Business Travel to Amsterdam: Around the Corner from the Krasnopolsky

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Living it up at the Hotel Krasnapolsky is no great trick. The "Kras," as it's known locally, began as the graceful Wintertuin (Winter Garden) restaurant, founded in 1866 by a Polish tailor turned entrepreneur. Victorian ladies and gentlemen sipped wine and nibbled pancakes beneath the hanging plants and lofty skylight ceiling, where breakfast and lunch are now served. The Kras was Holland's first hotel to sport parquet floors, central heating, and electric lights. Since then, it has spread amoeba-like over four buildings, including one with a Japanese garden and another with a Dutch roof garden. The rooms' sizes and shapes vary considerably. Some are small, while others have been tastefully reconverted into individually decorated apartments. The state of the rooms varies, too, from worn to recently renovated. Since there are so many rooms, you'd do best to have a look at yours first and to retain an option to change if it's not suitable. The street alongside the hotel leads straight into the Red Light District, which may not be everyone's idea of the perfect route for a casual evening stroll.

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This beautiful church, called the "New Church" in English, is tucked in beside the Royal Palace in Amsterdam's grand Dam square. It was founded in 1408 when the Oude Kerk ("Old Church") became too small for Amsterdam's growing population. The church was consecrated to St. Mary and St. Catherine during its Catholic years, receiving its current name only after the Protestant Alteration. After suffering extensive damage from the city's many fires, the church was rebuilt in its current Gothic style during the second half of the seventeenth century. It is no longer used as a church, but is still used by the royal family for weddings and coronations. The rest of the time it is used for organ recitals and as an exhibition space in collaboration with the Rijksmuseum. Several famous Dutch figures are buried beneath the church's floors, most notably naval hero Admiral Michiel de Ruyter and poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel. Immediately inside the doors, a set of steps leads to a free area with a view over the church and drawings of the layout of medieval Amsterdam as well as of the church tower that was supposed to have been built at the same time as the Town Hall (now the Royal Palace)... read more

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Located at Dam Square, The National Monument was unveiled on on May 4th, 1956 in honor of those who died during World War II. The monument is a 22-meter tall obelisk, with two stone lions standing beneath. Every year on May 4th, you will find a large gathering of dignitaries, as well as many other people, commemorating the victims of the war.

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One of the Dam's heavier features is the solid, neoclassical facade of the Royal Palace (1648-55), also known as the Paleis op de Dam (Palace on the Dam). Jacob van Campen -- the Thomas Jefferson of the Dutch Republic -- designed it as a stadhuis (town hall) to replace the decayed old Gothic one that in 1652 did everyone a favor by burning down. Van Campen intended to showcase the city's burgeoning prosperity; so its interior is replete with white Italian marble, sculptures, and painted ceilings. Poet Constantijn Huygens called it the eighth world wonder, and indeed it was among Europe's largest secular buildings at the time. It was built on a precisely tabulated foundation of 13,659 timber pilings -- a figure taught to all Dutch schoolchildren.

Not until 1808, when Napoleon Bonaparte's younger brother Louis reigned as king of the Netherlands, did it become a palace, filled with imperial furniture courtesy of the French ruler. Since the Dutch House of Orange's return to the throne in 1813, this has been the official palace of the reigning king or queen of the Netherlands. Few of them, however, have used it for more than their pied-à-terre in the capital or an occasional state celebration,...

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Amsterdam's answer to New York's Bloomingdale's, De Bijenkorf is the city's best-known department store, and the one with the best variety of goods. The ground floor has the usual ranks of cosmetic counters in the center section, plus a men's department and odds and ends such as socks and stockings, handbags and belts, costume jewelry, and stationery. And umbrellas -- plenty of umbrellas! On upper floors, there's everything from ladies' fashions to dekbedden (down comforters), plus a bookstore, several eating spots, and even a luggage section at which you can pick up an extra suitcase or bag to tote home your purchases. Records, color TVs, shoes, clothing, personal effects, appliances -- it's all here.

Several worthwhile eateries here include La Ruche, a classy Rietveld-style cafeteria on the second floor (its big windows afford a fine view of the Dam), or the more intimate Literair Café on the fourth floor, where you can have sushi, sandwiches, and light snacks beside the book department.

Our Local Expert Says:

You may notice that not all the windows are red. The blue windows on Barndesteeg are windows for women who are women only from the waist up.

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Quite possibly Amsterdam's most defining feature, the Red Light District is the place to see some truly unique things. If prostitutes in windows aren't enough, you can also find an Erotic Museum, which takes you through the history of prostitution, the Hash Marijuana and Hemp Museum, which tells you all you need to know about weed, and the Banana Bar, a bar where waitresses are highly skilled in the various ways of eating a banana. If you want to learn more about prostitution in the Netherlands, visit the Prostitute Information Centre, located next to the Oude Kerk. If this doesn't excite you, the Warmoestraat, which runs along the Red Light District, is full of coffeeshops, bars, hostels and gay S&M clubs. Walking through the Red Light District today you may notice that some windows contain out of place fashion exhibitions. This is a result of the city's efforts to "clean up" the streets.

