Hotel News

What's New: Amalfi Coast, Amsterdam, Paris

With so much happening in the world of hotels, it’s hard to keep up with it all. In this monthly column, written by the editors and contributors of FarewellTravels, we bring you news about accommodations around the world. This month, we share a bit about a trio of European hotels, each one with very deep roots .

The big news on Italy's Amalfi Coast this coming season is there’s a new kid on the block. The Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa, which is dramatically set on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Salerno, is nearing  completion and will open in May. Originally a 17th-century monastery that housed a cloistered order of nuns, it is being maintained as the building is transformed into a five-star, 20-room/suite hotel and full-service spa. Amenities include a heated infinity swimming pool, beautiful gardens, and an historical herb garden, on five terraced levels. All rooms and suites offer far-reaching views of the bay and are fully equipped with high-speed access and the luxuries of 21st-century living.

In Amsterdam, the iconic 19th-century building that once housed the city’s premier music conservatorium has opened after a major transformation and is poised to become one of the Dutch capital’s most fashionable hotels. The Conservatorium Hotel Amsterdam is the realization of a vision by owner Georgi Akirov and was designed by leading Italian architect and designer Piero Lissoni. Music continues to play an important role in the day to day life of the building. For example, there’s a suite—the Concerto Suite—with a Steinway Baby Grand piano. The 129-room hotel is right in the cultural center of the Museumplein, next to the Stedelijk Museum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.

For those thinking of visiting Paris this spring, no pressure—but you might want to stay in the Hotel Ritz Paris (left) before it closes its doors this summer for a two-year renovation. Why stay BEFORE the makeover? So you can follow in the footsteps of writers, film stars and fashion designers and sample the famous Serendipiti by Colin Field at the Hemingway Bar, have a meal created by Michelin-starred head chef Michel Roth, even spend the night in the Coco Chanel Suite overlooking the Place Vendome. Of course, there’s also the pool with its mosaic mermaids which many consider the most beautiful in Paris.