The Great Amsterdam Hotel Bar Revolution

Cocktail bars in Amsterdam’s luxury hotels are quite something: the capital has experienced a genuine hotel bar revolution over the past year. That this is a good thing is made abundantly clear by these five new ‘next-level’ hotel cocktail bars. Go. See. Them.

Vault Bar – Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam

Vault is the cocktail bar of the oppressively chic Waldorf Astoria hotel, located in the former bank vault on the ground floor of the stately building on the Herengracht. In this bar, Portuguese bartending talents and brothers Wilson (right) and Tiago (left) shake and stir up a storm, and the flavorful, creative cocktails are reason enough to make your way down to the vault at least once. The service from these men is another reason, as are the bar snacks from the kitchen of **chef Sidney Schutte and the courtyard that you can walk straight into from the bar. Depending on your mood, one downside may be that the setting and clientele are rather posh, and you have to be in the mood for that.

The cocktail menu is a wallet filled with banknotes describing the cocktails, along with the currency of the country they represent. My undisputed favorite is the Peso cocktail, the Mexican one. A cocktail presented in a Coronita bottle with a lime wedge in a bucket of ice. Appearances are deceptive: the cocktail is a refreshing distant cousin of the Bloody Mary, a mix of chipotle-infused tequila, Alacrán Mezcal Jovén, chilaca peppers, pickled yellow pear tomatoes and Corona beer. The English cocktail is brilliant in its simplicity, with white Earl Grey-infused Beefeater 24 Gin, Rhubarb Amaro, LBV Port and sweet vermouth. Served in a footed teacup and ordered in pounds. The other cocktails are all well-flavored and balanced, and presented in wonderfully original ways, in a ‘vessel’ that clearly references their culture.

Herengracht 542-556 Amsterdam

Pulitzer’s Bar – Pulitzer Amsterdam

At Pulitzer’s Bar, the subtly restyled bar of the renovated Pulitzer hotel, cocktail genius Andrew Nicholls was brought in to develop the bar in its entirety. This ranges from the menu to the staff and everything else involved.

Andrew: “The cocktails are classic at their core, but translated to 2016. We honor the classics, but give them a modern interpretation with a fun factor.” The Pineapple Old Fashioned has since achieved legendary status: an Old Fashioned with Zuidam rye genever, fermented pineapple syrup and Creole bitters, presented on a little nest of straw. Andrew’s job is now done, but an all-star bar team led by bar manager Andrei Talapanescu ensures that you still want to be here for the best service and creative, outstanding cocktails.

At Pulitzer’s Bar, you sit in style but remain relaxed, and the bar has a separate entrance on the Keizersgracht. A hotel bar straight out of the book, the kind where you linger deep into the night with a wealthy American businesswoman and a corrupt board member of the Bulgarian football federation.

Keizersgracht 234 Amsterdam

Bar Brasserie Occo – The Dylan Hotel Amsterdam

We return to the Keizersgracht, less than a minute’s walk from Pulitzer’s bar, in fact. The luxury boutique hotel The Dylan thoroughly restyled its bar and brasserie and opened its doors on March 22 this year. The concept is spaciously laid out; bar and brasserie blend seamlessly into a ‘living room’ setting. Although I must say my living room is considerably messier, with rather less splendor and grandeur. The meter-long bar is a feast for the eyes, and in the antique cabinet beside it, bottles of hyper-exclusive whisky, cognac and grappa cheerfully wink at you.

Head bartender Maarten van Vliet is responsible for the signature cocktails on the menu, while bar manager Joost Brouwer runs the show here and is certainly not above shaking up a cocktail behind the bar. Order A Fisher’s Friend, a rum Old Fashioned with Zacapa 23, Van Toor’s Schelvispekel and chocolate bitters. It works like a charm. The Manhattan comes straight from the (oak) barrel and is classic, with Bulleit bourbon, homemade sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters. Delicious, although I prefer it in its original form with rye whiskey.

The cocktails here are not rocket science, but they are well executed and balanced, and the hospitality and eagerness to learn behind the bar are excellent too. As befits any respectable hotel bar (and certainly those on this list), you can confidently order any cocktail classic. Makes sense to me. The menu gives plenty of room to Dutch genevers and grain wines. And yes, even an alcohol-free gin—conceived, made and bottled in this bar. Technically, gin botanicals infused in alcohol-free wine: Virgin. Drink it in a Vir “Gin” Tonic with Mediterranean tonic and a lime wedge.

Keizersgracht 384 Amsterdam

The Tailor – NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky

The Tailor is the cocktail bar in the iconic Krasnapolsky hotel, recently relaunched with great fanfare. The Amsterdam flagship of the NH chain has been tastefully restyled while retaining its stately, classic image. The same goes for the completely new bar in the hotel. It does not exactly rock here, which is understandable but also a little disappointing. You can, however, happily sink into the comfortable sofas with excellent cocktails and bar snacks. Add some jazz and the reassuring background sound of diligently shaken cocktails, and don’t change a thing.

Tess Posthumus created the cocktail menu and trained the bar team for The Tailor. Veteran Niels van Horssen made his comeback in Amsterdam after several years away. Niels leads a fine team that includes Frenchwoman Elisa Bouchon, from whom I expect we will be hearing a lot more. In collaboration with Wynand Fockink, Tess distilled special genevers, liqueurs and bitters. The cocktails are classic, showing great respect for Dutch drinking history and featuring surprising—often multisensory—twists. Special mentions here for the outstanding Cuban Mist and the Dutch Coupe.

Dam 9 Amsterdam

Mr. Porter – W Amsterdam

Next-level Dutch polder glamour with international flair in this steak restaurant-cum-cocktail bar with a rooftop terrace at the top of the W hotel. Glitter and glamour according to the familiar and ever-successful recipe of The Entourage Group. Hilarity all around. The cocktail bar is certainly not subordinate to the whole, even though people often sit eating at the bar.

The cocktails have the exceptional quality of appealing to a broad audience while simultaneously bursting with creativity, originality and, importantly, flavor and balance. I found the Summertime Cobbler a perfect example: a summery, refreshing cocktail full of brilliant flavors. Martini Ambrato vermouth, a summer fruit syrup, allspice tincture and lemon juice, topped with champagne. If you are in the mood for something stronger, order the excellent Brewers Sour, an adult whiskey sour with Buffalo Trace bourbon, IPA reduction, date honey, lemon juice and a peated rinse of Peat Monster whisky.

Spuistraat 175 Amsterdam

Notes

1. This is quite a canal-belt-centric list. In fact, all these bars are within walking distance of one another in the heart of Amsterdam, and you can visit them all in one smooth line in a single evening. Start at The Tailor in the Krasnapolsky on Dam Square, move on to Mr. Porter in the W behind the palace on Dam Square, continue along the Keizersgracht and stop at Pulitzer’s Bar and Occo in The Dylan, ending the evening in style at Vault Bar in the Waldorf on the Herengracht.

2. And what about hotel bar The Hoxton? The Hoxton is undoubtedly Amsterdam’s newest and finest living room, where you can go all day for a fantastic cup of coffee, a local craft beer or an excellent cocktail. But it is deliberately not a real cocktail bar. It is a warm, welcoming place with great staff, good service and a fun mix of locals and hotel guests.

3. Some cocktails mentioned may no longer be on the menu at the bar in question. A real shame, because we only write about cocktails worth tasting. But variety is the spice of life, of course.