I really love Amsterdam. Thought I'd start with that. It's only 45 minutes away, yet feels like a totally different world. One of bikes, canals, red lights and clogs.It's my new years resolution to visit more often. There, and New York, L.A., India...Anyway, the hubby and I had the pleasure of heading to Amsterdam for his 30th birthday, and the very lovely people at the Art'otel kindly put us up for the three nights. Ordinarily, we would have just found a cheapy place to stay, but not this time. It was amazing all the way, with the hotel's brilliant art installations from the ground floor up, including these incredible reception desks....If you've ever been to Amsterdam, you would have probably got there the same way as us... short flight, then train ride into the city. And you would have, like us, marvelled at the grand building that is the main station. And then you would have, like us, dragged your suitcase across the road to either get in a cab, or schlep it to your hotel.The difference is, Art'otel is literally opposite the station! Obviously there's a few roads separating it - I wasn't keen on hearing the trains, but there was no noise whatsoever inside.Three minutes. That how long it takes to walk there from the station. THREE MINUTES!

Obviously we were desperate to explore the city, but first...

Shop my look...

[show_shopthepost_widget id="1322716"]

Just some of the art around the hotel. The lamps are EVERYTHING, and I especially love the built in tall lamps on the room doors!

The team at Art'hotel are impeccably dressed and really friendly (apart from a little spat with one of the managers, but we'll forget about that), plus the breakfast is amazing (something I ALWAYS look for in a hotel), and the restaurant, 5&33, serves up some divine grub.

I would definitely recommend the pardron peppers, zucchini fritti, asparagus, quail eggs and truffles salad, and the other half was umming and ahhing over the selection of cured meat and cheeses.

The rooms are comfortable and snazzy, if a little dark. Elemis products always make me smile, and there's strange nuts and bolts art on the walls, plus our view was pretty amazing!

There is actually an art gallery that extends the lobby, which is quite amazing really. A graffiti wall and long fringing separating the room into two halves were highlights for me...