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With white and orange-striped canopies and a jaw-dropping 19th-century brick and black iron facade, Amsterdam’s latest hotel in Oost, The Manor, resides in a building stuffed with character – and an intruiging history.
For one hundred years, from 1891 to 1991, the building was used as a notorious local hospital in Oost’s Dapperbuurt neighbourhood. Notorious, we say, because it was where Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (aka Johan Cruyff), the Dutch football genius who came up with the idea of ‘total football’ (football and Ted Lasso fans, you already know), was born. After the hospital’s closure, the building served as the area’s district office until 2005. Six years later, after careful renovating, The Manor opened, but it wasn’t until 2024 that it officially joined Leonardo Limited Edition hotels and was again renovated into the magnigicent Manor you see today.
Set only a couple of blocks from Oosterpark on one direction, and the scenic Ringvaart canal in the other, The Manor is too big of a property to be considered a boutique hotel, but still holds all the charm, comfort and convenience of one. It’s an idyllic space to explore all of Amsterdam’s offerings, or – if you’re unlucky like me and on your visit, succumb to the worst fever imaginable, it’s a heavenly refuge for rest and recovery. The lobby, a vast space with two lounges and a snack bar, mixes contemporary design with Art-Deco-era patterns and geometrics. The rooms' tall windows pour in fresh air and ambient light. And the staff is attentive and caring, doing what they can to provide a restful stay.
What are the rooms like?
The 125 rooms at The Manor are sleek, stylish and high-ceilinged, making each bedroom feel spaceous, especially if you book one with a balcony or window with a view of the hotel’s courtyard or the buzzing main road. Each room comes with an exquisitely comfortable bed, a Nespresso machine and tea corner, giant TVs and marble-patterend bathrooms with tiled shelving spaces and an excellent shower. Larger rooms come with a work desk, a sitting area with a modern coffee table and seating, and a sofa bed for extra guests (or sleeping right by the window sill. As for decor, expect neutral tones with Italian inspiration, gold or brass accents, and Art Deco-meets-modern designs, like golden, dome-shaped side table lamps and geometric rugs.
What is the food and drink like?
The Manor’s in-house restaurant, PepeNero, serves up classic Italian dishes, where I tried a seriously silky cacio e pepe risotto scattered with savoury, salty guanciale. Mornings are buffet style, with array of fruit, cheeses and meats for the taking, a rotating platter of pancakes, your classic morning eggs and – my favourite part – a wide range of fresh herbs to add to your dishes.
If weather permits for lunch and dinner, dining on the restaurant patio is the way to go, but if it’s rainy, the gold and mirror-reflecting dining room is still a chic alternative. These are the hours for creamy burrata on tomato bread or classic eggplant parm, all served in shiny new dishwear and golden cutlery. While PepeNero (and the hotel overall) normally doesn’t offer room service (a maneuver and gentle push to get you to explore the actual restaurant and local dining scene), the staff will graciously pack a plate for takeaway if you wish.
What are the facilities like?
There aren’t a lot of extras at The Manor, save for the compact fitness centre and a couple of meeting spaces with views of the hotel's little, but lush courtyard. The fitness centre has all the minimal but necessary state-of-the-art gym equipment for a workout.
What is the service like?
Questions were answered warmly, recommendations were given graciously, rooms were cleaned spotlessly and the hospitality given – especially to this poor, bed-ridden guest – was of the most thoughtful, something I’ll always remember.
What is the area like?
In the heart of Amsterdam Oost, The Manor lies in the lively Dapperbuurt neighbourhood, known for its daily market, Dappermarkt, less than a 10-minute walk away. Oosterpark is also at your feet, and less than two blocks away. Stroll through the tree-lined footpaths and you'll find a playground and skatepark, a central pond and water fountain, and historic sculptures like Nationaal Slavernijmonument, the National Slavery Monument that commemorates the official abolishment of slavery in the Netherlands and its empire in 1863.
After the scenic history lesson, there are lots of independent cafes, (but no coffee shops, sadly), restaurants and cultural sites to weave in and out of like Wereldmuseum Amsterdam, a museum that holds art and artifacts from non-Western cultures, fine dining restaurant, De Kas, and the mouthwatering Bar Bukowski, named after the famous writer and serving coffee in the morning, cocktails in the evening and tasty bites in between.
Why stay at The Manor in Amsterdam?
The Manor offers the trifecta of all things we look for in big city accomodation: an excellent location with convenient public transport, a cultural connection to the area and simply, a super cool and comfortable place to stay. The staff is reliable, the food is delicious, the bedrooms are chic and the experience is memorable.
Sure, I may have been on the brink of hospitalisation on this trip, but there is no other hotel where I’d rather face the brink of hospitalisation in. If anything, maybe I got a little taste of the building's past, but with all the flair and flavour of its present. I look forward to visiting again, healthy and in the near future.
DETAILS
Address: Linnaeusstraat 89, 1093 EK, Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from €136 per night
Closest transport: Amsterdam Muiderpoort Station and Wijttenbachstraat tram stop