Premier Suites Plus Amsterdam opens in Hourglass

Premier Suites Plus Amsterdam occupies the 12th to 16th floors of the striking Hourglass, which was recently completed. The aparthotel is sharing the building with Loyens & Loeff, the law firm that will soon be moving into the other floors of the nineteen-storey building. Premier Suites Plus Amsterdam is opening slightly earlier and has its own entrance on Parnassusweg. Vermerris has a beaming smile as we leave the huge entrance doors behind us and step into the world of the PREM Group. ‘I’m pleased that, despite coronavirus, everything’s been completed on time and that it looks great. This is exactly what we envisaged.’

Although it is possible to book an overnight stay, Premier Suites Plus Amsterdam is focusing primarily on people who want to stay for longer. ‘This is why all the suites have a washer/dryer and a fully equipped kitchen’, explains Vermerris. ‘It ensures that people are not dependent on a breakfast buffet, for example, that’s only open at certain times, or they can cook themselves a pizza in the evenings.’ There is also a choice of different types of apartment. There are 44 one-room apartments, 44 lofts, 26 two-room apartments and a three-room apartment, fitted with all mod cons.

Amsterdam Zuidas deliberately chose this location for a hotel targeting the business market and apartments designed for longer stays. Marlies Geijsel, Senior Project Manager, Knowledge Quarter: ‘We want the section of Zuidas between VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VUmc location and the A10 orbital motorway to become an ‘innovation district’ that’s ideal for students, (young) urban professionals and academics. The plan is to give the area a multifunctional appeal, with buildings for education and research and space for knowledge-intensive business activity. In order to achieve this, the City has to engage with the right partners that fit this vision. Since there are already hotels in Zuidas that target tourists, we chose this location for a long-stay hotel. That means that scientists from abroad can stay here when working on a research project for Amsterdam UMC, for example.’

Premier Suites Plus Amsterdam is part of the Irish PREM Group, which has its headquarters in Dublin. Vermerris: ‘We now have locations spread across European capitals and this hotel in Amsterdam is the sixteenth we’ve opened.’ But it is not their first hotel in the Netherlands. ‘We also have a Premier Suites Plus in Rotterdam.’ What all Premier Suites all have in common is their focus on the business market, the suites have a high-end appeal and they’re always close to a major station. ‘This location is ideal from that perspective; most rooms have a direct view of Amsterdam Zuid station. Besides, the view here is great because we’re so high up.’ An underground car park and bicycle park are also available.

Although construction was completed on schedule, Premier Suites has not escaped the consequences of coronavirus. Vermerris: ‘Bookings are coming in, but not as fast as usual. The world looks slightly different than it did a few months ago. But, of course, we’re all hoping that we can return to normal as soon as possible. Fingers crossed that the relaxation of the rules goes well and the positive trend continues.’ Vermerris can even see advantages in the situation. ‘There will always be teething problems and it’s now possible to tackle them immediately in a controlled way. We’re also working on partnerships with the local neighbourhood. Since we don’t have our own restaurant, we want to talk to local hospitality venues about whether they would like to offer a breakfast or lunch box. We also want to identify places nearby where our guests can do sport or hire an electric bike. So, we have plenty to do and our team just can’t wait to get on with it.’