A historic landmark turned design-led stay with huge, quirky rooms and serious personality.
Set inside a striking former shipping company headquarters on Amsterdam’s eastern docks, The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam is anything but your typical canal-side hotel. Expect soaring ceilings, bold design choices, unexpected room layouts and a strong sense of history woven into every corner. I stayed in a Biggy room, and the space was enormous, playful and full of character – exactly the kind of stay that makes you feel like you’ve discovered somewhere special.
Where is The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam?
The location feels distinctly local rather than touristy. (Credit: Ralph Reniers)
The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam sits in the Eastern Docklands (Oostelijk Havengebied), a quieter waterfront area about 10 minutes by tram from the city centre. It’s right on the IJ river and surrounded by striking modern architecture, converted warehouses, an original Dutch windmill and leafy promenades.
This location feels distinctly local rather than touristy. You’re close to creative neighbourhoods, waterside walking paths and excellent public transport links, making it easy to reach the canals, museums and nightlife while still retreating somewhere calm at the end of the day.
What is the style and character of The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam?
The building has been a shipping company HQ, prison, youth detention centre, artist studios, and then a hotel. (Credit: Emily Murphy)
The design blends heritage and modern playfulness.
The hallway reflects the original industrial architecture. (Credit: Emily Murphy)
The building itself is the star. Originally built in 1921 as the headquarters of the Royal Dutch Lloyd shipping company, it later served as a prison, youth detention centre and then artist studios before becoming a hotel.
Inside, the design blends heritage and modern playfulness. Original architectural details, bold colours, eclectic furniture and art-filled spaces combine to make a truly unique hotel. No two rooms are alike, with distinctive layouts, ceiling heights and quirky angles that reflect the building’s layered past. It feels creative, slightly unconventional and very Amsterdam.
What facilities does The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam have?
The property centres around its lively restaurant and bar.
The Terrace catches the sun all day.
There are meeting and event rooms throughout the hotel.
Facilities here are geared more toward lifestyle and atmosphere than traditional hotel extras. The property centres around its lively restaurant and bar, along with stylish communal lounges that double as relaxed work and social spaces. Guests can hire bikes to explore Amsterdam like a local, and there are also meeting and event rooms tucked within the historic building. It’s not a hotel with pools or a spa, but it delivers exactly what you want in a design-led city stay: characterful spaces to eat, drink, work and unwind.
What are the rooms like at The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam?
Expect high ceilings and distinctive layouts. (Credit: Ralph Reniers)
The industrial roots are present in the bathroom design. (Credit: Ralph Reniers)
Rooms vary widely due to the historic structure, ranging from Cosy to Studio categories.
I stayed in a Biggy room after being upgraded from a Cosy, and it was huge, airy and wonderfully quirky. Expect high ceilings, distinctive layouts, vintage-inspired furniture and thoughtful design touches that feel personal. The rotary phone and analogue radio were nice touches, and I loved that the radio was playing in my room as I arrived; it really set the mood, and I used it pretty much the entire time I was in there.
The bed is comfortable, and the space feels creative. The only drawback was the shower design. The glass door lacked an internal handle, so opening it meant pushing the door toward the basin, leaving a small gap that forced me to brush against it. In winter, that made me instantly chilly. Still, it was a minor inconvenience in an otherwise memorable room.
What is the dining like at The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam?
Have a drink at Barbue. (Credit: Ralph Reniers)
Breman Brasserie serves European-inspired dishes.
Chat to fellow guests at the bar.
The hotel’s main restaurant is Breman Brasserie, a bright, relaxed space serving European-inspired dishes.
Breakfast here is generous, with a buffet offering both hot and cold options, fresh juices and filter coffee. Espresso coffees are available for an extra charge. I paid €4.50 (about A$7.50) each morning for a pretty average coffee. As an Australian, I do have high standards for coffee, but they were still preferable to filter coffee.
Each room also includes a breakfast bag option. Simply fill in the form, hang the bag outside your door, and you’ll receive a light breakfast of a granola bar, juice and a banana in the morning for a small fee.
Does The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam have access for guests with disabilities?
The hotel offers accessible rooms and lifts.
Yes. The hotel offers accessible rooms and lifts, and staff can assist with accessibility needs. Given the historic nature of the building, the front entrance isn’t accessible, and some areas have structural limitations, but there is an alternate entrance that is accessible, and overall accessibility has been integrated.
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Is The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam family-friendly?
Larger room categories can accommodate families. (Credit: Ralph Reniers)
While it’s not specifically designed for families, the larger room categories can accommodate parents travelling with children. The spacious layouts and relaxed atmosphere make it suitable for older kids, though it feels more geared toward couples and solo travellers.
The verdict
The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam is a stay for travellers who value personality.
The Hoxton, Lloyd Amsterdam is a stay for travellers who value personality over polish. The historic setting, creative design and truly unique rooms make it far more memorable than standard city hotels. If you love character, space and a sense of place, this is one of Amsterdam’s most distinctive stays.
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Best for: Design lovers, creative travellers and couples seeking something unique
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Emily Murphy is International Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore the world. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring under-the-radar destinations. Next on her travel wish list? Mexico and an African safari.
Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.
The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.
1. Easy access to good food
Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.
One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.
In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.
In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.
Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.
At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.
While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.
It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.
2. Better sleep options
Sleep deeply with Novotel.
There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.
For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.
The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.
3. More ways to move
Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)
Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.
At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.
Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.
4. Better connections
Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.
One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.
Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.
A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.
Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.
All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.
