One of Amsterdam’s most luxurious hotels welcomed me in with open arms, and complimentary champagne – De L’Europe lives up to its status, especially on F1 weekend
The De L’Europe sits imposingly on the Amstel River(Image: Alamy Stock Photo )
Amsterdam is famous for many things, but none are as eye-catching as De L’Europe on F1 weekend.
Nestled on the banks of the Amstel River, the sight of the late 19th-century hotel is breathtaking at night when the lights amplify the stunning architecture, but that unique magnificence continues inside.
As one of The Leading Hotels of the World, the De L’Europe is as close to ultimate splendour as possible in the brilliant Dutch capital. A city with so much history and character, De L’Europe encapsulates it perfectly.
While boasting a £10,000-per-night Royal Penthouse Suite, the hotel is also home to a number of signature suites, including a Vincent van Gogh Museum Suite, Sisters Janssen Suite and an Amsterdam Fashion Week.
Put up in the Geza Weisz Suite, I enjoyed one of the most remarkable rooms of the hotel.
The Hotel De l’Europe in Amsterdam is one of the leading hotels of the world(Image: Getty Images)
Geza Weisz, a Dutch actor and casting director known for his roles in Only Decent People, Bagels & Bubbels and Verliefd op Ibiza – if you know your Dutch cinema – appeared on the reality show The Interior Project VIPS.
Weisz reached the final of the competition along with fellow Dutch actress Carolien Spoor where they were given the final assignment of styling a signature suite in one of Netherlands’ most luxurious and exclusive five-star hotels – Hotel De L’Europe.
The winner, eventually Weisz, would have their design immortalised in the suite. The now 38-year-old has the suite named after him, which sits opposite the exclusive Presidential Loft Suite.
Inside the Geza Weisz Suite room – the morning after
Featuring an enormous open-plan living quarters with a huge king-sized bed on the back wall, the journey down the corridor to reach the main room is a trek in itself.
Turning into the room, a plasma TV adorns the wall with two armchairs and a glass table. Also featured on the wall are multiple collections of artwork as well as the stunning traditional bookshelf built into the wall, giving the room a library theme.
A trip through the wardrobe brings you to the bathroom, featuring a deep, inviting bath and separate rainforest shower.
The suite sits opposite the £5,000 Presidential Loft Suite
The room matches the elegance of the hotel, and that stunning feeling is matched by the price – which unless you have pockets as deep as the bath – is rather eyewatering.
With a suite setting visitors back around £1,500-per-night, few will find little solace in affording a junior suite at a minimum of £500 for the night – or rather over £1,000 all in for a night during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
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Thankfully, an invitation from Mastercard to the McLaren x Mastercard new title sponsor announcement in Amsterdam through their Priceless experience, meant I didn’t have to find that sort of money myself.
Despite having a room that easily could have seen me become part of the furniture, time spent in the suite was at a premium with the packed schedule for the McLaren x Mastercard Experience.
Attending the event at Westergas de Wester, Daily Star Sport was in attendance for the historic title agreement announcement, where McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Mastercard CMO delightedly revealed the next chapter in the Papaya team’s future.
McLaren have run away with both Championships in 2025
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The two World Championship contenders arrived as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri reflected on the moment, with the Brit even discussing what he wants fans to enjoy through the partnership that will see fans brought closer to the action than ever before.
An incredible show followed with Calvin Harris jumping behind the decks to bring the party after the partnership had been officially unveiled on stage.
A night full of free drinks and karaoke bars meant that, admittedly, the room didn’t completely receive the admiration it should have done in the morning, after a night checking out the sights that Amsterdam has to offer.
Lando Norris lost ground to Oscar Piastri with his DNF at Zandvoort(Image: PA)
But nonetheless, it certainly took the edge off waking up like that!
A feeling that Norris would have been longing for after a mechanical failure saw him fail to finish the Grand Prix at Zandvoort while chasing Piastri for the race lead.
Piastri went on to win the Dutch Grand Prix and extend his Championship lead to 34 points. Norris would claw back three points on his team-mate, finishing on the second step of the podium at the Italian Grand Prix, with the Aussie coming third after their positions were controversially swapped by the team.