It might be dry January, with ‘blue Monday’ approaching, but thousands of Amsterdammers are this weekend celebrating HotelNacht.

In the 11^th round of a promotional weekend offering discounted tickets to the capital city’s most luxurious hotels, refined eating and drinking experiences and wacky workshops, this weekend is for Amsterdammers to have an affordable “hotel night” in their own city.

For just €99 a head, Amsterdam residents can enjoy a night at hotels from the Krasnapolsky, Pulitzer and Okura to the new Maritim Hotel in Amsterdam north. The ticket also gives access for various parties and events including a pool party and Rembrandt tours.

Vincent van Dijk, a man who spent a year staying in hotels and decided to found the initiative 13 years ago in order to bring locals closer to tourists, said it’s a much-needed chance for jollity in dark days – but also points out to local people the facilities that only exist because of the tourism industry.

“The tickets are almost sold out, all of the events are nearly full, so everyone wants a party,” he said. “If you look at the world with all of the threats and wars, people are really taking the chance to do something fun.”

But there’s a bigger message about an industry that not only provides essential local tax revenue but supports Amsterdam’s wealth of going-out possibilities, from bars and clubs to museums and festivals.

“Amsterdammers only know tourists from around the Dam and the tourist parts of town but you don’t really see the real tourists,” he said. “But if you’re in a hotel yourself and you suddenly people like you and I, who are just enjoying the city, you get a very different impression of the tourist industry and that’s a very good thing.”

This year, to celebrate Amsterdam’s 750^th birthday, hotels have been invited to come up with creative ideas and the programme includes sake tasting, a karaoke session, burlesque dinner show, salsa night and silent disco and pool party at the Hotel Jakarta.

Last year, Amsterdam had an estimated 22 million tourists according to city statistics service and this year, tourist taxes are expected to raise €265.7 million, plus lucrative revenues from visitor parking – at least 3% of the city’s direct total revenue. In 2023, there were almost 75,000 jobs in the tourism sector.

At the same time, however, especially Amsterdammers in the centre complain that “overtourism” noise, crowding, nuisance and litter threatens liveability, and Amsterdam municipality is trying a number of measures to contain it.

“It’s about finding a balance,” says Van Dijk. “Hotels now also offer a lot to the locals and realise they also need to appeal to them. Guests will hardly hang around in a bar that isn’t a hotspot, hotels organise more events and the relationship is a lot better. Everyone is talking about dry January… but during HotelNacht you’re allowed to play your ‘get out of jail card’ if you want!”

HotelNacht runs on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 2025