Hotel de l'Europe (Amsterdam)

De L'Europe Amsterdam
De L'Europe Amsterdam seen from Rokin
Location within Amsterdam
General information
Location	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Coordinates	52°22′3″N 4°53′40″E / 52.36750°N 4.89444°E / 52.36750; 4.89444Coordinates: 52°22′3″N 4°53′40″E / 52.36750°N 4.89444°E / 52.36750; 4.89444
Opening	1896
Other information
Number of rooms	48
Number of suites	63
Number of restaurants	2
Parking	Yes

De L'Europe Amsterdam (formerly known as Hotel de l'Europe) is a five-star hotel located on the Amstel river in the centre of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. De L'Europe Amsterdam is situated opposite and overlooking the Munt, where the river Amstel flows into the Rokin canal. The 19th-century hotel became an official monument (rijksmonument) in 2001. Since 2012 the hotel houses the Michelin-starred restaurant Bord'Eau Restaurant Gastronomique.

Freddy's Bar, the bar of the hotel, is named after Freddy Heineken.

De L'Europe Amsterdam changed its name in 2011, after being called Hotel de L'Europe since 1896.

Up until the fifteenth century, Amsterdam had never had any need to build defence walls. The city was situated in the middle of marshlands and swamps. The only thing that separated it from the countryside was a deep canal surrounding the entire city. In 1482, when the danger of war was imminent, the citizens constructed a wall with towers at its farthest corners in only one year. One of these towers was called "Rondeel", built in 1535, and right on the spot where De L'Europe is now standing.

When Amsterdam expanded in 1593, with the addition of the strip of land between two of the oldest canals, a new embankment was needed. The Rondeel tower wasn’t needed anymore to defend the city, however the tower remained as it was for several decades.

In 1638 an inn was built on the side of the old Rondeel, partially constructed on the same foundation. Owned by a Mr. Jordan, in the beginning it was just a simple inn, but business went very well because in 1652 it was enhanced on the side facing the Amstel River and a beautiful Renaissance style facade was built.

It was not until 1772 that the inn made it on the news again. Thanks to an article in the Amsterdam Gazette on February 21st, 1772, we know that Reynier Welters had been running the Rondeel during the previous 15 years. Because of its ruinous condition, he had to leave the inn. However, around this time some very necessary renovations took place in the building and a new façade facing the Amstel River was built as well as the interior of the property. Artist Pierre Fouquet referred to it as a "Gentlemen's Inn of Distinction" in his 1783 Atlas.

Years later in 1838, the Rondeel proved not to be profitable and was auctioned for the sum of 21,800.- Dutch Guilders (€ 9.900,00). H.J. Wolters, the new owner, renovated the Rondeel again and it was reopened on September 28th, 1845. In the same year he appraised the hotel to “all traveling gentlemen and families”, which made him forerunner because most hotels in the Netherlands would only focus on families after 1880.