Pulitzer Amsterdam was constructed between the 14th and 17th centuries, in which novel approaches to art and science spread throughout Europe.

The elaborate canal houses of Pulitzer Amsterdam date back to the mid-to-late 1700s, after which they became desolate. It was not until 1960 that these barren accommodations were discovered by Peter Pulitzer, who purchased 10 of these houses to become the city's Howard Johnson Hotel. Adjacent to the Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht canals, guests could marvel at the surrounding landscape with ease. In 1961, the hotel gained its new name, Pulitzer Amsterdam, in honor of the man who turned around the fortunes of these historic structures. Pulitzer's grandson, Joseph Pulitzer, took over the establishment, then renovated the hotel over a 30-year span of time. Originally boasting 10 canal houses, Pulitzer Amsterdam soon grew to host 25 and garnered a five-star luxury accreditation. The hotel still features the distinct motto, "the house of your neighbhor is for sale only once," as Joseph transformed the location to become the iconic fixture that it is today.