Renovation Blog 8 – A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Cityden Oud-Zuid

It’s time for another update from Cityden Oud-Zuid! By now, we’ve made quite a few visits to our new location on Beethovenstraat. And although we discover something new every time, we’re slowly getting to know the building better and better. Still, it’s exciting to see how our future aparthotel is gradually coming to life.

During this visit, we decided to pay a little more attention to the details. Because besides all the major changes, it’s often the little things that will make this location so special.

From Floor Plans to Real Apartments

As usual, we start our tour on the ground floor. Work is still in full swing in the areas where we’ll soon be welcoming our guests. Building materials are scattered around, cables are hanging from the ceiling and there’s plenty of construction work going on. So, it’s not quite the cosy hotel lobby we’re imagining just yet, but we’ll get there!

Next, we head upstairs to take another look at the apartments. What really stands out to me is how much clearer the layout has become. The walls are in place, the ceilings are taking shape and the technical installations are becoming more visible.

In some areas, cables are still hanging from the ceiling and the walls need further finishing. Even so, it takes less and less imagination to picture what the apartments will eventually look like.

It’s funny how differently you look at a space when you know what it’s going to become. While the construction team is focused on everything that still needs to be done, I’m already wondering where the beds will go and which angles will give us the best photos.

A View That Never Gets Old

One thing that catches my attention again during this visit is the beautiful windows throughout the building. Some apartments have large windows overlooking Beethovenstraat, while others offer a quieter view of the surrounding buildings and greenery.

From one of the apartments, we watch a tram passing by. A typically Amsterdam scene, if you ask me! It’s also a lovely reminder of how well-connected Cityden Oud-Zuid will be by public transport.

And then, of course, there’s that one apartment with the large corner windows that I mentioned in an earlier blog. Yes, it’s still very high on my list of favourites!

What I love about this location is the combination of Amsterdam’s lively atmosphere and the charming character of the neighbourhood. You’re right in the heart of Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, surrounded by lovely streets, shops and restaurants, while still having your own comfortable apartment to relax in at the end of the day.

There’s More Happening Behind the Scenes Than You Think

During our tour, we’re once again reminded of just how much work goes into renovating a hotel.

As a future guest, you’ll mainly notice a beautifully furnished room, a comfortable bed and a lovely bathroom. But before we get to that point, there are countless steps to complete.

From installing plumbing and electrical systems to putting up new walls, ceilings and window frames, everything needs to come together. And when you’re renovating an existing building, there’s even more to consider.

You can clearly see this in the photos from our latest visit. Some spaces are already looking quite finished, while in others, the construction work and installations are still very much visible.

And that’s exactly what makes creating these renovation blogs so much fun. Once everything is complete, we’ll be able to look back and see how it all started. By then, those bare walls, loose cables and piles of building materials will be almost impossible to imagine!

Slowly but Surely, It’s Becoming Cityden

As we take our final photos, we try to imagine what the building will look like when the first guests walk through the doors.

The reception area where our Daymakers will welcome everyone, the apartments where guests can truly feel at home, and of course, restaurant SYD, where delicious food will soon be served.

We’re not quite there yet, and there’s still plenty of work to be done behind the scenes. But with every visit, our excitement grows as we get closer to sharing Cityden Oud-Zuid with everyone.

And perhaps that’s the best part of this entire journey: we’re not just watching a building change, we’re following every step of the transformation into our newest Cityden location.

For now, we’ll leave the construction team to continue their hard work. Of course, we’ll be back soon to discover what’s changed since our last visit.

We hope you’ve enjoyed another renovation blog and the accompanying photos. See you in the next one!