Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam, nestled in Amsterdam's historic heart, celebrates the festive season with a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation. We had the pleasure of speaking to their General Manager, Joeri Nuijten to find out the hotel creates an unforgettable experience for their guests during the festive period.

How does Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam approach designing its Christmas decor to impress your guests? Are there any innovative or distinctive decorations or themes you have introduced this year?

Grand Hotel Amrath Amsterdam is a hotel with a rich history. Personally, I believe that you should embrace this history and adapt your decoration accordingly. As soon as the guest enters, they must immediately feel and be able to embrace the Christmas feeling. Christmas is a period with many traditions, and you should not change them too much. The world around us is already changing every day, so let Christmas be a moment of reflection.

Do you work with local businesses during the holidays?

Not just during the holidays, but all year round. You need each other and we must make use of each other's expertise. Why have a partner who is located elsewhere in the Netherlands when it is also available around the corner. In addition, you also have a story for your guests, and they may be able to visit the supplier of the product.

Personalisation is becoming increasingly important in the hospitality industry. How does your hotel tailor its services to the individual preferences and needs of guests during the holidays and throughout the year?

Nice question that is certainly relevant now. I believe that many more questions should be asked about what the guest finds important and why he comes to us so that you can respond to that. And certainly, if you see a trend, you can continue and excel, but also towards your employees. I think empowerment is a great thing to implement throughout your entire workforce. Because what a particular employee is not good at, he/she usually doesn't like doing either and vice versa. Then look in the team to see who likes it and is probably good at it. This creates a much closer team that is willing to go through the motions for each other because they know each other who is really good at what and who is not good at something. And if you can use this properly, you can be much more personal with your guest and respond to wishes and needs.

What types of festive events or activities does your hotel organise to enhance the guest experience?

Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam is a special and historic building. Guests are taken to their room and in the meantime, they are told about the history of the building, and they are also told to walk around. We often hear back that they have walked around in amazement but still have not seen everything. By using the building as a starting point, you can provide a unique guest experience. On New Year's Eve, for example, guests can taste a bottle of Champagne under supervision. We do this in the building, where guests do not expect it. If you do the expected at an unexpected time or location, you can create a WOW moment. A bottle of Champagne on New Year's Eve is nothing new, but sabering in an unexpected location makes it special and allows you to create a unique guest experience.