Architect C.A.A. Steinigeweg born in the Netherlands in 1825, went to the United States in 1851 where he gained experience in the hotel business. He returned to the Netherlands in 1875 with plans for his hotel in the ?American style?. Besides being the originator of the American hotel, Steinigeweg must also have been its designer. This can be deduced from the signature under the earliest-known design drawings for the hotel: ?C.A.A. Steinigeweg Inv.?

1879 - 1882(Building the American Hotel)

The fact that Leidseplein was chosen as the location for the American Hotel is evidence of historical insight and more particularly of perception of the future. Since the 17th century the Leidseplein had been an intersection for goods and passenger traffic. Steinigeweg bought a plot of land on Leidseplein from the City Council – or to be more accurate, he bought a ?plot? of water. This was a part of the Singelgracht (canal) which had not yet been filled in. In the deed of purchase the new owner was obliged to increase the height of the site after the canal had been filled in and to implement his plans for the hotel within 3 years.

During the building of the hotel, Steinigeweg worked closely with the architect Ed. Cuypers, a nephew of the great architect P.J.H. Cuypers. At that time Cuypers was barely twenty years old, but probably better acquainted with Dutch building practice than Steinigeweg was. Work began in May 1880 and at the end of October the following year, part of the building was brought into service. Although the American Hotel on Leidseplein, which already for months on end has been watched with increasing interest by both townsmen and strangers alike, was originally planned to open in the New Year, building work is so far advanced that this evening the café and restaurant and the billiard room were opened. The rest of the building, with a belvedere on the roof, was ready in the spring of 1882.
The building style was Viennese Renaissance, but this modern hotel was distinctly American in conception, with a four metre bronze heraldic eagle hanging over its entrance and life-size Red Indian chiefs and their squaws also depicted. The interior had the same American accent, panoramic pictures of American landscapes, including one of the Niagara Falls.

1885 August Volmer, Managing Director – American Hotel

The hotel, the café-restaurant and the belvedere attracted many visitors. But appearances were deceptive. In financially unfavourable circumstances a start was made on a small extension to the business. A large glass-roofed billiard room was built to the design of the architects J.F. Henkenhaf and F.G. Ebert. This did not lead to any permanent improvement and someone was found in the person of August Volmer who could put the business back on its feet. Volmer became Managing Director of the American Hotel, a position he filled successfully for more then twenty years.

1892 Installation of electric lighting

Volmer tried in various ways to make the hotel more attractive. The introduction of a guide to Amsterdam was already introduced which the American offered to its guests as a souvenir. Volmer now began to install electric lighting in all the rooms. Three years later the plumbing was modernised and the first toilets installed. But to ensure the hotel continued to attract tourists, sweeping changes were necessary.

Volmer seized his chance in the nineties when business began to pick up and substantial yearly dividends were paid. He decided on a radical rebuilding programme. Steinigeweg died shortly before Volmer had the American Hotel demolished in 1900, not 20 years after it had been built.

Architect W. Kromhout who had earlier carried out rebuilding work in another hotel with much success, was approached to rebuild and expand the American Hotel. Plans were drawn up for a hotel with café-restaurant and reception rooms. Properties in the Marnixstreet were bought as well as the old police station and fire station which had a 20-metre frontage on Leidseplein and a similar frontage on Leidsekade. Possession of this resulted in not only increase of the size of the hotel but it also made the whole length of Leidseplein available for the new building. The eventual commission was to design a building consisting of 3 elements: a hotel, a café-restaurant and reception rooms. Each part of the building had to have a separate entrance. The hotel came to be situated on Leidsekade, the café-restaurant on Leidseplein and the reception rooms in Marnixstreet.

1902 The opening of the rebuilt American Hotel

The exterior of the hotel was still not completely finished when the hotel was opened on 15 May 1902. The asymmetrical design of the main façade of the American Hotel, on the Leidseplein and centred on the corner tower, is most distinctive. This was one of the first buildings in the city – certainly the first hotel – to be built to such a revolutionary design. The idea of placing a tower somewhere other than the centre of a building was known in Italy. Kromhout could have derived his idea for a clocktower from that of the old police station that had been demolished for the building of the hotel.
Because the hotel has undergone a number of renovations and structural alterations in order to changing demands there is not much left of the original layout today. The large Café Americain still retains its original function. Old drawings, ground plans and photographs now have to be referred to give an idea of the original layout and design.

1914 World War I caused a recession

After its opening in 1902, the hotel rose considerably in status in the travel guides. It was recommended with words like ?magnificent? and ?in modern style, the hotel was situated and still is, close to the Rijksmuseum, has a lift and large café restaurant which is frequented by the English and Americans?. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 caused a recession. The hotel not only suffered because of the decrease in international travel but also because of the falling demand for rooms for parties and receptions.

1927 - 1929 Extension of the American Hotel

1920?s there was an increasing demand for rooms which at a given moment became so great that time and time again travellers had to be turned away. The hotel Philadelphia on the Leidsekade abandoned the plans to extend the hotel. This was great relief for the American Hotel since the site was eminently suitable for the extension of the American itself. The Hotel Philadelphia was bought in 1927. Unfortunately it was not possible to complete the extension in time for the Amsterdam Olympic Games of 1928. The new extension of the American Hotel was designed by the architect G.J. Rutgers and was finished in 1929. The café-restaurant was equipped with lamps and furniture in the Art-Deco style. In 1929 when the extension was finished, there was a world economic recession and during the Second World War the American Hotel served as headquarters of the occupation forces.

