From afar we can see the A'dam Tower on the skyline. Look through your eyelashes and it looks more like Manhattan than Amsterdam. However, as soon as we focus our eyes again, we see that we are really in the second largest city in the Netherlands. This weekend our oldest daughter took her friend Deborah for a real teenage outing. We arrive by car at the SIR Adam hotel, one of the residents of the building. The arrival through a very rapidly developing new residential and office district is impressive. However, since the hotel is located behind the central station on the river IJ, an arrival with the free ferry that runs back and forth every five minutes is the best way to make an entry.
After we park in the underground garage, the girls are impressed by the cool graffiti on the walls, and ofcourse some pictures need to be made. Following by a warm welcomed by the staff. While the necessary formalities are being completed, we get a glass of bubbles and soft drinks for the girls. Enjoying our coolness, we dive straight into the vinyl record collection. Each room is equipped with a real retro record player. The teenagers just know how it works and with great hilarity various 'golden oldies' are selected. Actually the hilarity started on our way to the room with karaoke in the evalator, just splendid!
We just love it!
Sir Adam's rooms are designed with more than sleep in mind, but when it's time to lay your head down on crisp, high thread count bed linen and a pillow from the extensive pillow menu. When it's time to face the day (or night), grab an espresso from the Illy machine, or refresh yourself in your oversized rain shower. And when it's time to relax (and entertain old and/or new friends), a perfectly curated minibar, the record player and a selection of vinyl records and a Gibson guitar are at your fingertips. The floor-to-ceiling windows provide plenty of natural light and, when it gets dark, a view of Amsterdam's famous nightlife. The girls have their own room next to ours. Which is of course great because they can 'secretly' play records until the night while we enjoy our well-deserved rest. For families with younger children, two rooms can be combined via a hallway to create the essential family experience: your own little apartment in Amsterdam.
The IJ from our room
Amsterdam is the second most populous city in the Netherlands. Amsterdam’s name derives from Amster dam, indicative of the city’s origin around a dam in the Amstel River. Once in the late 12th century it was a small fishing village, but during the Dutch Golden Age it became one of the most important ports in the world. The city is also well known for its nightlife, festival activity and several of its nightclubs. Besides it is one of the world's most multicultural cities, with at least 177 nationalities represented. And a great destination with all kinds of activities for children.
You don't have to go into the city for an adrenaline rush, because the A'dam Lookout is located on top of the SIR Adam tower. It's not your usual observation deck. Besides the unparalleled 360-degree view of Amsterdam and the surrounding cities, there is much more to experience on top of this iconic building. Probably the highlight is Europe's highest swing. Daredevils and thrill seekers swing back and forth at 100 meters high over the city of Amsterdam. Dangle your feet over the edge, let the adrenaline rush through your veins but most of all, don't forget to enjoy the view. The girls have a blast and of course the whole experience last far to short.
Still some energy left? Take a seat in the Amsterdam VR Ride, put on the VR glasses, and find yourself in a lifelike roller coaster ride right through the city. Something that seems impossible in real life becomes possible in the world of virtual reality. The custom-built roller coaster cart moves along while you virtually race over a track through all the highlights of the city. A little Less exciting but just as stunning, is “This is Holland”, a unique flying 5D experience, soaring over the Dutch must-see locations. The experience is located just beside the A'dam tower.
Do you want an unforgettable culinary experience at 100 meters high? Then combine your visit to A'dam Lookout with a lunch or dinner at our revolving restaurant Moon on the 19th floor of the A'DAM Tower. Moon serves an elaborate two-course lunch or three-course dinner from the weekly changing menu with pure Dutch ingredients served with a breath-taking view of Amsterdam for a meal to remember. We enjoy all this deliciousness and the view. When we have just taken a seat, we discover that the entire restaurant is spinning. In less than an hour we have covered 360 degrees and we can indeed see the city from all sides.
On the ground floor is a second restaurant: the Butcher Social Club. Here, it's the four key B's that bring bon vivants together – burgers, booze, beer, and breakfast. It is also directly the lounge of the hotel. The pool and ping pong table provide a good dose of retro here too. The 80s and 90s video game machines and pinball machines naturally contribute to this.
In fact, there is already so much entertainment within reach that it is not necessarily necessary to go into the city extensively. At the same time, that would be a shame because Amsterdam is bustling with activities 24 hours a day. Ofcourse the Artis Zoo must be seen again, just as the adventurous NEMO Science Museum; an interactive informal learning environment in which our kids (and we!) love to encounter science and technology. We walk a bit longer along the waterside and enjoy strolling the ‘Scheepvaartmuseum’.
Furthermore, Amsterdam is a true shopping paradise. This is a huge advantage, especially with shop-hungry teenagers. So, we go there for a good afternoon in time to stroll through the pleasant shopping streets. Perhaps the highlight of our weekend, however, especially for the girls, is our visit to Wondre, also known as the 'Instagram experience'. This wonderful world is designed to stimulate all your senses in unexpected ways. It is a place that evokes creativity, fantasy, and pure joy. While we are screaming with joy we get lost in a wonderful jungle. Diving into a pool of pink marshmallows. Dance under a glittering sky and jump into the biggest ball pit we've ever seen. As we pass, we draw on the walls and sing along in the karaoke boxes. We let our imagination run wild and experience the art of playing.
WOW
# Amsterdam is the perfect city for an active city trip with the family. Especially older children will enjoy this vibrant metropolis with its unique, largely seventeenth-century city center. And the SIR Adam is ideally located to serve as a base.
# The hotel is located just behind the central station and overlooks the IJ. Also, be sure to check out the 360-degree view of the city from the majestic rooftop terrace.
# Treat yourself, you cannot fail to enjoy this first-class hotel, and a city so full of art, culture, and things to do for kids as well.
