Athletic Companions, Five Who Keep Pace With the City

Angelika, 24, from Centrum, plays tennis with a competitive streak she never softens. Off the court she ranks jazz bars by their pianos and gives frank verdicts on contemporary art.

Laura, 25, from De Pijp, rides horses and skis with real daring, then slows right down over a pot of tea and a story about her last trip to Italy. Her style is breezy garden-party elegance.

Nora, 26, from Centrum, is the one blonde of the group, spirited and adventurous, forever suggesting a detour past the flower stalls or a longer walk home over the bridges.

Sonya, 32, from the Jordaan, found her strength through ballet and meditation. Hers is the discipline of stillness, and it makes her the calmest presence among the five.

Tina, 26, also from the Jordaan, is quick, warm and confident, with a fashion designer's eye and an instinct for where the evening should go next.

This is the group for a plan with some walking in it. Start with a drink on Nieuwmarkt beside the lit towers of the Waag, follow the Zeedijk down towards the water, cross to the Oudezijds Voorburgwal to watch the lamps come up along the canal, then choose between a jazz cellar and a quiet hotel bar. With Angelika or Tina the route tends to grow longer; with Sonya it grows slower and more beautiful. Every one of the five knows the difference between a brisk walk and a lovely stroll, and she will read which one you are in the mood for.

The energy lasts, too. When one evening is not enough, an extended booking turns it into an afternoon and a night, or a full day with room for a bike ride along the Amstel. Laura and Tina both suit that kind of day, and the arrangement is on request, confirmed on WhatsApp.

Athletic companions are also the natural choice when a plan begins before sunset. Laura would happily cycle out along the river towards the open polder, Nora would lead a late morning through the flower stalls followed by a long lunch, and Angelika might suggest a set of tennis before dinner if you packed the shoes. Tell us what you have in mind; daytime plans are on request, confirmed on WhatsApp, just like longer evenings.

Athletic does not mean dressed for the gym. Angelika wears relaxed, sunlit glamour, Sonya understated evening elegance, Tina clean navy and black, and Nora bold resort colour, all perfectly at home in a formal dining room. They simply move through that room with the ease of people who spend a great deal of time moving.

Nora also appears on the blonde page. Sonya and Tina are listed as petite, Angelika belongs with the black hair companions, and Laura is one of the fifteen brunettes. Sonya is also the only member of the group in the thirty and over band. A simple hour at your hotel with any of the five starts from €180, and one short message is all it takes to begin.