Hotel Vondel, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Design enthusiasts with kids take note: it’s hard to find a better family-friendly option than Amsterdam’s Hotel Vondel. That’s not to say that this luxurious boutique hotel is overrun with youngsters, but if you happen to be travelling with the kids on holiday, they’re more than welcome here.

The facilities

As its name suggests, the boutique hotel is set on a quiet residential street bordering the city’s beautiful Vondelpark. There are only 32 rooms in these seven adjoining townhouses, which have been under the same ownership since 2003. However, ongoing renovations prove that they’re keeping up with the times to provide guests with the most modern of luxuries.

For a city centre boutique hotel, the amount of space in the public areas is impressive. The lounge-cum-restaurant is filled with eclectic objects of modern art, and during a day there’s a laptop where guests can quickly check email for free.

The restaurant opens onto an inviting back terrace, but guests can also enjoy their own bottle of wine in the separate grassy garden. Out here you’ll also find a sandbox for the kids; gestures like this make the Hotel Vondel feel truly family friendly.

It’s in the restaurant that I notice a trendy couple with their daughter enjoying an early breakfast. They are exactly the kind of clientele that I expect to see here – and pose a good metaphor for the place itself – young, hip and clearly family-conscious.

The rooms

The building’s history lends to some of its unique features, most notably that no two rooms are alike in layout. They have continued this idea with the design, providing original large-scale paintings in each room by Dutch artist Peter Keizer. Several of his pieces can also be found in the public areas. However, all rooms are united by the same design themes with shades of grey, slate tiling, and beech wood furnishings.

Unfortunately, its history also lends to some of the boutique hotel’s downfalls – many rooms cannot be equipped with air con because of building regulations. If this poses a problem, you might want to consider the slightly more luxurious sister boutique, Hotel Roemer (it’s just around the corner!).

If you’re arriving during the hot summer months, upgrading to the cool Junior Suites is advised. Aside from the apartments this is the most spacious room category, with a bath at the foot of the bed, double rain shower in the bathroom, and a skylight that lets in floods of light.

Families, or those wanting extra space, should opt for the fully equipped apartments with kitchenettes and washing facilities. I caught a quick glimpse amidst the construction of a new loft-style apartment, and even through the dust it was clear how spectacular it will be when completed.