From adversity comes something grand. In 2018, the Amsterdam Riverside became the first international hotel in Pestana’s Collection brand, but not before an acid test in one of Europe’s top tourist destinations.
The original idea for an Amsterdam hotel followed the classic Pestana Hotel Group model: a four-star establishment in the city’s historic centre. However, things were soon turned upside down when the local council rejected the project in 2008. Hoping to avoid mass tourism, the authorities only approved five-star hotels with historical value, thus attracting high-spending visitors and encouraging quality building restorations.
For the Pestana Hotel Group, this meant swimming with the sharks and competing with the world’s most exclusive and competitive hotel chains. They took the plunge after finding an old archive and government building in the Amstel neighbourhood, which needed a renovation that matched its grandeur. The seemingly fatal setback ended up inspiring greater ambition and, in 2018, the Pestana Amsterdam Riverside opened its doors for the first time.
In addition to the clock tower and its large windows overlooking the river, there are spacious quarters and a presidential suite, whose living room used to be the old reception. And what about the sharks? Nowadays, the Pestana Amsterdam Riverside swims alongside them.
Pestana Amsterdam Riverside
Amsterdam Riverside became the first international hotel in Pestana’s Collection brand.
