A decade after it opened its doors on Prinsengracht, one of Amsterdam’s four principal canals, Seven One Seven is still the Amsterdam boutique hotel of choice for CEOs, political heavyweights, fashion designers and honeymooners. The exquisite, eclectic interiors dreamt up by stylist and former menswear designer Kees van der Valk have imbued this grand 18th-century townhouse with a welcoming, homely feel that’s a rarity in high-end boutique hotels these days.

The facilities

The grand, marble hallway of the boutique hotel leads to a double-fronted salon stuffed full of paintings, African masks and furniture upholstered in soft, Savile Row suiting material. The library opposite is lined with glossy tomes on art, fashion, interiors and photography. And beyond, the flower-bedecked Stravinsky room with its grand piano and French doors opening onto a leafy patio is where breakfast is served - unless you prefer it delivered to your room in a basket, that is.

The suites

The eight sumptuous suites are individually designed in the style of a bona fide boutique hotel and each is named after a painter or composer. The Schubert Suite, with its beamed ceiling and charming canal views, and the Picasso Suite, with its five huge windows and enormous dining table, are the most extravagant. Amongst the antiques and charming clutter, mod cons including wifi, B&O DVD players and air-conditioning are cleverly hidden away.