Background
The Hoxton brand launched in London’s Shoreditch in 2006 and is part of Ennismore, in which Accor holds a majority stake. The brand currently has 16 properties open across Europe and North America, with the latest opening in Vienna.
The brand debuted in Amsterdam in 2015, with this second hotel in the city’s Eastern Docklands opening in August 2023.
The hotel occupies a historic 1920s building designed by architect Evert Breman, which began its life as the headquarters of the Royal Dutch Lloyd Shipping Company – hence the hotel name – where guests could purchase tickets to South America. In later years it became a shelter for refugees, a prison and artist studios. The building then served as the Lloyd Hotel from 2004, which interestingly rated its rooms from 0 to 5 stars.
We have reviewed several Hoxton hotels over the years:
Where is it?
In Oostelijke Eilanden, Amsterdam’s Eastern Docklands area. The hotel is a three-minute walk from Rietlandpark tram stop, which takes you to Centraal Station in just ten minutes (note that trams accept contactless cards, just make sure to tap in and out!)
You can then hop on the Eurostar from here, or get the train to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport – alternatively it’s a 20 minute drive to the airport. Note that The Hoxton launched ‘The Good Rate’ initiative last year, offering guests €20 off their stay if they travel by train between two of the brand’s hotels in the UK and Europe.
Behind the hotel is a lovely, leafy promenade or you can head to the banks of the IJ waterway for a breezy walk past boats and converted warehouses – don’t miss the Wes Anderson-esque Hoxton Lloyd jetty.
This area is filled with creative businesses and I passed ateliers, architecture firms, galleries and design agencies on my wander. The Hoxton also has a ‘Takeaway Tips’ board in the lobby where guests can recommend their favourite spots in Amsterdam.
What’s it like?
The building itself is striking, featuring bold Lloyd signage on the facade, and gives a boarding house-feel with public spaces such as the restaurant, bar, reception and lounge area running off a main corridor.
You can somewhat sense how it used to be a prison, though Ennismore’s AIME Studios and local firm Nicemakers have made it far more homely through the use of greenery and colourful artwork in public spaces to both brighten and soften the original brickwork features.
There are historic nods throughout the property – from original timber panelling to stained glass windows in the stairwell (it’s worth a climb).
The main entrance hall is a few steps up from the road, with a photo booth inside. An additional few steps lead to the curtained doors for the main hotel corridor, though this could prove difficult if you have accessibility issues or large luggage – the website states that there is an alternative entrance for those with accessibility needs.
The check-in area is rather small so it can get quite congested here, but there’s a lounge across the corridor for overspill – there’s also a box to drop off your key at check-out if you’re in a rush. As with other Hoxton properties, there are items for purchase behind the counter to fill your minibar or take home as souvenirs – from branded tote bags to mugs.
Guests have the option of flexible check-in and check-out times, if requested 72 hours in advance, otherwise check-in is from 2pm and check-out at 12pm.
Rooms
The hotel has 136 rooms spread across floors 1-6, as well as the lower ground floor, and categories include Cosy with a double bed (14-17 sqm), Roomy with a queen bed or two single beds (22-30 sqm), Biggy with a king bed (30-50 sqm – with the added option of bunk beds or two double beds) and Studio with a king bed and sofa bed (50-53 sqm).
For those looking for something unique, the hotel also offers “concept rooms” with quirky design – from a grand piano and spiral staircase to a five-person bed.
The main rooms are rather minimalist, featuring open wardrobes with a mirror area and small minibar within a cabinet, geometric patterns and velvet headboards. For business travellers, there is a narrow dark wooden desk where you can work – with plug sockets nearby – and a telephone with free international calls. Wifi is fast and worked well during my stay.
Minibars include complimentary cartons of water and milk, and you’re encouraged to purchase items from reception if you want more. Further amenities include teabags and coffee bags, a kettle, Hoxton-branded ceramic mugs and a Roberts Radio, which automatically came on at 8am. Tiled bathrooms, meanwhile, include a lovely rain shower, large-size Blank toiletries, and a hairdryer.
If guests want a light breakfast instead, there’s a breakfast bag in the room which you can hang on your door with details on your requests (€5 for a granola bar, orange juice and a banana).
My room (205) was a Biggy – Bunk Up category, so featured bunk beds in the first room and a curtain to separate this area from the main room for adults, which included a comfy bed, desk, flatscreen TV and sofa ledge by the window. It was well-designed, albeit there’s no master switch for lighting so I had to turn off various lamps, and unfortunately I was unlucky with my room’s placement as a neighbouring room played music until very late.
Staff were very apologetic when I checked out and said this is an abnormality, though note that you can also hear some street noise from the waterfront cafés. While soundproofing is not a strong point, the blackout curtains were excellent.
Food and drink
Breman Brasserie, named after the building’s architect, is the beautiful all-day restaurant, where hanging lamps emphasise the height of the soaring ceilings, tiled pillars double as trellises for greenery, and abstract wall art nods to the hotel’s former artistic life.
The restaurant specialises in seafood (there’s a raw bar) as well as grilled meat and fish dishes plus various veggie dishes on the menu. My grilled salmon with broccoli and sauce vierge (€22) was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and I loved the side of celeriac remoulade (€6). Service is friendly but can be a little slow.
The a la carte breakfast has a strong focus on bagels – they even replace English muffins as the base for eggs Florentine/Royale/Benedict – and on weekends I’m told that the restaurant offers a brunch with ‘bagel towers’.
There’s also an expansive terrace, strewn with fairy lights, which makes for a great beer garden in the summer months.
Barbue, meanwhile is the waterfront-facing bar which once housed the ticket office for Royal Holland Lloyd – it’s here that people would purchase tickets to South America to start anew. Today it offers Argentinean-inspired cocktails.
Meetings
The brand’s hybrid events and meeting space, The Apartment, includes two meeting rooms (each can fit to 24 people boardroom-style) and a communal pantry area stocked with tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks. The rooms can be booked individually or together, with a total capacity of 80 people.
The lounge area also has a long, communal table which works well for co-working, and furnishings in the public spaces have built-in plug sockets – a great feature.
Leisure
There are no leisure facilities, but The Hoxton provides complimentary bikes to cycle around the city.
Verdict
The Hoxton Lloyd is a fascinating design-forward hotel in a revitalised neighbourhood, close enough to Amsterdam’s attractions but distanced from the crowds in the centre of the city. Rooms are well-designed, albeit a little noisy, and public spaces include both period features and contemporary accents for the modern traveller.
FACT BOX
- Best for Maritime-inspired design and nods to the area
- Don’t miss Filling up on bagels at Breman Brasserie
- Price Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in May start from €269 for a Cosy Room, and €329 for a Biggy.
- Contact Oostelijke Handelskade 34, 1019 BN Amsterdam;+31 20 262 5555; thehoxton.com
