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!
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.”
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.
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.
With rates from just €200 (~$275) a night, it’s not entirely out of reach for normal folk either.
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!
Luckily, the lovely people at Droog fed us espressos and macaroons until we were refuelled for the rest of our tour.
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!
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.
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.”
With thanks to Modenus and BlogTourCGN sponsors, Miele, Blanco, Mr Steam, Du Verre Handware, Axor and NKBA.
And thanks to Droog for images 3, 5, 8, 10 and 11 by Thijs Wolzak. All others by Katie Treggiden.
