A 17th century inn and fishermen haunt has become a beautiful boutique hotel
De Durgerdam, a Lakeside Hideaway on the Outskirts of Amsterdam
A 17th century inn and fishermen haunt has become a beautiful boutique hotel
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Driving through the otherworldly fishermen’s village of Durgerdam, on the outskirts of Amsterdam, one realizes there’s more to the region than cafes and coffee shops. The locale, home to just 500 inhabitants, is located a fifteen-minute drive from Amsterdam. Here, however, the essence of nature reveals its pure form: tranquility reigns, fluffy sheep graze in the meadows, flocks of ducks fly overhead and a row of 17th century gabled houses painted in milky-colored hues rim the IJmeer lake.
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The boutique hotel De Durgerdam, rooted in the traditions and maritime heritage of the village bearing its name, is the result of an extensive restoration project aimed at reviving its buildings without tarnishing its narrative. The outcome is a 14-room country inn thats nods to the outdoors, the town’s nautical past and local architecture. It’s a project of Aedes, an Amsterdam-based property development company that invests in and carefully restores historical spaces—including the city’s Soho House, Hyatt Regency and The Hoxton.
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De Durgerdam takes inspiration from its natural surroundings, both in the form of design, in which colors acquire those ochre, sage and mustard tones intrinsically coordinated, and in the culinary offerings, where waste is kept to a minimum and the produce is sourced nearby. Inn guests check in at the restaurant, De Mark—a soulful open space with all the happenings inspired by the Dutch “gezelligheid,” or sense of enjoyment. There are cozy nooks for lounging, tables for dining (some are convivial), an open kitchen and a sleek marble bar where you can perch for a drink or order food from the dinner menu.
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The culinary concept was conceived in collaboration between head chef Koen Marees with Richard Van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot of the Michelin-starred Restaurant 212. Their aim was to translate a philosophy that sources ingredients from the sea and local farms into innovative dishes with some presenting vegetables as the protagonist; in fact, a special mention must go to the slow-dried tomato tartar, cooked and presented as if it were a beef tartar. While the chefs pay remarkable attention to aesthetics (the dishes are plated beautifully), design studio Buro Belén did the same with the restaurant’s interiors. For example, painted on the walls of De Mark is a two-tone mural that represents water and sky and hanging from the ceiling is an intriguing pendant light made of glass “fishermen’s tears” by Ingo Maurer. Both represent the building’s past life as the Prince on Horseback, an inn that would welcome sailors on the East India Trading route.
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The rooms and suites on the other hand are cosy with earthy tones designed to exude tranquility; there are two different color palettes assigned to the rooms depending on the compass direction, in order to optimize natural lighting. Integrated in these nooks are soft velvets, repurposed wood and handwoven carpets. The bathrooms are refined, featuring natural stone and custom colored tiles from Royal Tichelaar Makkum, the oldest ceramics company in the Netherlands.
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The property offers bikes and e-bikes to rent for the day and explore Amsterdam Noord’s hinterland; within a short radius you can venture out to pretty villages such as the coastal Monnickendam, graze at traditional food markets including delicious cheese at the Edam Cheese Market (every Wednesday in July and August) or set-off on a tranquil ride along the country trails.