Amsterdam ’s scenic Prinsengracht (the Prince’s Canal in Dutch) buzzes with tourists, traffic, and a massive construction project. Cranes and equipment tower over a historic building that served as the Palace of Justice. Soon it will become the city’s most hyped new luxury hotel: Rosewood Amsterdam, the brand’s debut in the Netherlands.
The project, which was announced in late 2020, is far behind schedule; Rosewood staff told Robb Report the opening date is now confirmed for February 2025. Despite the delays, the 134-room property, which will feature three restaurants and an indoor pool, is one of the lucky ones. It’s among the last hotels permitted to be built in the Dutch capital for the foreseeable future, thanks to yet another measure by Amsterdam’s city council in an ongoing effort to reduce overtourism .
(Metropolises’ responses to swarms of travelers can be seen all around Europe, from new taxes in Venice to protests in Barcelona .) The capital, which has a population of 1.2 million, had 9.
4 million visitors in 2023 and recorded 22.1 million overnight stays , a figure that could soar as high as 24.5 million by the end of 2024.
The gemeente ’s latest round of restrictions, announced in April, tightened an existing rule halting the construction of new hotels (with the exemption of about two dozen properties, including the Rosewood, that had permits already secured). Other widely publicized measures include a ban on cruise ships (which has yet to be implem.