Jaz Hotel 🏨 Amsterdam 🇳🇱

I mentioned in my story about the Marker Hotel in Dublin that I’m not normally one to splurge on luxury hotels. Quirky, affordable, and centrally-located is more my speed. However, when I caught a glimpse of the Jaz Hotel’s spectacular guest-suites while planning my first trip to Amsterdam, I knew that its story had to be told.

The Jaz Hotel -- Winner of the Dutch Hotel Award in 2019

Opened in 2015 as a music-themed contemporary hotel aimed at millennial travelers, the Jaz Hotel provides accommodations fit for a rock star across its 258 guest rooms. The sleek, industrial design concept that mixes raw wood, concrete, trussed lighting and metal grillwork might lead you to question your own coolness, but don’t worry – you’re among friends.

The Jaz Hotel’s website boasts “a mix of music, food and art so new it doesn’t even have a name yet.”

Let’s start with the good stuff. The ‘Off Beat Suite’ that I stayed in was an absolute stunner. Where do I even begin? 18-foot ceilings. A funky, internally-lit, oversized bathtub with a built-in TV. The softest, most luxurious bed that I’ve ever slept in. A commode with futuristic features that I’m not entirely comfortable describing in a story that my co-workers might read. The balcony. The musical decor. It really was something special. The only miss was the in-room ‘music system’ – really just a low-cost, portable Bluetooth speaker, chained to the desk, and lacking in sound quality.

The stylish Off-Beat Suite

The extra-deep bathtub lights up from the inside

Enjoying some breezes. The view is nothing special.

Cool CD wall art piece. Vinyl would have been cooler.

Look up! Art is everywhere!

The Rhythms Bar & Kitchen is a modern, colorful bar/restaurant combo that felt a bit more like a bar than a restaurant, in my opinion. The live DJ spinning fantastic house music was a unique touch. The food and cocktail menu is more or less what you’d expect at a high-end hotel. I had the burger, and it wasn’t great; the homemade ketchup and odd shape failed to impress this burger connoisseur.

The Rhythms Bar & Kitchen

Why can’t I get a good burger in this city?!

The hotel’s amenities include a sauna and fitness center, plus a yoga and meditation room. The lack of a pool in a hotel this large was disappointing. I believe that the hotel also hosts live music in a few different forms, but there didn’t seem to be anything special happening during my visit.

As much as I hate to say this, any points that the Jaz Hotel earns for its undeniable cool factor and stunning suites, it forfeits with its not-so-cool suburban location, 9km (5.5 miles) southeast of the city center. After staying for several nights at the Hotel CC in the heart of Amsterdam the previous week, the Jaz Hotel made the charming canals and narrow streets feel light years away. Getting into the city via the Strandvliet Station in the early evening wasn’t a problem, but getting back at night after the train had stopped running, and getting to the airport the following morning was a nightmare.

My honest opinion? The Jaz Hotel is not a great choice if you’re in town to see the sights and sounds of Amsterdam. However, I can see it as an excellent choice for business travel. I actually ran into a friend of mine from NYC who was in town on business; he mentioned that his company often held functions at the Jaz, and that its meeting facilities are excellent. It would also be a convenient choice if your overnight stay is to be preceded by an event at one of the many surrounding entertainment venues.