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Magna Plaza isn't actually a department store, but a mall, located amid the extravagant neo-Gothic architecture of the former central Post Office, which dates from 1908. The Plaza's four elegant, column-lined floors are decked with around 50 specialist stores of all kinds. Yet it's small enough to function almost like a department store does.

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The food here at Pasta e Basta is good and the prices that high. What makes this place different is the opera singing waiters. This place is very popular and you'll have to make reservations, but if after reading this review you are not instantly scared away at the thought of some strange person serenading you whilst you're eating, you're sure to enjoy yourself.

Our Local Expert Says:

Best View

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The chic interiors boast of mirrored walls and yes that is an advantage-it gives you a clear picture of your cute neighbor seated behind. High ceilings, brick red walls and drinks stacked right up give Jaren an ultra chic look. Try the Moroccan broodjes or select from the scrumptious salads from the salad bar. Do go for the Salade de Crabe-a much recommended salad of this cafe.

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Best view in Chinatown

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Bird first opened its snackbar at Zeedijk 77 in 1993, part of a new influx of Asian eateries taking over the formerly shady area of Amsterdam which is now known as the city's "China town." In 1998 they opened this restaurant across the street. Popular with locals and tourists alike, visitors can enjoy a Thai atmosphere and staff to acompany their traditional Thai dishes.

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See the website for information about the private rooms that can be used for parties and business meetings and the special arrangements that can be made to combine your meal with a taste of history!

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When viewing the Waag building, which was built in 1488 and looks much like a castle keep, it is not difficult to imagine the long, rich, and varied history behind this remarkable building. Although the building still hosts a historical society dedicated to the preservation of the building and its story, the larger part of the building has been turned over to a restaurant serving upscale bistro fare. While the food is good and the atmosphere is lovely (see also the large outdoor dining section), potential patrons should visit the website to read up on the building's history to truly understand how special this dining setting is.

Our Local Expert Says:

Quintessential Amsterdam Experience

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The Oude Kerk, or Old Church, is Amsterdam's oldest church, dating from the1300s. The church is conveniently located in the old city center, walking distance from Centraal Station, which used to be the site of the city's main port. Sailors would stop in town for a night, visit the bars and prostitutes, then go to church to buy an indulgence, or "get out of hell free card", before heading back out to sea. It was important to buy this indulgence, as such sea journeys were very dangerous and many men never made it back. Ensuring they went to heaven in case of a tragic accident gave them peace of mind, and the Church's strategic position in the heart of the Red Light District earned it a great deal of money - everyone was happy.

These days the church is no longer active but serves as a center for art exhibitions. The famous World Press Photography exhibition starts its world-wide tour at the Oude Kerk each year in June. During periods of no exhibitions, the impressive church is worth a visit on its own.

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If you like your celebrities with a waxen stare, don't miss the Amsterdam version of the famous London attraction. It has its own cast of Dutch characters (Rembrandt, Queen Beatrix, Mata Hari), among a parade of international favorites (Churchill, Kennedy, Gandhi). Exhibits bring you face to face with waxwork images of the powerful and famous and allow you to step into the times, events, and moments that made them so. The Dutch 17th-century display is magnificent. Cannons roar in the war of liberation against Spain, Rembrandt and Vermeer get busy with their paints, and you can stroll through the streets of Golden Age Amsterdam. More recent Dutch figures get a nod, too, like van Gogh with his sunflowers and Piet Mondrian and a red-yellow-and-blue canvas. Among the characters portrayed -- and often brought to life with memorabilia such as paintings or a smoking cigarette -- are world leaders, religious leaders, stars, artists, and writers: Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Michael Jackson, Madonna, David Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, and many more.

The Music Zone has a disco floor and video footage, music, and pictures...

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Best Quick Eats

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Developed within the past 20 years, this area is now the center of Amsterdam's large Asian community. Here you will find a variety of affordable restaurants, the largest Buddhist temple in Europe, and a spectacular Chinese New Year celebration.

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Most Picturesque Square

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Nieuwmarkt is a square that borders on many of Amsterdam's famous attractions, including the Red Light District and the Zeedijk (Amsterdam's Chinatown). The square is lined with café's, coffeeshops and bars and is a great place to grab a drink in the evening or a bite during the day. Many of the buildings around the square have interesting histories; the small café' "De Fontayn" on the Eastern side of the square was the city's most luxurious brothel in the 1800s.