The Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy is in the heart of Amsterdam's newly developed Eastern Docklands.
The Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy is the first one to five star hotel in the world. It was created from a curiosity in the cultural luggage of guests, a longing to make a connection between Dutch culture and theirs and a zest for making them feel welcome.
The Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy is situated on Amsterdam’s waterfront in the Eastern Docklands. With its famed modern architecture and an ever more bustling nightlife, this is a sought-after area for creatives. Originally a migrant’s hotel, for thousands of people it served as the last stop in Europe before setting out for the South-Americas on one of the Royal Dutch Lloyd ships. From the early forties onwards, Lloyd Hotel has had several functions before it reopened in 2004 as an independent one to five star hotel. Architects MVRDV implemented the building’s latest transition.
Over fifty designers and artists worked on the interior. Some were chosen to create work which reflects on the building’s past and to add a new layer. Building and interior communicate Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy’s attitude: it is a work in progress, never to be finished. Catering to all kinds of people, the atmosphere is relaxed. The hotel and its restaurant and bar are open to hotel guests and locals.
The Cultural Embassy presents a continual program of events around its cultural guests and the festivals in Amsterdam. Events take place throughout the building and can mostly be visited free of charge. They are a mix of high and low art, design, catwalk appearances, performances, collections, textiles, jewellery, and food events.
Special projects dig deeper into a subject, resulting in f.i. a temporary Llove Hotel in Tokyo, cultural exchanges with India, Brazil and China, Slow design research, and exhibitions on the history of the hotel, like ‘Zotia Emigrates’.
Lloyd Restaurant
The menu is based on (South-) European dishes, snacks and delicacies. From around 5pm pintxos can be picked up from the bar. Traditional recipes are used for unfussy cooking, with as much home-grown produce as possible. Eggs, fish, meats and vegetables all come from the area, with the pâté being cycled in by the pâté cook and patisserie, preserves and mayonnaise being made by the chefs. Seasonal food can be found featuring on the menu all year round.
In summer guests can enjoy the huge terrace on the South side of the hotel and in the evenings the red bar overlooking the water is the place for cocktails and intimate get-togethers.