Our 1st night in Amsterdam
💖 This is not your grandmother's Doubletree.
D
oubleTree Amsterdam
Centraal Station is a modern structure with an easy to navigate
layout that further enhances its attractive contemporary styling.
After a day of exploring the city, you'll be glad to relax here. Everyone is booked for a Queen Executive room with a view of the city or canal. The windows are floor to ceiling. You'll have access to complimentary breakfast, fruits, afternoon drinks and appetizers in the Executive Lounge located on the ground floor. Wifi is also complimentary.
The building gives away its age with a cutting-edge 21st century glass
and steel façade. Inside, the cathedral-like lobby is vast and bright and
puts all that glass and steel to good work, creating a sunny daytime
space; theatrical lighting jazzes it up at night.
Among the highlights are a cafe with alfresco dining, a beautiful
breakfast room behind gold curtains, and a Starbucks (one of
the largest franchises in town). But for most guests, and many a
visitor, the rooftop
SkyLounge, with indoor and outdoor seating eyeing the
old city's spires and waterways is pretty close to heaven on earth. Perfect place for a sunset cocktail.
In contrast, you'll be arriving from the airport to this architectural gem, Centraal Station.
Once you arrive into Amsterdam Centraal Station, you will want
to take the main exit at the south end, leading to the city center. Again, as posted previously, turn left and spot the Doubletree.
The station itself is a 10 minute walk from Dam Square and the Red Light
District and forms the terminus of many tram and bus lines.
There are shops in Amsterdam Centraal Station, including a small
Albert Heijn supermarket, a pharmacy, book and magazine shops, and gift
shops. Takeaway stalls and pizza are available downstairs.
Amsterdam Centraal Station was built between 1881-1889 by Pierre
Cuypers, the same architect who also built the Rijksmuseum, and his
collegue Dolf van Gendt. It was built
in the style of the 'Dutch Renaissance', which was quite popular at the
end of the 19th century. The buildings sit on three artificial islands. Like all buildings in Amsterdam, the station is built on poles, or else the buildings would sink into the swampy soil.
Should you continue to walk east past the Doubletree, just a few minutes walk will bring you to Europe's largest public library. On this photo note the train station, our hotel is shown right of station, with library a short walk further along the concrete walkway. See the docks behind that are likely to be where we will board Avalon Impression.
Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (OBA)
The library is open 7 days a week from 1000-2200. Entry is free with international magazines and newspapers available to the public. Join the locals at the La Place Cafe on the 7th floor for cafeteria style service where you can choose from a selection of local dishes a la carte at reasonable prices. You can find salads, sandwiches, soups, pizzas, noodles, meat
/ fish dishes as well as coffee, tea and cakes. Beer and wine are also available.
Food is freshly made on-site. Enjoy a fresh bowl of soup or an appeltarte. Grab your tray and act like a student again while you enjoy the view!
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| Public library OBA | | |
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The OBA also has a sales point of
the
Last Minute Ticket Shop which sells half-price theatre tickets on-the-day
after 1200.
Level -1
is an area reserved for children.
Level
2 - Literature / Comics
Level 3 - Travel / History
Level 4 - Art / Music
Level
5 - Health / Nature / Study Centre
Level 6 - Business / Philosophy / Theatres
Level
7 - La Place cafeteria with the "Jo Coenen" Panorama Terrace, theatre
Toilets
can be found on the ground floor and 7th floor. There may be a small charge to use these facilities.
Should you crave Italian food the OBA library has a branch of Vapiano
- a cheap pizza and pasta self-service restaurant - located on the ground floor
of the building. Click the link to see how to order here:
How to order at Vapiano
