Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht, Netherlands

The hotel is ideally located on one of the city's grander canals, with historic canal houses, charming bridges and cobblestoned streets all around. It is by the buzzing Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) shopping and dining quarter, and also the popular Jordaan district. Top sights like the Anne Frank House are nearby and Centraal Station is 20-minutes by tram and a short walk. Recommended bars include Pulitzer's Bar on Keizersgracht and 'brown cafe' Cafe de Doffer two minutes away at Runstraat 14. For food, head for Restaurant Beulings at Beulingstraat 9.

By train: the Eurostar goes direct from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal. The hotel is a 20-minute taxi ride from the station. Book trains to Amsterdam.

By plane: direct flights from London and Manchester take around 1 hour 15 minutes. The hotel is a 25-minute drive from Schiphol airport and a 15-minute drive from central station. Parking costs €65 per day. skyscanner.net

Andaz hotels are part of the Hyatt chain but offer quirky design twists rather than the predictability you'd see at a typical business hotel. This hotel has celebrated Dutch designer Marcel Wanders' personality stamped all over it. Dubbed the 'Lady Gaga of the design world' by the New York Times - indeed the pop star herself has stayed in the Prinsengracht Suite in the past, perhaps in homage - Wanders has created a uniquely whimsical style, mixing elements like the Dutch Golden Age, Delft pottery and Alice in Wonderland. There are bright red and yellow tulip chairs, a huge mural and glittering spheres adorning the central atrium, colourful clogs fixed to walls, video screens displaying art, and much more.

The lobby area leads off to the bar and restaurant areas and the library, which is a good spot for working. There's also a garden area, a spa and sauna, and a 24-hour skylit gym with cardio equipment, exercise balls, free weights and kettlebells. There's also a meeting room with a Delft blue pottery theme, lined with Wanders' creations mixed with traditional items.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Terrace
• Garden
• Fitness centre
• Spa
• Free bike hire
• Family-friendly
• On-site parking
• Free Wi-Fi

The rooms and suites overlook the Prinsengracht canal, the garden, or the hotel's interior Observatorium-themed atrium lobby. The Prinsengracht Suite boasts Amsterdam's largest hotel terrace overlooking the canals. There's a separate loo and shower room, with the sink in the main room itself.

Room types: Atrium View, Garden View, Garden View Deluxe, Terrace, Canal View, Andaz Suite, Andaz Large Suite, Prinsengracht Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with toiletries, hairdryer, Nespresso machine, TV, free mini-bar, free Wi-Fi

The Bluespoon Bar in the lobby area offers perfectly-prepared cocktails, and you can eat here also from the small but tasty menu that includes burgers with a twist, sea bass ceviche or perhaps Zeeland mussels. À la carte breakfast is served in the restaurant area with its open kitchen.

Bluespoon Restaurant: atmospheric restaurant. International, modern cuisine. Open daily for breakfast and Thu-Sat for dinner.

Bluespoon Bar: cosy lounge and all-day dining venue. Theatrical cocktails, small plates and mains. Open daily, from 12pm.