Organising an alumni reunion usually means booking a restaurant, hiring a private room, or renting an apartment for a long weekend. For groups who have known each other for years and are used to self-organised evenings, that is familiar territory. But for the celebration that marks the difference, the ten-, fifteen-, or twenty-year anniversary of the class, the dispute, or the year club, Faralda Crane Hotel offers something you do not forget. Three suites on a restored harbour crane on the NDSM yard, fifty metres above the IJ, exclusively available for your group. Private access, your own rooftop, and an industrial monument as backdrop for an evening you will discuss for years.
Classic year clubs from Dutch student associations. Vindicat, ASC/AVSV, USC, NSC, ASR, Albertus Magnus, Triton, and all other associations where year clubs are part of the culture. For the annual weekend, the lustrum, or a specific date that marks the group.
Disputes and subgroups. For groups of 6 to 12 people who want to celebrate their specific bond. Faralda’s scale works better for this group size than a large banquet hall.
Class groups from other contexts. Not only Dutch student associations. Master’s class cohorts, business school programmes, MBA groups, or workmates from a first employer who reconnect 10 or 20 years later. The group does not need the official association structure, only the desire for a specific location for the reunion.
International alumni gatherings. For groups whose members travel from different cities or countries for a specific date, the unique location is an additional reason to come. Faralda is reachable from Schiphol in 30 minutes.
Two levels at the highest point of the crane. Freestanding bath, panoramic views over the IJ and Amsterdam Centre. For artists or teams who want the most exclusive position. Discover the Secret Suite →
Two levels, king-size bed, rain shower, full jacuzzi access. More spacious interior. Discover the Free Spirit Suite →
Curated art, vrijstaand bad, jacuzzi-toegang. Specifiek gepositioneerd voor stellen. Lees meer over de Mystique Suite →
All three suites reserved at once for your group, with exclusive use of the shared spaces including the rooftop. Suitable for groups up to roughly 12 people staying overnight, with space for additional guests during dinner and celebration. Separate rates on request. Discover the Faralda Crane buyout →
For groups who want to celebrate an evening without staying over (for example local Amsterdam alumni groups), Faralda can be used as an event venue for a specific evening. The three suites remain available for those who do want to stay over.
Three elements set Faralda apart from regular reunion locations.
The full group under one roof. With the Faralda Crane buyout, three suites are reserved at once for your group. No spread across different hotels or apartments. No logistical issue getting everyone to the same place on time for dinner or photographs. Everyone stays on the crane for the full duration.
Private access and no strangers. For groups who have known each other for years, a hotel bar with other guests does not work. Faralda is fully private with the Crane buyout. No reception with other hotel guests, no yard tourists in the same space. Only your group and the Faralda team.
The rooftop at fifty metres. For the toast, the speech, or the first photographs of the group after so many years, the rooftop offers a setting no bar or restaurant can match. At sunset or in winter with Amsterdam lit up across the IJ, this is the moment that seals the evening.
For groups wanting concrete shape for the evening, a few proven patterns.
Classic evening reunion. Arrival by F4 ferry from Centraal Station around 17:00. Brief tour of the crane, then drinks on the rooftop at sunset. Dinner in the Free Spirit Suite or outdoors on the yard with catering from Pllek or Hangar. After dinner: speeches, old stories, and the rest of the evening on the crane with a private bar arrangement. Overnight in the three suites.
Lustrum weekend. Two nights with multiple activities: arrival Friday evening with dinner, Saturday daytime NDSM tour (Kunststad art hub, STRAAT Museum), Saturday evening gala dinner on the crane with external catering, Sunday breakfast and check-out.
Lustrum with external activity. Faralda as the base for a group doing an external activity during the day (boat trip across the IJ, cycling tour through Amsterdam North, or a specifically organised programme) and returning to the crane in the evening for the main activity.
Discreet reunion for a business class group. For groups wanting a combination of professional and social, Faralda can function as a meeting venue for part of the day with a reunion dinner following. Privacy is fully guaranteed.
-Adriaan T.
Private access for the entire group. No other guests, no interruptions, no time conflicts with hotel routine.
Arrival by F4 ferry. Twelve minutes by free ferry from Centraal Station. For groups travelling from different cities, this is a symbolic start to the evening.
Private rooftop for speeches and photographs. The highest point of the crane, 360 degree views over Amsterdam. Suitable for group photographs that define the evening.
Suite accommodation included. With the Crane buyout, three suites for the group. Private check-in and concierge handling logistics for the group.
Catering from NDSM restaurants. Faralda works with several local NDSM restaurants and caterers for dinner and drinks. For alumni groups who do not want a formal gala but local culinary quality.
On request: music and entertainment. DJs, jazz trios, or a specifically chosen artist for the evening. Faralda has connections with the NDSM music scene.
On request: photography. For groups wanting professional photographs of the reunion for the class archive.
-Edgar E.
-Moritz W.
-Smarshall
Answers to the questions we receive most often about alumni reunions on the Faralda crane.
For groups up to 12 people, Faralda Crane Hotel on the NDSM yard works well: three suites, exclusive use with the Crane buyout, private rooftop for speeches. For larger groups, consider Westergasfabriek or another event venue. For classic restaurants: Pllek (NDSM, IJ view), Hangar (NDSM), or a private room in a canal house restaurant.
Through a request on the Faralda website. Note in the form that the stay is for an alumni reunion, specify the date, group size, and any specific requirements. The team reviews the request within forty-eight hours and schedules a conversation about the format.
Faralda works with request-based rates for groups. The full Crane buyout has a specific rate per night. Optional elements are priced separately. Request a specific quote for your date and group size.
Faralda accommodates a maximum of 6 overnight guests in the three suites. For dinner or celebration on the crane, additional guests can join without staying over (up to roughly 20 people total depending on the location on the crane). For groups above 12 wanting to all stay overnight, Faralda is not the right venue.
Yes, through the full Faralda Crane buyout. All three suites reserved for the group with exclusive use of all shared spaces including the rooftop. No other guests on the crane during your stay. Discover the Faralda Crane buyout.
On the NDSM yard: Pllek (beach bar, restaurant), Hangar (restaurant), Kunststad (art hub, open studios), STRAAT Museum (street art and graffiti). For groups wanting a shared activity during the day: boat trip across the IJ, cycling tour through Amsterdam North, or a specifically organised programme via Faralda's concierge.
Yes. Faralda works strongly for milestone moments. For 10-, 15-, or 25-year anniversaries, the unique location offers symbolic value that a standard restaurant or banquet hall does not. Discover Faralda for anniversaries.
For unique venues: Volkshotel (former newspaper building), Hotel Jakarta (subtropical garden), Sir Adam Hotel (in the A'DAM tower with 360 views). For classic luxury: Conservatorium, Waldorf Astoria. Faralda is unique due to the combination of industrial monument, three suites for the inner circle, and exclusive buyout option for small groups.
A reunion on a restored harbour crane in Amsterdam. Private. By invitation.
