College Hotel
Amsterdam, Netherlands[view map]
Local restaurants
Le Garage on Ruysdaelstraat (+31 20 679 7176) is a cross between a Paris brasserie, with mirrors and red banquettes, and an Italian trattoria, with culinary touches from Asia, too. It is run by restaurateur and TV celebrity Joop Braakhekke, and big with a starry Dutch crowd, so book ahead to get a table. The Mansion (+31 20 20 616 6664) on Hobbemastraat is the new restaurant-lounge of the moment, with ostrich leather on the walls, and paintings on the seasons. It serves Cantonese and Peking cuisine upstairs, with four cocktail bars downstairs; the basement has private rooms with butlers. Look out for the ostrich leather on the walls and ceiling paintings.