| Amsterdam in Stilettoes
Forget the clogs and the tulips; there is some serious shopping and dropping to be done in this secret city. Prioritising is important here, so first you need to decide which one of the two most stylish and captivating hotels in Amsterdam to stay in. The Dylan or The College Hotel?
The Dylan, formerly known as Blakes Amsterdam, has foundations that date back to 1612 and yet the blend with modernity is so perfectly integrated, that timeless chic is the feeling created here. The food is a delectable fusion between East and West, infact it's the best fusion restaurant in Holland. The Dylan is situated in the middle of the 'Nine Streets' area - a shopaholic's haven. These nine little streets offer an array of eclectic boutiques specialising in modern, vintage and one-offs created by Dutch and foreign designers. It is along these streets that exclusive and exciting additions can be made to slot in to any magpie's wardrobe. Take, for example, Antonia by Yvette, a designer shoe boutique with handbags and boots. Two minutes behind the Royal Palace and a teeter from The Dylan, you can purchase this season's hottest "must haves". You can literally live the Cinderella dream. Click onto www.antoniabyyvette.nl for details. This theme continues along the entire street. But, if it's haute couture you are after, then go to P.C. Hoofstraat. Gucci, Chanel, Tods - they are all there and only five minutes from the extraordinary College Hotel.
This hotel, a "one off" in Europe, was once a college. The building is a listed 19th century gem and the interior is stylish and sophisticated in a way that reflects its scholastic past but with a twist of luxury so 21st Century luxury that sends the neurotransmitters reeling. There is also a great restaurant in the College, serving excellent Dutch cuisine.
Want to eat in a greenhouse? It happens in Amsterdam, and it works. A ten-minute cab drive from both hotels is De Kas. You eat excellent organic food with vegetables and herbs literally growing along side you www.restaurantdekas.nl. The Michelin-starred restaurant La Rive, in the Amstel InterContinental, is also a favourite amongst foreign frequenters and locals. Who said you can't eat well in Amsterdam? This is a city worth visiting before Christmas and, what might surprise you, is how it can be done in unparalleled style if Luxury Explorer is your guide.
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