HERE’S A GREAT PLACE FOR THE WEEKEND…

The ANDAZ AMSTERDAM PRINSENGRACHT HOTEL in the heart of Amsterdam

In the Alice in Wonderland garden created by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders nothing is quite as it seems!

A bright yellow Alice & Co coat feels in keeping…

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DING DONG BELL!

The fantastical decor in the lobby could have been designed during some happy afternoons smoking in a local coffee shop…

It’s a surrealist slant on all things Dutch from Delft tiles to yellow clogs.

You’ll never be short of something to look at.

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Take a seat in the lobby wearing a Fair Isle sweater by Polly Purl and a red jersey Alice & Co wrap skirt.

Don’t these match well with these red chairs?

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DRINK – some Dutch gin of course – but did you know they make wine in Holland?

The hotel’s Bluespoon Restaurant serves a delicious Dutch white wine from Zealand, De Kleine Schorre.

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EAT – A smoked eel omelette for breakfast…

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which will set you up nicely to…

SHOP

Just around the corner in the 9 Streets for colourful bags from Hester Van Eeghen

Ripe Gouda cheese at de Kaaskamer van Amsterdam

and vintage lampshades at Fifties – Sixties – run by a formidable  Amsterdammer in her 70s.

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VISIT

A museum devoted to bags! Tassenmuseum Hendrijke www.tassenmuseum.nl

A grand old canal house – Museum Van Loon www.museumvanloon.nl

Buy a little piece of Marcel Wanders at www.marksandspencer.com

Buy Alice & Co at  www.aliceandco.com

Buy Polly Purl at www.pollypurl.co.uk

Book the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht at andazamsterdam.com

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