free WiFi, a coffee maker with rainforest-certified Silvestre Café pods, double-glazed soundproofed windows (crucial in this area), a flat-screen TV, and climate controls. While generally clean, the coffee maker and shower head fixture in our room could do with a good scrub, and the throw and decorative pillows were stained.

Tip Less expensive quarters, including tidy singles, are available as well.

Bathroom

Brown and white tiled bathrooms are cramped. In our room, the toilet was crammed between the sink and small shower, which had an adjustable shower head and shower curtain (!). Minimal amenities include a robe, slippers, shower cap, Naturals Organix lemon-scented hand wash and hair & body shampoo.

Lobby

Small and drab, this is not a lobby to hang out in, however, the current renovations include plans for a new lobby.

Dining

The hotel's restaurant De Roode Leeuw−once known for serving Dutch cuisine in a cozy room with red plush furniture and dark-wood paneling−is currently closed for renovations.

Drinking

Not at the moment.

What's Nearby

Getting Around

You’ll be able to see most of the sights on foot, but plenty of trams stop only a few steps away, and you can catch a train to the airport at Centraal Station (9-minute walk)

Restaurants

Fix your morning woes with some of the city’s richest croissants, butteriest brioche and most perfect pain au chocolat at artisan French bakery Gebr. Niemeijer (8-minute walk). With its cozy fireside Chesterfields and low-lit, theatrically-inspired décor, The Lobby Restaurant (4-minute walk) sets the scene for delicious tête-à-têtes. It is a popular local hangout and dining destination (the flammkuchen, are famous!), and there’s a covered outdoor terrace, too. Or if it’s comfort of the Cantonese kind you crave, head to three-story pagoda-style Sea Palace (13-minute walk) to grab dim sum and Peking duck.

Bars

Drink in the authentic old “brown café” atmosphere at Café ‘t Molentje (6-minute walk), which has been around since the 1870s. Or, if you’re heading to the Red Light District Mata Hari (7-minute walk) offers a welcome respite with its retro atmosphere, comfy leather chairs and menu of local beers and bar bites (there’s a decent upstairs restaurant, should you want to stay for dinner, too).