Search

A Visit to Hotel Droog in Amsterdam

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

As part of BlogTour Cologne, we were invited on a design walk in Amsterdam curated by very cool Dutch design magazine, Eigen Huis & Interieur. One of the highlights of the walk was a visit to the newly opened Hotel Droog. I was hooked from the moment I spotted the signage in the window!

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

Hotel Droog is an interesting concept. Renny Ramakers, co-founder and director of Droog says: “The concept of a hotel has been reversed. Whereas a hotel is usually mostly about sleeping, here we have enlarged and emphasized all the aspects that many hotels also offer and made them central to the hotel experience — and it even has a room to sleep in. Hotel Droog brings all of our activities under one roof — from curation to product design, exhibitions and lectures — and invites people to plug in as they choose.” 

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

The space contains the Droog Store, Gallery, Dining Room, Fairy Tale Garden, Beauty at Cosmania, Fashion at Kabinet, Products at Weltevree, and “the one and only bedroom.” The latter is at the very top of the three-storey 17th century building, and in fact comprises a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living area. The views over the surrounding rooftops are no doubt spectacular all year round, but looked particularly charming in the snow.

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

It’s a light airy space that is a joy to spend time in, and as you’d expect it’s beautifully kitted out with Droog’s usual flair.

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

With rates from just €200 (~$275) a night, it’s not entirely out of reach for normal folk either. 

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

I particularly liked the calm white and grey bedroom scheme and, after a 5 AM start, was tempted to hop into bed and catch forty winks!

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

Luckily, the lovely people at Droog fed us espressos and macaroons until we were refuelled for the rest of our tour.

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

On the first floor, the Dining Room serves lunch; simple, healthy dishes created from seasonal ingredients. The space also plays host to special events, lectures and performances, and is filled with Droog products and special commissions such as a reinterpretation of Rembrandt’s famous De Staalmeesters (which once hung here) by Dutch artist Berend Strik, and this new product, developed especially for the goldfish in your life!

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

The 160m2 Gallery is an exhibition space curated by Droog or by specially invited curators. Exhibitions cover design, art, fashion and upcoming developments in the creative industries, with workshops and discussions aiming to “create a dialogue between design and society.” It really was exciting to see an exhibition being installed while we were there.

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

Droog hotel, Amsterdam

The Droog Store sells small and affordable products alongside limited edition pieces; from Droog and from the ‘Friends of Droog’ curated collection – products from other labels that fit the Droog concept: “designed to enhance daily life” with “its own story to tell.”

Droog hotel, Amsterdam
Installations are not restricted to the exhibition space, but are dotted all over Hotel Droog, such as this one within Fashion at Kabinet. It’s a truly multi-disciplinary space, where the cross fertilisation of ideas is inevitable – and really inspiring.

With thanks to Modenus and BlogTourCGN sponsors, MieleBlancoMr SteamDu Verre HandwareAxor and NKBA

And thanks to Droog for images 3, 5, 8, 10 and 11 by Thijs Wolzak. All others by Katie Treggiden. 

Katie Treggiden is a purpose-driven journalist, author and, podcaster championing a circular approach to design – because Planet Earth needs better stories. She is also the founder and director of Making Design Circular, a program and membership community for designer-makers who want to join the circular economy. With 20 years' experience in the creative industries, she regularly contributes to publications such as The Guardian, Crafts Magazine and Monocle24 – as well as being Editor at Large for Design Milk. She is currently exploring the question ‘can craft save the world?’ through an emerging body of work that includes her fifth book, Wasted: When Trash Becomes Treasure (Ludion, 2020), and a podcast, Circular with Katie Treggiden.