1954 - 1967 Last extension, rebuilding and renovation

The American was extended for the last time in 1954. This brought the total number of rooms in the hotel to 124, with 80 bathrooms. From this time on, only rebuilding and renovation would take place. In 1967 the billiard room was converted into a refreshment room. Nowadays this area is used as a kitchen.

1971 Grand Metropolitan takes over the American

In 1971, when the American, together with the Amstel and Victoria Hotels, was taken over by the large British concern Grand Metropolitan, it closed its doors for three months to allow large-scale structural alterations. The reception rooms were converted into guestrooms that increased the capacity of the hotel to 188 rooms. The only area that remained unchanged was the Café Americain, which by that time had been classified as a protected monument. After the foreign take-over of the hotel, there was initially a considerable change in management style. This was especially noticed by the regular customers of the café-restaurant – mostly Amsterdammers – because suddenly those who were not dressed according to the prevailing standards were not allowed in. This period of ?selective hospitality?, however, has long since passed!

1982 - 1985 American Hotel, A Forum Hotel, division of Inter Continental Hotels

Grand Metropolitan purchased Inter.Continental Hotels from Pan American World Airways. One of the divisions of Inter Continental Hotels was Forum Hotels, and it was to this division that the American Hotel became affiliated in 1982 (Forum Hotels was established in 1972 by Inter-Continental Hotel chain to serve a widely expanding market for first class, moderately priced hotels).

In the rebuilding, which began in 1985, the whole building was renovated from top to bottom. All the rooms were again furnished in Art-Nouveau style and the well-known cosy alcoves in the middle of the café-restaurant made way for an open buffet shaped like an upside-down Art-Deco lamp. The policy of the management of the American Hotel, which is allowed to steer its own course within the framework of the Inter-Continental concern, is primarily directed at those travelling on business. Various facilities that are of great importance to the international businessman have been provided. There are rooms in which clients can be received, and secretaries, a guest-relation officer and the most modern Fax machines are at the disposal of those who need them. Every room is equipped with a desk and a direct outside telephone line. The tired businessman can recharge his batteries in the health club – or by jogging in the nearby Vondelpark.

1988 Saison Overseas Holdings) buys Inter-Continental Hotels

In December 1988 the Inter Continental Hotel chain was bought by Seibu Saison, a Japanese conglomerate wishing to expand its very small but exclusive hotel operation. In addition to hotels, Seibu Saison runs a department store chain, has food companies and restaurants as well as their own credit card organisation. The owning company of Inter.Continental Hotel Group Ltd. became Saison Holdings B.V. which in turn is owned by the Saison Group of Japan and SAS International Hotels, a unit of the SAS group.


1993 - 1994 Café Americain

The Café Americain has, by 1994, been part of the American Hotel for 92 years. Since the café was last renovated in 1972, a decision was made in 1993, in consultation with the Dutch equivalent of the National Trust/Historical Society, to restore the café to its original early 20th century art-deco style. The festive opening of the renovated Café Americain took place on 1 September 1993. The Café Americain, with its breathtaking décor, is the cultural meeting place of Amsterdam. It includes a reading table dating from 1929 that is also described as the most beautiful reading table in the Netherlands. The walls of the café display original 1930 oil paintings from Shakespeare?s play ?A Midsummer Night?s Dream?.


1998, 6 Continents Hotels acquires the Inter Continental brand
6 Continents Hotels (formerly called Bass Hotels and Resorts) is a leading international hospitality and leisure group operating in the hotel, leisure retailing and branded drinks industries. 6 Continents Hotels and Resorts the Group?s hotel division based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, owns, manages and franchises hotels throughout the world.

6 Continents Hotels owns the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza brands, having acquired the rights through a series of acquisitions between 1987 and 1990. It acquired the Inter-Continental Continental brand in March 1998.

2000 - 2001 American Hotel converts to a 5 Star Crowne Plaza Amsterdam - American
In 2000 6 Continents Hotels gives the approval for the American Hotel to commence with an extensive renovation which comprises, all guest rooms, lobby, bar, lifts and meeting rooms. Renovations started on 6 November 2000 and lasted until May 2001. Currently the American Hotel offers 174 smoking and non-smoking superior rooms, deluxe rooms and junior suites. On 1 May 2001 the American Hotel official converted to a 5 Star Crowne Plaza Amsterdam – American, Amsterdam?s Premium Lifestyle Art Nouveau Hotel.

Mata Hari Suite (room 19)

The Mata Hari Suite features a large king bed that is placed in the center of the room. The large bathroom features a whirlpool and extra luxurious amenities.
Mata Hari is Malaysian for Eye of the Day.
It was also the name of a Dutch dancer (1876-1917), courtesan and spy that spent part of her honeymoon in the American Hotel. Mata Hari was the most celebrated female spy in history. There has been no more notorious, no eye more lethal, in the history of international seductresses. Her accomplishments were counted in the bedroom and on the stage, not in the recorded annals of secret intelligence.