Amsterdam ID Aparthotel

With its full-service apartments outside of the city center, the Amsterdam ID Aparthotel is geared toward business travelers here for an extended stay. The modern interiors are bright and airy, with lots of large windows letting in plenty of light. Guests step through a sleek glass and masonry entrance against a red brick facade into an atrium lobby with many plants. Oversized wingback chairs and taupe, tufted leather sofas are arranged in clustered seating areas, facing the windows. The hotel's restaurant and lounge have an industrial-chic vibe, with concrete walls, exposed ductwork, and a timber ceiling. There is also an outdoor terrace with picnic tables set on cobblestones and views of the surrounding office park. There is little activity here during the day, but evening socializing warms up this modern property, with music playing in the lounge and guests mingling by the pool table.

The Amsterdam ID Aparthotel is just off Highway A-10, in the midst of a network of main roads. Amsterdam Sloterjik Station is a five-minute walk from here, where travelers will find train, bus, and metro access as well as a grocery store. Westergasfabriek, a former gas works that is now a cultural venue, is a seven-minute drive or about 25 minutes on public transportation, while Vondelpark, a picturesque green space that includes a cafe, is a 10-minute drive or 35 minutes on public transportation. The city center is about a 15-minute drive, and around the same time by train -- Centraal Station is just one stop away and takes 13 minutes to reach. Popular attractions like Dam Square, Anne Frank House, Rembrandt House Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Red Light District are a 15- to 20-minute drive or 25 to 30 minutes via public transit. Schipol Airport is a 13-minute drive or 20 minutes by train.  

The hotel opened in 2012 in a former office building and the apartments, ranging from studios to four-bedroom units, were renovated with contemporary furnishings and modern kitchens. Their many windows have views of the office park-like grounds or distant views of the harbor and city. Murals and decals reflecting Amsterdam's architecture and design, as well as bright pops of color like turquoise and cayenne, lend a hip vibe to the spaces. Guests receive a "welcome package" with coffee, tea, condiments, and toiletries, though these are not replenished (but can be purchased). The kitchens are fully equipped with cooktops, microwaves, toasters, and coffeemakers as well as dishes and cookware. Living areas have flat-screen TVs with Netflix, and vary in style, including leather or fabric sofas and ottomans, oversized contemporary light fixtures, and colorful lamps. The bedrooms are sparsely furnished and include pocket-coil Mondial mattresses and HLM Bilderbeek linens, safety deposit boxes, and irons and ironing boards. Towels and linens are changed three times a week. The bathrooms have large white tiles and painted walls with traditional porcelain fixtures. Guests complain that the absence or curtains or doors in the shower stalls (there are no tubs) leads to wet floors. 

Because apartment-style hotels often allow guests to cook and launder their own clothes, it's unusual for them to have restaurants, coffee bars, or cocktail lounges, all of which are on-site at the Amsterdam ID Aparthotel. The restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and a breakfast that includes scrambled eggs and fresh fruit, all for a fee. The ID Lounge, with all-day snacks offered for a fee, is a coffee and cocktail bar with casual, stylish seating and access to a pleasant outdoor terrace. And room service is offered in the evenings. 

The hotel has a game room with a pool table, Foosball, and an Xbox, as well as some vending machines. The 24-hour fitness center has treadmills and stationary bikes facing large windows, as well as yoga mats, Swiss exercise balls, and free weights. There is an infra-red sauna with essential oil aromatherapy and showers nearby. The bright, airy lobby offers free coffee and tea all day, and its front desk staff can assist with tours and ticketing, including the purchase of tokens for the basement laundry room and passes for the nearby transportation hub.