Hotel Arena is a four-star, 141-room hotel at ‘s-Gravesandestraat 55 in Amsterdam-Oost, set inside the Sint Elisabeth Gesticht, a listed 19th-century Catholic girls’ orphanage on the edge of Oosterpark. It is about 2 km from the city centre, has its own café-restaurant (PARK), a restored chapel used for events, and an underground garage.
Hotel Arena at a glance
| Address | ‘s-Gravesandestraat 55, 1092 AA Amsterdam (Oost) |
| Type | Four-star boutique hotel in a listed monument |
| Rooms | 141, from Comfy’s and Super Comfy’s to suites, family rooms, The Loft, The Villa Suite and The Top Suite |
| Check-in / check-out | From 15:00 / until 11:00 |
| Reception | 24 hours |
| Parking | Underground garage, €5 per hour, maximum €50 per day, subject to availability |
| Pets | Not allowed; service animals welcome |
| Distance to city centre | About 2 km (Dam Square 2.1 km) |
| Phone | +31 20 850 2400 |
Details from Hotel Arena’s official contact page, checked September 2026. Confirm rates and policies when booking.
Description
Hotel Arena describes itself as a monumental, intimate hotel for “global citizens”, built around travel, food, art and culture. In practice, that means a design-led hotel where the lobby, restaurant and chapel are used by locals as much as by guests, so the building feels more like a neighbourhood venue than a quiet business hotel.
Its location is the main trade-off. You stay outside the canal ring, next to Oosterpark, in a residential part of Amsterdam-Oost. That gives you a greener, calmer base with local cafés nearby, while the city centre is a tram ride or a 25–30 minute walk away.
From orphanage to hotel
The building was designed by architect Adrianus Bleijs as the Sint Elisabeth Gesticht, a Roman Catholic institution for orphaned girls, with the chapel dating from 1886. It was built in phases and never fully completed. Over the following century it sheltered Belgian refugees during the First World War, housed medical departments during the Second World War, took in homeless people after the war, and later became the Sleep-in, a youth hostel with dormitories and a music venue in the chapel.
It became a hotel in the 1990s. A major renovation and extension by Team V Architectuur, completed in 2017, added a new wing with 16 rooms, the PARK café-restaurant, new meeting spaces and a new entrance facing Oosterpark. The addition follows Bleijs’s original floor plan, so the old and new parts read as one complex.
Key features
Rooms and suites
Each of the 141 rooms at Hotel Arena is styled differently, but they fall into clear tiers. Comfy’s and Super Comfy’s are the standard options, with Junior Suites, Suites and Family Rooms above them. The Loft, The Villa Suite and The Top Suite are the one-off signature rooms.
The original structure shows in places through high ceilings, wooden beams and cast-iron details, so room shapes and sizes vary more than in a new-build hotel. If a park view matters to you, request it when booking, as not every room faces Oosterpark.
PARK café-restaurant
PARK is the hotel’s all-day café-restaurant, open to guests and non-guests, with an outdoor terrace for warmer months. The menu draws on global cuisine with a focus on classic French dishes. Posted hours are:
- Breakfast: 07:00–10:30 (weekends until 11:00)
- Lunch: 12:00–16:00
- Dinner: 17:00–22:00
- Drinks: from 11:00; open until 01:00 Monday to Saturday and until midnight on Sunday
The chapel and events
The restored chapel is the centrepiece of the building. It keeps its frescoes, marble columns, balcony and stained-glass windows, and now hosts corporate events, weddings, fashion shows, concerts and parties. The hotel also runs an art and culture programme that has included exhibitions, stand-up comedy and dance events, so check what is on during your stay. Event enquiries go to [email protected].
Who it suits
- Good fit: travellers who want a design hotel with history, a park on the doorstep and a local neighbourhood feel; families (family rooms are available); event and conference groups.
- Less ideal: short first-time trips where you want to walk out of the door into the canal ring, or guests who need a very quiet building on nights when the chapel or bar is busy.
Best time to visit
Hotel Arena works year-round, but its park setting shapes the experience. Late spring and summer are when Oosterpark is at its liveliest, especially in July around Keti Koti and the Roots festival, which bring crowds and music to the park. Book early for those dates and expect a busier area.
Autumn and winter are quieter in the park, and PARK’s long opening hours make the hotel a comfortable base for darker evenings. October can still be busy citywide during Amsterdam Dance Event. For a calmer stay with the park still green, aim for May, June or September outside major event weekends.
How to get there
From Schiphol Airport
Take the train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal. Trains run roughly every 10 minutes during the day and take about 15–17 minutes. The hotel also points to Amsterdam Amstel station as an alternative. A taxi from Schiphol takes around 30 minutes, and reception can book an electric taxi for the return trip at a fixed rate.
By public transport
- Tram 14 from Centraal Station to Alexanderplein (about 15 minutes), then a short walk.
- Tram 19 to the Korte ‘s-Gravesandestraat stop.
- Metro 51, 53 or 54 from Centraal Station to Weesperplein, then walk roughly 1 km.
- Bus 37 to Beukenplein.
Most lines run from about 06:00 to 00:30. Reception sells 24-, 48- and 72-hour GVB travel tickets, and you can plan exact routes in the 9292 app or Google Maps.
By car
The hotel has an underground garage at €5 per hour, capped at €50 per day. Spaces depend on availability, and the official contact page says they cannot be reserved, so arrive with a backup plan. Street parking nearby costs €6 per hour or €54 per day (paid 09:00–24:00).
By bike
You can rent a bike at reception. Amsterdam-Oost is flat and well connected by bike lanes, and the city centre is roughly 10 minutes away by bike.
What’s nearby
Walking distances from the hotel: ARTIS Zoo (700 m), Wereldmuseum Amsterdam, formerly the Tropenmuseum (800 m), the Skinny Bridge (950 m), the Rembrandt House (1.4 km), Rembrandtplein (1.5 km), Dam Square (2.1 km) and Leidseplein (2.4 km).
Frequently asked questions
Is breakfast included at Hotel Arena?
It depends on the rate you book. Breakfast is served daily at PARK café-restaurant, so check whether your rate includes it or add it when booking.
Can non-guests eat at Hotel Arena?
Yes. PARK café-restaurant is open to everyone for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks, and the hotel hosts public exhibitions and events.
Are pets allowed at Hotel Arena?
No. Pets are not allowed, but service animals are welcome.
Can I check in early or check out late?
Standard check-in is from 15:00 and check-out is until 11:00. You can request early check-in or late check-out when booking, subject to availability.
Can I reserve a parking space at Hotel Arena?
The hotel’s contact page says garage spaces cannot be reserved and depend on availability. Contact the hotel before arrival if parking is essential.
Hotel details verified against Hotel Arena’s official contact page in September 2026. Prices, hours and policies can change, so confirm directly before you book.
