
It doesn’t get much more central than this: Hotel The Diamond on Leidseplein combines stylish design with thoughtful details and innovative service. Genusspunkt visited the hotel and experienced a city hotel that reimagines comfort and the guest experience.
Some hotels impress with their location. Others leave a lasting impression through the atmosphere they create. The Diamond Hotel in Amsterdam achieves both. Located right on the lively Leidseplein, it’s the perfect starting point for everything the city has to offer: culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. And at the same time, it’s a retreat that consciously prioritizes tranquility, design, and comfort.
Even the façade tells a story. Inspired by Amsterdam’s tradition of diamond cutting, the building reflects elegance and craftsmanship. This ethos continues inside. Natural materials, warm colors, retro elements, and modern accents create an atmosphere that feels instantly welcoming. No over-the-top luxury, but a style that endures because it is authentic. As a member of the renowned Quality Lodgings partnership, The Diamond Hotel stands for individual quality, carefully curated properties, and a clear commitment to the upscale hospitality industry.
What particularly caught our attention: the rooms. Not just because of the amenities, which leave nothing to be desired with a coffee maker, refrigerator, well-thought-out storage, and high-quality details, but above all because of their functionality. The built-in alcoves offer small, quiet retreats, ideal for working, reading, or simply unwinding. This is a real plus, especially for business travelers or anyone who wants to be productive on the go. Everything feels well-thought-out without being complicated.
One detail that makes the stay special is the breakfast service. Breakfast can be easily ordered to your room, and the process runs remarkably smoothly. The highlight: Flashbot, the hotel’s service robot. It delivers breakfast, snacks, or other orders right to your door. You open the robot, take out your fruit bowl, for example, close it again, and it drives away with a little “smile.” What at first seems like a technical gimmick is actually a well-thought-out combination of innovation and hospitality and, quite honestly, is just plain fun.
What stands out most, alongside design and innovation, is the team. Friendly, attentive, and always there when needed, without being intrusive. It is precisely this balance that defines modern hospitality. The hotel manages to create a very personal atmosphere despite its central location and urban surroundings.
With the Heineken Hoek Grand Café and the Heineken Hoek Bistro, the hotel offers two culinary destinations that are closely tied to Amsterdam’s history. Here, classics meet modern interpretations, accompanied by the lively energy of Leidseplein. Whether for a morning coffee, a relaxed dinner, or the start of the evening, everything is right on your doorstep.
The location couldn’t be better: just a few steps from Leidseplein, within walking distance of the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, and right next to Vondelpark. And yet the hotel manages to create a quiet, almost private atmosphere.
The Diamond Hotel is more than just a stylish city hotel. It is a place where details make all the difference: thoughtfully designed rooms, genuine hospitality, and small innovations like Flashbot, which make your stay not only more comfortable but also more memorable. Or, to put it simply: an urban retreat that shows how modern hospitality can work today.
Buckwheat, affectionately known as ‘Hadn’ in Southern Carinthia, is one of those products that quietly disappeared – and is now making a natural comeback. HADN – The Buckwheat Cookbook is dedicated to this almost forgotten powerhouse grain with remarkable dedication: rooted in culinary, cultural and regional traditions.
Together with the Klopeiner See – South Carinthia – Lavant Valley tourism region, food expert and editor cookingCatrin (Catrin Ferrari-Brunnenfeld) embarks on a journey to the roots of Carinthian ‘Hadn’. The book combines over 55 creative sweet and savoury recipes with in-depth background knowledge – from cultivation and history to its modern-day significance as a gluten-free, nutrient-rich superfood. Buckwheat is not only presented as flour, but also as semolina or rice: given a modern twist, suitable for everyday use and surprisingly versatile.
INFO
HADN – The Buckwheat Cookbook
Authors: Catrin Ferrari-Brunnenfeld (cookingCatrin)
Publisher: Klopeiner See Tourism Region – Southern Carinthia – Lavant Valley / KSL Tourismus Marketing GmbH
Length: 180 pages
ISBN: 978-3-200-09933-3
Price: €24.90
Publication date: September 2025
With its new ongoing editorial series ‘The Personal Touch’, Portrait Hotels turns its attention to the individuals who shape the character of its properties in Milan, Florence and Rome: hosts, concierges, chefs, bartenders and members of the lifestyle team, whose stories, rituals and local perspectives become part of the Portrait Experience.
The focus is on personal insights, everyday Italian culture and those small gestures that turn a stay into more than just a trip. Rather than simply showcasing places, the series tells the stories of the people, memories and traditions that define the Italian way of life.
In July 2026, George Papazacharias, head chef at the acclaimed Delta restaurant in Athens, will bring his interpretation of modern Greek cuisine to Salzburg. At Restaurant Ikarus in Hangar-7, he will demonstrate why, in culinary terms, Greece has long been more than just moussaka, souvlaki and holiday memories, and how radically contemporary local produce can taste.
It doesn’t get much more central than this: Hotel The Diamond on Leidseplein combines stylish design with thoughtful details and innovative service. Genusspunkt visited the hotel and experienced a city hotel that reimagines comfort and the guest experience.