Halima Ali finds out if the The Hoxton’s hip vibe translates outside of the UK 

Having opened in the summer, this Amsterdam outpost marks The Hoxton’s first foray outside the UK and it doesn’t fail to live up to its achingly hip credentials. Ideally located less than 10 minutes from the city centre, the canal-side property is half hotel, half bar/restaurant with loud music filling the entire ground floor. Even on a Monday night, it was packed.

Fortunately, the raucous hubbub doesn’t travel to the guest rooms. My cosy room with its fun, vintage-inspired décor was snug but big enough to be comfortable, with a luxurious double bed, dressing table, free Wi-Fi, TV and retro-style bathroom.

The minibar comes stocked with free mineral water and milk for making a late night cup of tea, and if you get the munchies, the reception area stocks an array of goodies, including delicious stroopwafels at supermarket prices.

A free breakfast bag is delivered every morning, if requested, complete with granola and yoghurt, a banana and orange juice, which meant I could lounge in bed for a while longer watching the boats on the canals and cyclists speeding past. Guests can also make one hour of free calls to anywhere in the world – perfect for homesick travellers.

Canal views aside, the hotel truly comes into its own with Lottie’s restaurant on the ground floor. During the day, the diner and bar area is a networking hub and resembles a co-working space with lunch meetings taking place while other users huddle over laptops.

Come evening, the lights are dimmed for dinner and it’s difficult to get a table — make reservations to avoid disappointment. The Italian-based, Dutch-influenced cuisine certainly doesn’t.

The next stops for The Hoxton are New York and Paris, where the new properties are sure to bring the brand’s signature cool.

Location: Herengracht 255, 1016 BJ Amsterdam, Netherlands

Price: Rooms from €89 (£63) per night.

Contact: thehoxton.com/holland/amsterdam

This review was published on CountryByCountry