In January of 2020, Kyle and I took our birthday trip to Amsterdam. While we knew the trip would be pretty short, we both had such an affinity for the city that we couldn't pass out on the opportunity to visit again. We knew that since we only had 72 hours in Amsterdam, most of our time would be spent exploring rather so we didn't need the most lavish / massive hotel room. We sought out a convenient hotel instead that is close to public transportation. Little did we know, Sir Adam Hotel would end up being an experience of a lifetime...
Access
First, let's talk access since this was the most important to us. We needed a hotel that was close to public transit so we can get in and out of the city quickly. Sir Adam Hotel is conveniently located right across the river from Amsterdam Centraal Station - the largest railway station in Amsterdam & Northern Holland. It was a breeze coming directly from the airport, and then it's only a quick ferry ride away from the hotel!
The ferry ride is an experience in and of itself. First, this ferry ride is by far the most direct way to get to the hotel, but it also runs extremely frequently during the day. Although the frequency slows down overnight, it is still runs around the clock though you might have a short wait. So no matter how long you stay out at night, you can make your way back to the hotel. Second, the ferry ride is a quintessential Amsterdam experience. During the morning rush, it feels like everyone on this side of town is pushing their bicycles and Vespa scooters onto the boat to get to the city, so get ready to squeeze and truly embrace the bike / ferry culture that is Amsterdam. Last but not least, while the ferry ride is short, but the views are a sight you don't want to miss. During sundown, the river glows and shimmers with reflection - an absolutely stunning view.
(Taken on the boat ride during sundown)
All in all, the location of the Sir Adam hotel is extremely convenient for getting to the city and getting wherever you need to go by bike, scooter, or train. The daily ferry rides were definitely a highlight and provide a unique travel experience just to get to the front door.
Design & Theme
You can't talk about Sir Adam hotel without talking about the uniqueness that is this property. One of the main reasons why we picked this hotel outside of the location is the fact that it's in the Marriott's Design Hotels collection (which means you can earn or use Marriott points when booking your stay here). In researching the property, we found that the hotel's music theme was not just a surface level bit of decor, but rather it was embedded in the DNA of the building itself. While on different floors, the hotel shares building space with "internationally renowned guitar manufacturer Gibson, music and entertainment companies MassiveMusic and ID&T, and a medley of young creative companies with a passion for music." As lovers of music ourselves we were hooked before we even arrived.
(The first floor lobby restaurant, lounge and bar area)
Right when we talked in the hotel, we were wowed by all the color, lights, and industrial decor. There are even guitar sittings inside the revolving door! (check out our '72 Hours in Amsterdam' video to see for yourself!) The first floor public restaurant, lounge and bar space was a lively space with neon signs, old school arcade games, and so much more. It's the best kind of sensory overload when you first walk in the front door.
Next, you'll experience the interactive elevators as you head to the second floor front desk. When I say interactive, I truly mean it! Each elevator has a different experience - some are disco dance party, another has a karaoke room with microphones that actually lets you sing the lyrics displayed on with LEDs on the back wall. You never know what experience you're going to get each time you get on!
The magic doesn't stop there...
In Room Experience
Sir Adam Hotel offers 108 guest rooms with stunning city and river view. When we entered the room, we were blown away by the unique yet sophisticated style and luxurious bed and bedding. Each room is decorated differently with music themed art, records, instruments, and more. Ours specifically had a red guitar hanging on the wall backed up to a beautiful feature wall. We also had a record player and least 30 records in the room with different genres of music (an an entire record library at the front desk). The decor is a 10/10!
(A corner room at the Sir Adam Hotel over-looking the river and Amsterdam Centraal)
The bed was one of the softest and most comfortable bed we had ever slept, and the hotel matches it with incredibly luxurious bedding which was just what we needed after a long flight. Personally, I felt the addition of the fur blanket just added a perfect homey touch to top it all off. In terms of amenities, you get a Nespresso machine for your caffeination needs, heavy bath robes for you to take a load off and unwind, and a mounted TV to catch some local Dutch entertainment
Last but not least, our room had a stunning city and river view to enjoy... with views of the city’s Central Train Station, the IJ River, and the endless boat traffic that keeps you intrigued. When you get tired of the view from the room you can visit the rooftop observation deck and nightclub for 360-degree views of the entire city!
Hospitality
I did want to give a big shoutout to the employees at Sir Adam Hotel. While most hotels we stay with have extremely friendly hotel staff, Sir Adam Hotel Front Desk is next level. We were greeted by a gentlemen who started by offering tea & coffee to our room. He provided history and background of the hotel, gave us suggestions for places to visit as a local (the Albert Cuyp Market turned out to be an absolutely amazing experience thanks to him!), and restaurants he loved nearby (we really enjoyed his recommendation for Casa Nostra, where they hand-made fresh Orecchiette pasta in the front window for the dinner service every evening .
The Verdict
Overall, this is one of the most unique experiences I've ever had at a hotel. Personally, it elevated my trip to a a city I thought I already knew, and after a long day of adventuring around the city we looked forward to getting back to the hotel. While at times it's best to go with something more tried and true, on your next trip give something like this a shot, and experience a once in a lifetime hotel experience. We can't wait to stay here again the next time we visit beautiful Amsterdam!
oh btw, if you haven't seen our 72 hours in Amsterdam video, you should ;)