After the huge success of the original Hoxton on the Herengracht, Hoxton opened, a second hotel in Amsterdam, in a more quiet neighbourhood in the Eastern Docklands area of the city called The Lloyd. I have stayed at both Hoxton hotels in Amsterdam, and they’re extremely different in both style and location, but I have to say without a shadow of a doubt that the Lloyd Hotel is my preferred place to stay out of the two, and have actually been back 4 times in the past 18 months.
The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam, is a striking blend of history and modern design. Housed in a national monument, the building carries a legacy spanning over a century. Originally commissioned by the Royal Holland Lloyd (Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd, KHL), it has served various roles over the years from hosting immigrants to being a detention centre and artists studios, The Lloyd Hotel officially opened in 2004, housing 117 rooms and becoming a popular meeting place for locals and visitors. The Hoxton took over, and gave the tired hotel an extensive refurbishment, doing what they do best, which is blending historic charm with contemporary aesthetics. They opened in September 2023, and I was so excited to visit that I booked a room in October, the hotel was so new, and I was very impressed by all the attention to detail.
The building is so striking and dominates the area, it looks dark and imposing (I love its Wes Anderson vibe) but when you enter the interior is bright and unique. They have done such a good job at keeping so many of the building’s original historic features and making the decor contemporary, it has good energy and you instantly feel comfortable.
The Breman Brasserie, which is the hotels, restaurant is named after the building’s original architect and this grand space is beautiful, with high ceilings, huge windows which let a lot of light in and the decor is elegant and inviting. You can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as taking your time over a coffee or sit at the bar for a cocktail. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and I really enjoyed spending time in here, the food is fantastic, but I do wish they would offer a few more Vegan options.
The hotel is a space for relaxing and taking your time, there are lots of places to sit and let the time pass you by. I am in love with the decor, I really like the way they have not shied away from using pattern and colour. The whole hotel is a vibe and it just feels so inviting and interesting. Everything from the original tiles in many of the rooms and the corridors, the incredible light features and the grand high ceilings add to its rich charm.
I have stayed in a few different rooms, all of which had very different decor and vibe. The rooms photographed below are both ‘concept rooms’ and have features that are protected and could not be changed. Like the white subway style tiles that line the walls and the huge mirrors. I really liked this room but my husband said it was quite cold and clinical, I see what he means, I thought it was very interesting and unusual. The bathroom was massive and bigger than the actual bedroom, the showers in this hotel are fantastic and the ‘blank’ products you get in the shower/bathroom are very nice.
We also stayed in the Tune concept room, this room was insane, it had a split-level connected by a statement spiral staircase with the sleeping area upstairs and living space downstairs. The decor was so whacky and the scale of the room hard to take in at first. The vaulted ceiling was so tall and so too were the windows, the room had the biggest mirror I had ever seen, a grand piano and the staircase was a work of art in itself. Such a treat and a room I will never forget, have you ever seen a room like it?
I think our favourite part of the entire hotel was the bar, Barbue has a level of cool which for the time I was there made me feel like I was a little cool too. The double height room, with a mezzanine level, has wood panelling which gives it a warm feel, and the low lighting makes it feel atmospheric and quite sexy. There is a South American flair, giving a nod to the hotel’s rich history, the classic old ticket office, where travellers once purchased tickets before embarking on ships to seek a better life abroad, has been fully preserved in its original state.
The bar is beautiful, and the drinks/cocktail menu has been very well curated with lots of Argentinian offerings, again in keeping with the hotel’s rich South American connection. The staff are fantastic and very helpful when recommending or explaining the heritage and flavours of the drinks. We spend many a night in the bar, soaking up the atmosphere and trying some new and unusual cocktails. Even if you’re not staying at The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam, I highly recommend visiting Barbue for a drink. The bar is intimate, effortlessly stylish, and exudes a very cool vibe, making it the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy its exceptional drink menu. I can’t wait to head back.
So in a nutshell this hotel is fantastic, unusual and in a quiet part of the city but still very well-connected, and you get to also explore new neighbourhoods. As someone that has visited Amsterdam many times, it is nice to be slightly out of the madness but still have access to it. It is easy to find, easy to get about and a lot more affordable than most Amsterdam hotels, but it is up there with the best I have stayed in. No compromises, they give incredible service, the rooms are quiet and I love the decor.
This is from The Hoxton website, on how to find The Lloyd & get about by tram, car,
‘Rietlandpark tram stop is a mere 3-minute walk from the hotel and you can hop off there from any point in the city – including Amsterdam Centraal Station, which is around 10 minutes’ away by tram and connects to regional / international train services. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is a 20-minute drive.’
