Amsterdam to block new hotel openings in designated areas

The municipality of Amsterdam will no longer cooperate with amending ground lease rules to open a hotel in certain areas, the city said in a press statement. The policy takes effect on Monday. According to the city, this means that it will be virtually impossible to open a hotel in specific areads even if the zoning plan allows it.

Amsterdam also expanded its hotel "no-zones" to include Amsterdam Centrum and West, where hotel developments will not be permitted under any circumstances. Since 2017, the city has been divided into "no-zones" and other areas where hotel projects will receive a firm "no" unless certain strict conditions are met.

But the 2017 policy had a loophole that prevented the municipality from stopping the development of a new hotel if there were still hotel rights listed in the zoning plans. As a result, some 2,400 new hotel rooms are in the pipeline for "no-zones." The new ground lease rules will close the loophole, according to the city. 

"A new hotel is now only possible in areas where it can have added value for the neighborhood, due to the development of the neighborhood," the city said. "For example, on IJburg Strandeiland (Oost), around Buikslotermeerplein (Noord), Schinkel business park (Zuid), and Riekerpolder (Nieuw-West)." 

New hotels must also have a unique concept and meet the city's strict requirements on neighborhood involvement, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship. "Amsterdam already has enough hotels in most of the city. New hotels add nothing here for the people of Amsterdam," alderman Victor Everhardt said.