Amstel Botel: Floating hotel in Amsterdam at new location

The 175-room Amstel Botel — an erstwhile river cruiser converted into a floating hotel — has been moved from its location near Amsterdam Central Station to the NDSM Wharf, a former shipyard that is now a popular, and growing cultural hotspot in Amsterdam-North.

Oosterdok, the ship’s former location, is undergoing a metamorphosis in which there is no place for the huge boat.

Amstel Botel and the City have long negotiated over an alternative location. The management is sad about the fact that their hotel is no longer located just outside of Central Station. However, manager Martin Been is pragmatic about the move, pointing out that the new location offers many advantages and opportunities.

Amstel Botel, now a 14-minute ferry ride from Amsterdam Central Station

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NDSM Wharf

The NDSM Wharf is a colorful and vital dockside area. A center for underground culture in Amsterdam, it houses workshops and artists’ studios, hip cafes and restaurants, exhibitions and performances. Among others the media wharf houses MTV, Robodock, and the IJ-festival.

Docked at the wharf’s piers are a number of historical ships — from a Russian submarine to the Greenpeace ship Sirius, and from an old minesweeper to the majestic 3-master, The Pollux, formerly a maritime training vessel and currently a café/restaurant.

Compromise

Many current business owners — and visitors to the area — were not happy with the City’s plans to move the Amstel Botel to its new location. They cite the fact that the huge, stark-white ship is an eyesore, especially since it will dwarf ships currently docked at the wharf’s piers.

However, as often is the case, economic considerations have trumped aesthetic concerns. By way of a compromise the ship — expected to dock on Wednesday, January 16 — is currently being transformed into a “colorful work of art.” Pundits claim that means the botel will now be a colorful eyesore.

Update, Jan. 23, 2008: We don’t know where the ‘colorful work of art’ rumor came from. The ship is now docked next to The Pollux and it remains the serious eyesore it always was.

Amstel Botel at its new location

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Good Choice

Eyesore or not, we predict that the Amstel Botel will remain at least as popular a hotel as it has been till now. And while its new location may not be as close to the city’s center as before, downtown Amsterdam is only a free, 10-minute boat ride away. This map shows the new location in relation to Amsterdam Central Station.

The NDSM wharf is easy to reach from the A10 freeway which rings Amsterdam. Free parking for cars and tour buses is available. Moreover, a free ferry shuttles between the wharf and Central Station — an interesting, 10-minute trip.

After midnight, Amstel Botel will provide a shuttle bus for a fast connection between the ship and Central Station.

Original content © Copyright 2009 DutchAmsterdam.nl [Read what that actually means]

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