The Art of Memories is how we cherish special moments and inspiring stories. We are proud to share them with our guests. In this story, you will hear all about the unique history of Hotel Okura Amsterdam’s location – where a change in the municipal zoning plan threw a spanner in the works.

At the end of the 1950s, when a Japanese family of entrepreneurs – the Okuras – heard that the municipality of Amsterdam was drawing up plans for an opera house with an adjoining hotel, they immediately expressed their interest. A location in Amsterdam would perfectly match their ambition to expand the Hotel Okura chain into Europe. Besides being the ideal base for art and culture lovers, it is also the perfect place for a hotel where guests can continue their evening in style with an exquisite culinary experience or a luxurious overnight stay.

The arrival of Hotel Okura Amsterdam introduced omotenashi – the Japanese art of hospitality – to the Dutch for the very first time. The hotel’s austere exterior reflected the plans for the opera house, while its interior, designed by Japanese architects, exuded a serene luxury that was unique at the time. The hotel rooms in the 23-storey building (without a 13th floor, of course) even had colour TV! Word was also starting to spread about the hotel's exotic ambience: visitors marvelled at the carpets adorned with Gingko leaves, the ceiling full of Japanese lanterns, the pond filled with koi carp and hostesses in traditional kimonos.

The municipality understood Hotel Okura Amsterdam’s indignation and tried to compensate the damage by lowering the ground rent. After lengthy discussions, the two sides finally reached an agreement. Thankfully, the hatchet was buried a long time ago, and the hotel’s location on the outskirts of the De Pijp district of Amsterdam means that it is a perfect base for exploring Museumplein square and the rest of Amsterdam – and it has perfect transit connections the Zuidas district and Schiphol airport. The amended zoning plans have also created space around the hotel, which makes it much easier to organise security for VIPs, royals, and football clubs. And the local residents? Well, they, too, have fallen in love with soaring tower of Hotel Okura Amsterdam over the last 50 years. It is impossible to imagine this neighbourhood without this unique landmark of Japanese hospitality – with its serene atmosphere, refined cuisine, and eventful history. We call this The Art of Memories, The Art of Okura.