Hotel Mercier review: a Travel Proud stay with a queer legacy

A hotel can be a bed for the night, or it can be a building with a memory. In Amsterdam's Jordaan, Hotel Mercier is firmly the second kind, and Attitude's Markus Bidaux has now put it under review. Bidaux stayed during WorldPride Amsterdam and found the four-star boutique hotel, which has 48 rooms and suites, an easy walk or cycle from the west side of the city centre. It belongs to Booking.com's Travel Proud programme, so staff have received free sensitivity training on the needs and concerns of LGBTQ+ travellers. A rainbow flag hangs outside, and the hotel is part of the citywide Pride Art Route. The history is the draw. Hélène Mercier, whom the hotel is named after, opened the building in 1891 for her Ons Huis Foundation, offering music, gymnastics, theatre and a youth library to working-class people. In 1979 it was acquired by COC Amsterdam, the country's largest LGBTQ+ rights advocate, and served for decades as its headquarters and a safe space for the community. After a major renovation, the hotel opened in 2018. Inside the bar, Bidaux saw ten black and white portraits by Bob van Dijk of Dutch LGBTQ+ figures, including leather craftsman Rob Meijer and drag queen Helen Zelluf. The review also covers the practical side. Rooms are quiet, with blackout curtains, a rain shower and a mix of classic and contemporary art. Breakfast is a buffet with eggs, pancakes and waffles made to order. In the evening the restaurant becomes Bonboon, a vegan venue serving a five-course seasonal menu. There is no gym or spa. Bidaux's verdict: a great location beside a canal and a welcoming spirit for all. For Vibra members, the Mercier is a reminder that Amsterdam's queer spaces have deep roots, and that they last because people keep showing up. That is the idea behind Vibra: a community and loyalty app for LGBTQ+ nightlife in the city, where tickets and Pulse points reward the regulars who keep these places alive. Source: Attitude, 13 August 2026