Every city has a bar worth traveling for. In Amsterdam, one of them can be found inside De L’Europe, the hotel that opened on the banks of the Amstel in 1896. Freddy’s Bar is the kind of place where locals and travelers mingle with equal nonchalance, proof that a great hotel can become part of the fabric of a city.
De L’Europe Amsterdam, a Hotel Rooted in Dutch Culture
That openness to Amsterdam reflects the history of De L’Europe itself, which occupies one of the city’s landmark addresses for hospitality. Today, it remains one of the Dutch capital’s defining hotels, expressing its identity through collaborations with the country’s designers, artists and cultural institutions. Rooms in the Rondeel Building retain the character of the historic property, while the ’t Huys wing houses a collection of suites conceived by leading figures in Dutch creative culture. Among them are interiors by fashion designer Ronald van der Kemp and a suite created in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum. The same approach extends to dining, from the two-Michelin-starred Flore to Marie, the brasserie overlooking the Amstel, and the Italian trattoria Graziella.
The History of Freddy’s Bar and Its Connection to Alfred Heineken
If the hotel reflects Amsterdam, Freddy’s Bar tells one of its more compelling stories. It begins with its namesake, Alfred “Freddy” Heineken, the businessman who led the international expansion of his family’s brewing company and acquired De L’Europe in the 1950s. A recent renovation pays tribute to the man without turning the bar into a shrine to its former owner.
Classic Cocktails, Beer and Live Jazz
Instead, Freddy’s has the feel of a polished yet welcoming gentleman’s pub, where history sits comfortably alongside a relaxed atmosphere and reservations are unnecessary.
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