The Hoxton, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The hotel is situated on Amsterdam's inner canal ring on the famous Herengracht, within Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) district. Tourist sights like the Anne Frank House and Dam Square are less than a ten-minute walk away, while Centraal Station and the Rijksmuseum are around double that. Authentic 'brown cafe' Café 't Molentje, dating from the 1870s, is very near, and a bit further is Japanese ramen restaurant Fou Fow Ramen.

By train: the Eurostar goes direct from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from the station. Book trains to Amsterdam.

By plane: flights to Amsterdam from London and Manchester take around 1 hour 15 mins. The hotel is a 30-minute drive from Schiphol airport and an eight-minute drive from the central station. Book flights to Amsterdam.

Created from five historic canal houses, the interior is warm, welcoming and modern, with a large lobby/lounge bar/restaurant with cool 1950s-70s vintage furniture, a mix of leather sofas, upholstered easy chairs and armchairs. Live music and DJs liven up selected afternoons and evenings, and dark wood floors and exposed brick walls - and a few flourishes of colour - add to the easygoing vibe.

The staff are young, cool, friendly and helpful. Bicycles are available for guests, and there are three computers in the lobby. However, there's no spa, fitness centre or concierge but regular DJs and live music make up for it.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Live music
• Free Wi-Fi

The rooms have restful light grey walls, neutrally-coloured rugs and herringbone parquet floors, with a retro look mixed with a dose of modernism. There are swish little touches like retro-style digital radios and hexagonal mirrors, and bathrooms are tiled in black and white and have funky features like large sinks, walk-in showers and copper towel racks.

Room types: Cosy Room, Roomy Room, Biggy Room, Shoebox Single, Shoebox Twin

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom, tea and coffee facilities, hairdryer, TV, free Wi-Fi

The sophisticated lounge bar area is a great spot for a cocktail or a snack, while the restaurant area (which has a glass roof, retractable in good weather) serves a great range of flavoursome, healthy, tasty options. Breakfast is a bit different here: a paper bag containing a banana, orange juice, granola and yoghurt is brought to your room, although there are more substantial options like full English breakfast and pancakes in the restaurant.

Lotti's: brasserie-style dining. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mains from €17.