Hard Rock Hotel: each hotel has its own character

The Hard Rock concepts are well-known worldwide. Particularly the Hard Rock Cafés, found in many big cities, have a huge fan base. There are also the Hard Rock Hotels, but these are scarcely comparable with each other as far as look and feel go. And that is apparent on entering the Hard Rock Hotel Amsterdam American, if we call it by its full name. A classic red marble staircase with carpet welcomes you to a lobby, which, just like the exterior of the building, radiates royal luxury. What is certainly instantly recognisable are the familiar Hard Rock memorabilia, such as Elton John's shoes, Elvis' outfit, and Aretha Franklin's dress, that hang throughout the hotel. In Bar Americain, the hotel bar, I met Claire van Campen, general manager of the hotel. She also admits to having doubts in the beginning.

Claire: "I had my reservations when I first heard of the plans with Hard Rock. You quickly associate it with the Hard Rock Café. But the more we had contact with the brand, the more enthusiastic we became, and the more we found that it fitted with who we are. The hotel, namely the bar, has always been a meeting place for artists: for example, the guitarist Slash is a regular customer. In fact, with Paradiso and the Melkweg just around the corner, I think it's ultimately even a very logical choice."

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But that is not the only reason why the concept finally turned out to be a very good fit. Claire: "The lobby is restored to its original state and has regained its grandeur, perhaps even more than before. The transformation has truly honoured the building and its history. You find classic elements all over the building, but then with modern detailing, and they go really well together."

For interior architect Feran Thomassen, who then joined the conservation, it was a real challenge. Feran: "You have a client, a manager and an umbrella organisation, and they all have an opinion. In amongst all those opinions, you also have to keep yourself and your ideas afloat. For instance, 195 different sorts of material had to be approved by the Hard Rock people in America. Each and every piece of wood, fabric and brass. They are more concerned about the quality and properties of materials than about the sort of chair, colour, or print. On top of that, even we had a distorted view of the look and feel on our first visit to America and a Hard Rock Hotel. In our ideas, we were still too much taken with fluorescent guitars and flashy images, but it's everything thing but that."