Amsterdam Hotspot

Escape is a multi room nightclub on Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam, open since 1986. It was founded by twin brothers Dick and Ton Poppes, who started from a simple idea: that the city deserved a night out worth remembering. Nearly four decades later the club is still run by the same family, which is unusual in a nightlife scene where venues tend to change hands or close. Over the years it has become one of the best known clubs in the Netherlands, with a reputation that reaches abroad as well. The building is split into several distinct spaces. The main hall, Escape Club, is the largest room and the heart of the operation. Upstairs on the first floor sits Escape deLux, an intimate club within the club that has its own lighting and sound system, so it can run a different night from the one below. Escape Studio is a flexible room used for television programmes as well as smaller dance events. Next door is Heck's, a restaurant and bar, and the two businesses offer a Dine and Dance arrangement in which guests eat at Heck's and then move into the club. Escape has gone through three major transformations since it opened. Each rebuild has kept it current with sound, lighting and visual technology, which is part of why a club of its age still holds its place in Amsterdam nightlife. The programme leans on dance music, and the venue is a regular fixture during Amsterdam Dance Event, which has featured it in its series on iconic venues. The club opens seven days a week.