The Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam is Kimpton Hotels’ first destination outside the Americas. Located in the heart of Amsterdam’s vibrant centre and within walking distance from Centraal Station, Michaelis Boyd have designed the newly refurbished hotel, which boasts 274 guest rooms, including 15 signature rooms. Working with Ave Bradley, global senior VP and design and creative director of Kimpton Hotels, the London-based architects designed a crisp architecturally-driven interior featuring contemporary timber wall panelling, pale oak timber floors, steel glazed screens and bespoke terrazzo walls. The hotel design was inspired by the playful design approach of Kimpton, with a contemporary architectural approach and a nod to traditional Amsterdam.
The ground floor has been reconfigured to provide a new entrance with a visual connection to the street and an improved guest journey through a series of lobby and lounge spaces. A former lounge at the heart of the hotel has been reimagined as a new garden room, bringing in daylight and fresh air to the centre of the building and acting as the terrace to the adjacent House Bar. The concept of flora and botanica runs throughout the hotel and the new entrance has been designed to provide a welcoming landscaped retreat from the busy street. The interior furnishings also reference the natural world, in a playful Kimpton way – deer, elk and bee doorknockers adorn guest rooms, bird pendant lights have been used, and beautiful dragonfly motifs have been incorporated into Kit Miles velvet upholstered Gubi chairs.
On arrival, guests ascend a white terrazzo staircase under a slim curved mirrored canopy which punctures the glazed façade and runs seamlessly through to the internal entrance area. A bold custom green terrazzo wall defines the entrance and is complimented by the softness of a living wall, which runs the length of the entrance façade. Inset within the foliage are the words “and breathe” in playful pink neon letters.
Reception and Grand Lobby For the hotel reception area, Michaelis Boyd designed a range of graphic blue and white encaustic floor tiles inspired by the traditional Dutch delft tile. Behind the reception desk a ceramic tiled fireplace is surrounded by a ring of banquette seating, with cushions and blankets for reading and relaxing. Walls are animated with a bold selection of contemporary artwork and feature lighting.
Living Room Concealed within the centre of the hotel next to the House Bar lies the Living Room. This fresh and ethereal space features an external courtyard draped in cascading plants, festoon lighting, and swing chairs enclosed within full height steel framed glazing. Internally, the floor is made up of a sequence of diagonally-laid oak planks inset with smooth square concrete tiles. This pattern continues through to the external courtyard and is formed using concrete pavers and black gravel. In the summer, the courtyard can be opened allowing the light and fresh to permeate through. This is a playful party space to enjoy a glass of wine in the sunshine.
House Bar The House Bar is located within the historical Queen of Holland building. Featuring original beams and timber wall paneling, the interior is painted a dark glossy teal. Michaelis Boyd designed a bird motif wallpaper to run between the ceiling beams – this plays homage to the traditional painted murals that date back to the Dutch Renaissance. Plush velvet seating and low level lighting, the bar is dramatic and cosy.
Guest Rooms There are two interior palettes installed over the 274 bedrooms, providing guests with a unique experience with each visit. Smooth oak floors and colour blocked walls run throughout the guest rooms, which are furnished with a honed marble bedside tables, bold velvet fabrics and custom designed brass hanging rails. The guest bathrooms are defined by bright geometric floor and wall tiles.
