Seven One Seven by Joanna Monkhouse

Discreet and luxurious, this exclusive guest house in Amsterdam has 8 spacious rooms and suites, and booking way in advance is essential. The listed historical building is positioned in a quiet residential area on one of the most elegant canals in the city. The ambiance at Seven One Seven is akin to staying with well-heeled cosmopolitan friends.

Designed by Kees van der Valk, Seven One Seven is a haven of elegant and refined taste. The hall has a marble floor, leading to two salons filled with paintings, objets d’art, sculptures and well-chosen antiques, with open fires. The library, housing books on art, fashion and the interiors of Amsterdam, can hold meetings of up to seven.

Seven One Seven’s rooms are uniquely decorated in a style that blends traditional with contemporary. Colours are strong but restful, sofas and chairs are large and comfortable, and beds are inviting. The televisions and DVD players are designed by Bang & Olufsen. The smallest room is a spacious 40m2 and the two suites that overlook the Prinsengracht are 70m2. Bathrooms are luxurious, all but two of which have separate baths and showers. There is no lift and the oak staircase is steep, but the top-floor room has panoramic views that reward the climb.

A traditional Dutch breakfast is served either in the bedrooms or in the Stravinksy room, a light and airy space with flowers on every table, a grand piano and French doors that open up onto the tranquil patio.

The rates include breakfast, afternoon tea, CDs and DVDs from the in-house selection, house wines and drinks from the minibar. Seven One Seven has the style of a smart English country house that has been transported to a canal house in Amsterdam, with a high level of service and a relaxed atmosphere – guests are often returnees.