The Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky may be Amsterdam’s best-located hotel – but what’s an Asian resort brand doing in a heaving European city?
- After changing hands numerous times since opening in 1883, the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam was taken over by Asian resort brand Anantara in 2022
- While hardly the oasis of tranquillity one expects of the brand, its central location, Michelin-star food and good service all point to a positive future
Depending on your reason for visiting the Netherlands’ biggest city, the Kras, as some apparently call the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, is perhaps the best-located hotel in all of Amsterdam.
With the simple address of Dam 9, the grande dame stands on one side of Dam Square, which is about as central as you can get in this heaving metropolis.
Who was Krasnapolsky?
Adolph Wilhelm Krasnapolsky came from a family of Polish tailors and, in the 1860s, purchased his favourite coffee house, a run-down establishment that stood in a sun-deprived back alley.
He steadily expanded it by acquiring neighbouring buildings, some of which contained guest accommodation, until 1883, when he opened a fully fledged hotel.
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Krasnapolsky died in 1912 but the hotel that bore his name kept expanding until, in 1952, it acquired the property that would give it its address on Dam Square.
In 1974, it became the Golden Tulip Hotel Krasnapolsky and then ownership changed a number of times until the property was acquired by the NH Hotel Group.
On April 20, 2022, what had become the NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky was rebranded as the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky and by this May, its refurbishment was complete.
Anantara? Isn’t that an Asian resort brand?
Intrigued by the move to bring what’s perceived as a beach resort brand to tourist-thronged Dam Square, we asked marketing and PR manager Ons Ben Tarfaoui what inspired the rebrand.
“As far as we are concerned, the outstanding past results of Anantara Krasnapolsky plus its 155 years of history and advantageous location showcased a fantastic opportunity for the group to be introduced in Europe,” she replied.
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“With its 402 rooms, expansive meetings centre, diverse banqueting services, new gym and Anantara Spa, all the ingredients are combined for Krasnapolsky to become a successful Anantara.”
We take that to mean the hotel was intended to function as an oasis of tranquillity in the centre of one of Europe’s most tourist-heavy cities.
Is it an oasis of tranquillity?
Not really, given the hustle and bustle in the public areas and the noisy streets around the property, although, to be fair, we did visit in the middle of a very busy summer and as the hospitality industry was trying to get back on its feet.
“However, we are doubling efforts to attract talented individuals who share our commitment and vision to maintaining high standards of service.”
Staffing issues aside, the hotel may have a new gym and spa, but they are not large and don’t really feel integral to the property.
Why would we stay, then?
Well, this is an Anantara, so although perhaps not at the level you might expect in Thailand, the service is good, and the location is second to none.
The central canals and sights, as well as the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Nemo Science Museum and National Maritime Museum, are all within easy reach, especially if you’re in the saddle – this is the Netherlands, after all.
The Anantara has its own bicycles and can easily arrange for a knowledgeable guide – one who will, if you wish to protect the innocence of the young, tailor a tour to avoid lingering outside the city centre’s many coffee, drug paraphernalia and sex shops, and the brothel windows of the nearby red-light district.
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More sobering are the memorials to those who were hauled away from the old Jewish Quarter by the Nazis during World War II.
What are the hotel’s restaurants like?
With a view across Dam Square to the Royal Palace, Grand Cafe Krasnapolsky is a great place from which to people watch – and the food isn’t bad either.
Locally sourced produce features highly on a menu that follows the seasons and lists, for dinner, the likes of Dutch trout, beef and pork, and beetroot risotto.
Redolent with the elegance of times past, Bar The Tailor pays homage to old man Krasnapolsky’s original profession while guests take their buffet breakfast – designed equally for visitors from the East as well as West – in The Wintergarden, a marvel of glass ceiling and electric lighting when it was opened ahead of Amsterdam’s 1883 International Colonial and Export Exhibition.
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Anything else worth mentioning?
We arrived with a very important request: to cater for a child prone to life-threatening anaphylaxis caused by nut protein. The staff couldn’t have done more to ensure he was kept safe.
What does a stay cost?
Entry-level rooms in high season begin at €600 (US$640) while the biggest and best cost €2,700. Those prices do not include breakfast or the 7 per cent of room charge and €3 per guest per night Amsterdam now charges tourists.
