A spectacular design hotel in Amsterdam housed in the Neo-Gothic splendour of the old Conservatory of Music. The Conservatorium Hotel was re-imagined by renowned Italian architect and designer Piero Lissoni who has melded the classic structure with super-modern finishes and spaces. The 129 rooms and suites make use of the high-ceilinged interiors to create distinctive takes on the duplex apartment and as would be expected they are all packed with gadgets and gizmos galore from Nespresso machines to hidden mirror TVs.

Dutch chef Schilo van Coevorden oversees the Tunes restaurant a low-lit, high-ceilinged dining room with towering cabinets, dropped industrial lighting and huge windows illuminating the bright white starched table cloths. The tasting menu and a la carte menus make the most of seasonal and local produce, creating a contemporary and Zeitgeist twist on Dutch cooking. The associated cocktail bar also whips some tapas-style small plates alongside a list of well-executed cocktails.

The Akasha spa has an organic bar to feed the health-conscious before or after indulging in a series of beauty treatments.

The Conservatorium is one of a new breed of hip, design-led urban hotels whose substance for once matches its style.