If you’re going to eat soup in Amsterdam, let it be in a 150-year-old palace. That’s exactly what I did at the InterContinental Amstel Hotel—where dinner feels like a royal affair and the soup deserves its own museum exhibit!
Fun fact? The Amstel opened in 1867 and has hosted everyone from Queen Elizabeth to The Rolling Stones. The riverside dining room—with its high windows, floral carpets, and views of boats drifting by—is where elegance comes to loaf around in fuzzy slippers.
I started with a velvety parsnip soup, gently speckled with herb oil. Served alongside fresh bread and not one, but two flavored butters (yes, two—because this is the Amstel, darling), I was already floating.
Then came the main event: a perfectly pink beef tenderloin, nestled between white asparagus, broccolini, and a whisper of cauliflower cream. The red wine just added just enough depth to make me question every steak I’ve had before. A side salad of mixed greens and avocado (neatly fanned, of course) rounded things off, dressed like it was headed to a ball. Honestly, I’ve never respected a lettuce leaf more!
I left full, slightly fancy, and a little more in love with Amsterdam.
Would I go again? In a heartbeat. But next time I’m starting with dessert—and probably wearing velvet!
Other Historic Hotels in Amsterdam You Should Visit While in the City
🏨 The Dylan Amsterdam
- Built on the site of a 17th-century theatre that once hosted Vivaldi.
- Stylish, intimate, and tucked along the Keizersgracht canal.
- Previously housed the Catholic Poor People’s Office—now it’s Michelin-starred and moody in the best way.
🏰 Hotel De L’Europe
- Opened in 1896 on the banks of the Amstel River.
- Owned by the Heineken family! Yes, that Heineken.
- Features vintage Dutch Masters artwork and once hosted Alfred Hitchcock.
🌟 Pulitzer Amsterdam
- A labyrinth of 25 restored 17th and 18th-century canal houses.
- Full of quirky corridors, hidden gardens, and art.
- John Lennon and Yoko Ono famously stayed in the honeymoon suite.
💎 Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam
- Once a 15th-century convent, then City Hall, and even Napoleon’s Amsterdam HQ.
- Now a luxe 5-star with a peaceful courtyard and a guest list that includes royals and presidents.
- Winston Churchill and Queen Wilhelmina stayed here.
🕯️ Ambassade Hotel
- A literary landmark nestled in canal houses dating back to the 1600s.
- Beloved by authors—every guest gets a bookmark, and the library has over 5,000 signed books.
- Quiet, bookish, and magical.
