Hotelier Edit: Rob de Ridder, General Manager of Wilde Amsterdam

Wilde Amsterdam is preparing to open its doors. Can you tell us about the vision for the property and what you’re setting out to create?

I think, more than anything, we want people to feel like they're coming to Amsterdam to live a little, rather than just visit. Somewhere they can unpack, settle in and make themselves at home, whether they're here for a week, a month or a little longer.

This is actually the first Wilde property we've designed specifically with longer stays in mind, so we've thought about all those little things that make a difference when you're spending more time somewhere. Having your own kitchen, space to work, somewhere lovely to relax, but also having Oscar's, our café-bar, and some lovely social spaces to enjoy.

And of course, we're right beside the IJ River in Amsterdam Noord, which is such a brilliant neighbourhood to be part of.

What attracted you personally to the opportunity to be part of launching Wilde Amsterdam, and what excites you most about bringing a new hotel to the city?

I think it's the personality of Wilde that really attracted me. There's something quite special about how every property feels different and has its own connection to the city, but you can still recognise that it's Wilde. There's a real love of design, a little bit of playfulness and a very personal approach to hospitality. It feels fresh, and it's something I really connect with.

And Amsterdam is such an exciting city to be part of. It's incredibly diverse, it's always evolving and there's such a lovely mix of people who have come here to visit, work or make it their home. I particularly love that we've opened in Noord. It's a little different from the Amsterdam people might initially imagine, with such a creative community and lots of independent businesses to discover. We'd love to become part of that and give people another reason to spend time on this side of the river.

Opening a hotel gives you the rare opportunity to shape its culture from the very beginning. What kind of team and guest experience are you hoping to build?

I always think a hotel is only as good as its people. You can have the most beautiful spaces in the world, but it's the team who make people feel welcome and give a place its personality.

We've looked for people who genuinely enjoy what they do, who are curious about others and who want to get to know the city around them. I love people who have their own recommendations, who are happy to share a little local secret or just stop for a chat. It doesn't always have to be a big gesture.

Ultimately, we want guests to feel comfortable coming to us, whether they need a recommendation, a helping hand or just a friendly face. And we want the team to enjoy coming to work, too. That energy makes such a difference to the atmosphere of a place.

Amsterdam already has an incredibly diverse hotel scene. Where do you see Wilde fitting into the city, and what will make the property feel different?

There's certainly no shortage of lovely places to stay in Amsterdam! I think what makes Wilde a little different is the combination of having your own apartment, with all the freedom that brings, alongside the service and social spaces of a hotel. You can cook your own breakfast, have a lazy morning, get some work done or head out for the day. It really is somewhere you can make your own, particularly if you're staying a little longer.

And then there's the location. Noord has such a different feel to the historic centre. It's creative, a little unexpected and has some brilliant places to explore. We're also just a five-minute ferry ride from Amsterdam Centraal, so you're never far from the action. I think it's a lovely balance of having somewhere a little quieter to come home to, while still being right in the heart of everything.

How important will the hotel’s connection to its neighbourhood and the wider city be in shaping the Wilde Amsterdam experience?

Oh, hugely important! I think that's one of the things that makes this particular location so exciting. Noord has such an interesting mix of things going on. You've got the old shipyards, artist studios, galleries, lovely little cafés, restaurants and some really interesting cultural spaces. It's an area with a lot of history, but it's also constantly changing.

You've got places like STRAAT Museum and the old NDSM shipyards nearby, and then lovely green spaces and waterfront walks, too. There's quite a lot to discover if you take the time to look around.

We'd love our guests to get out and explore, find their own favourite coffee spot or little restaurant and really get to know the area. And equally, we want to get to know the people around us. It's important that Wilde feels like part of the neighbourhood, not just somewhere that happens to be in it.

When developing a new hotel today, which changing guest expectations have had the biggest influence on the decisions you’re making before opening?

I think people just want a bit more freedom when they travel. Not every day needs to look the same, and not everyone wants to eat out for every meal or spend all their time in a hotel. Sometimes you want to make a coffee in your own kitchen, have a quiet morning, do a bit of work and then head out and explore. Especially if you're staying for a few weeks, those little home comforts become really important.

That's something we've thought about quite a lot at Wilde Amsterdam. The apartments have proper kitchens and living spaces, there's somewhere to work, a deli for picking up everyday essentials and, of course, Oscar's when you fancy a coffee or a drink. It's about giving people options and letting them find their own routine.

I also think guests are much more interested in the places they're visiting. They want to find the local spots, meet people and get a feel for what makes a neighbourhood special. That's something we really want to encourage.

There’s so much that happens behind the scenes before a hotel welcomes its first guest. What has been the most exciting – or challenging – part of the opening journey so far?

I think seeing everything come to life has been the best part. For so long, you're working through plans, drawings, details and endless lists, and then suddenly you walk into the building and it starts to feel like a real place. The team is coming together, the furniture is going in and you can actually imagine people enjoying the spaces. It's a lovely feeling.

The design has been particularly exciting to see. Stephanie Barba Mendoza has done such a beautiful job with the interiors. There's so much personality in the spaces, from the hand-painted mural in the lobby (local artist Lisette van Hoogenhuyze) to the colours, textures and little details throughout Oscar's. I think people will find something new every time they look around.

The challenging part? Probably trying to keep on top of everything at once! There are always a million little things happening, and no two days are quite the same. But that's also what makes opening a new property so exciting. Everyone is working towards the same moment, and there's a real excitement around it.

What do you want guests to feel when they first walk through the doors of Wilde Amsterdam, and what do you hope they remember after they leave?

I want people to walk in and feel like they can relax straight away. Somewhere they can put their bags down, make themselves a coffee and feel at home. But I also want them to feel excited to get out and explore Amsterdam.

And when they come back, hopefully they'll want to spend a little time at Oscar's, too. It's such an important part of the property. You can pop in for a morning coffee, catch up with someone over lunch or settle in for a martini and a few small plates in the evening. There's the terrace and rooftop garden, too, which I think will be lovely when the weather is on our side.

I'd really love people to remember the little things. The friendly welcome, a recommendation that led them somewhere wonderful, a lovely evening at the bar or simply how comfortable they felt staying with us. If they leave thinking they could quite happily stay another week, or even move in, then we've done a pretty good job!

What value do you see in platforms like Independent Hotel Show Amsterdam for new hotels and hospitality leaders looking to connect with the wider industry?

I think they're brilliant, especially when you're in the middle of opening a new property. You can get so caught up in the day-to-day that it's really nice to step away, meet people and hear what everyone else is doing.

Hospitality is such a people-driven industry, and I think we learn so much from one another. Whether it's sharing experiences, picking up a new idea or just having a conversation with someone who understands the challenges of opening a hotel, there's real value in that.

It's also a lovely opportunity to see what's happening across the industry. Things are always changing, whether that's design, technology or what guests are looking for, so it's important to keep those conversations going.

If we came back to Wilde Amsterdam a year after opening, what would success look like to you?

I'd love us to feel like we've really found our feet in Amsterdam Noord. That our team are happy and proud of what they've created, our guests love coming back to stay with us and the local community sees us as part of the neighbourhood.

I'd also love Oscar's to have become a bit of a local favourite. Somewhere people pop in for their morning coffee, meet a friend for a drink or just come because they enjoy spending time there. I think that's a lovely thing for a hotel to achieve, when it's enjoyed by the people who live around it just as much as the people staying there.
Of course, the commercial side matters, too, but I think if we're getting all those things right, we're in a really good place. And then we can keep building on it, trying new things and making Wilde Amsterdam even better.

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