Amsterdam's luxury hotel scene is getting a bit crowded: We hear that Starwood will debut its W Hotels brand in the Netherlands with the new W Amsterdam, scheduled to open in Autumn 2015. It will have a prime spot on the Dam Square right in the middle of the city, behind the Royal Palace and close to the city’s canal district with its vibrant restaurants, bars and nightlife scene.
The scoop: The hotel will have 169 guestrooms, including 10 suites and one Extreme Wow Suite (W's version of the Presidential Suite). Cool touch: Upon entering the hotel, guests zip up to the rooftop, where they can check-in and grab a cocktail in the W Living Room (otherwise known as a lobby).
We hear the hotel will have rooftop restaurant and destination bar for top views over Dam Square and the city.
Good for business travelers: W Amsterdam will also have more than 5,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including two Great Rooms and two smaller meeting rooms.
W Amsterdam will occupy a former Telephone Exchange building, a historic property in Dam Square constructed in the Amsterdam School style of architecture. The designers and architects have said that they will restore the historic elements of the building while adding some contemporary touches. (It wouldn't be a W hotel without them, after all.)
But the W is going to have some notable competition in town: We're all waiting for the summer debut of the Waldorf-Astoria in Amsterdam (below), which is currently slated for August 20. The hotel will be right along Herengracht, one of the city’s oldest canals, and within walking distance from the Hermitage Museum.
While we wait for these two openings, take a look at some of Amsterdam's top attractions, bars and restaurants. There's the Pianola Museum, a restored 17th-century canal house (Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder) and, for fashionistas, the Tassenmuseum Hendrijke (Museum of Bags and Purses).