09 Sep Hotel NH Barbizon, Amsterdam
With just over twenty four hours in Amsterdam, we decided to keep hotel location easy. A short hop across from Centraal Station is Hotel NH Barbizon, perfect for quick luggage drop off before heading into town. Upon arrival we were met with immaculately trained staff – efficient, friendly and keen to make you feel welcome. The table adorned with free water, sweets and fruit also helps!
Our room was spacious and modern despite the seventeenth century exterior. The split level adds a feeling of height, perhaps making the most of the old building’s quirks. We had a lovely view overlooking a narrow canal with the occasional boat drifting by. Funnily enough there was an Irish pub opposite – you can never escape them! Regardless of that the room is perfectly quiet. During the day there aren’t many people around that side of the water and the windows are soundproof so at night you are blissfully unaware of any raucous revelry that might be taking place. TV channels aren’t of the greatest variety so we had it switching between National Geographic and kids cartoons (for when the repetitive adverts got too much!). The bed is super comfortable and pillows of a good squish versus plump balance.
Whilst researching this hotel I found that it has been Green Key certified meaning that it meets a high standard of environmental requirements. These focus on thirteen criteria areas including staff involvement, water usage, waste disposal and corporate social responsibility. So far 3100 establishments across 57 countries have Green Key certification. I’ll include a link below if you are interested to read more about it!
Back down in the foyer you’ll find an open seating area with one corner leading off to the bar and in the opposite direction, the breakfast room. If I don’t get a good breakfast I can be a bit of a grump until the next bit of tasty food comes along. Thankfully there is a good selection at NH Barbizon. At the far table lies Continental cured meats, smoked salmon, roasted veg and cheese (much Dutch cheese). Pancakes, bacon, eggs and the like are in the hot section while the third table is covered with pastries, bread and cereals. There are non-dairy milks alongside different types of granola, hopefully catering for an allergy near you. All in all a good start to the day.
If you wanted dinner close by, look no further than the hotel’s own Michelin starred restaurant. I imagine they hold a few tables for hotel guests but do check with staff so they can reserve one for you in good time. Restaurant Vermeer is the home of Executive Chef Christopher Naylor. A fellow Brit, he is ‘not afraid to push the boundaries and certainly does not like overworked and pretentious bullshit in food’. Message received ?We didn’t know about the restaurant until we got to the hotel so weren’t able to try it out this time but it’s definitely on my radar. Their website doesn’t give much away but if you like ingredients treated simply but with a creative edge, this could be right up your street.
Despite staying only one night, Hotel NH Barbizon left a really good impression on Mr Munch and I. We’ve already booked to stay again on our next visit (going to Restaurant De Kas again…couldn’t stay away! I did a post on it a few weeks ago so check it out for some killer food ?). The location is perfect for getting the train to the airport with minimum fuss. Even though it’s central, you’re away from the really overcrowded tourist streets which I much prefer. I’m looking forward to being back in Amsterdam and am plotting how much cheese I can fit in my bag home ?
Thanks for reading this post, if you liked this you might also enjoy my Amsterdam restaurant posts so take a look at those! Please give this a thumbs up and for more #minnsmunchtime there’s my instagram too.
Next munchtime we’re on roads less frequently travelled (at least these days)…Food’s still good though ?
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STATS
Total receipt (2 people): €314.92, roughly £283
Rating: 8/10 Convenient and comfortable
Hotel NH Collection Barbizon Palace, Prins Hendrikkade 59-72, 1012 AD Amsterdam, Netherlands
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