The Amstel Intercontinental in Amsterdam was Great
Written: Jan 30 '01 (Updated Sep 16 '04)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Luxurious, spacious rooms, incredible bathroom, excellent staff
Cons: Not as centrally located as other hotels
The Bottom Line: If luxurious accomodations are important to you, this is the hotel! Worth the splurge ! It is not within walking distance of many of Amsterdam's sights.
|
|
|
| RobinLynn's Full Review: Amstel Inter-Continental Amsterdam |
The Amstel Inter-Continental Hotel in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was one of the most beautiful and grand hotels I have ever experienced. Sitting majestically on the Amstel River, the sight of the hotel upon arrival sets the tone for the elegance within.
We had an Executive River view room, and it was one of the largest and most comfortable rooms I have ever had the pleasure to call mine for a few days! It was furnished with beautiful traditional furnishings, gorgeous Oriental carpeting, lovely Delftware porcelain, and sumptuous fabrics throughout. It had tremendous closets that automatically lit up upon opening. Looking out of our large window, with the river all lit up at night, was magical.
But our favorite part of the luxurious room was the gigantic bathroom. It was floor-to-ceiling marble, with a separate extra-large tub, and a completely private commode. But I will never forget the shower. It was a very large stall, or more like a very small room, all in marble with the shower -head affixed directly overhead. It was about eighteen inches in diameter and standing under it was like being in a gentle rain. The water enveloped me in the most wonderful shower I ever could have imagined! Such a shower- head would probably never be allowed in the United States, since it used so much water, but one thing Holland has is plenty of water. In fact, if it wasn’t for the dikes and levies all over the low-lying country, it would probably be submerged, as most of the country is well below sea level.
Since opening in 1867, the Amstel Inter Continental has been recognized as Holland’s most renowned Grand Hotel. It was recently totally refurbished, but never losing its Old World charm.
The staff was gracious and helpful. The concierge on duty during most of our stay was especially helpful in his suggestions for dining options. His suggestion of an Italian restaurant, La Nuova Vita, not far from the hotel, was the best meal we had in Amsterdam.
An abundant and beautifully presented breakfast buffet was included in the cost of our stay. The breakfast restaurant looked out on the river and was a wonderful way to start each day. There is a gourmet restaurant, La Rive, which is very highly regarded, but we never ate there. We did eat a disappointing dinner our first night at the hotel in their casual outdoor restaurant, where the staff was indifferent and the food not very good. This was the only disappointment we experienced at the hotel.
The hotel has seventy-nine fully air-conditioned rooms, with twenty-one of them suites, ranging from split-level Penthouse suites, executive suites, and junior suites. Our room was rated a River View executive room, but it easily felt like a small suite .All rooms are equipped with fax machines, voicemail, multiple telephones(2 in the bathroom!) stereo and CD players.
There is a Health and Fitness Club with an indoor pool overlooking the river, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi cold plunge, gym, solarium, and beauty shop. They have a trained and licensed staff to provide massages or personal training.
The only negative I found with our stay at this property is that it is not in the heart of the cultural and tourist activities of the city. We really couldn’t walk to too many of the places we were in Amsterdam to visit. We took cabs just about everywhere, although I understand the trolley system in the city is easy to navigate. But it was worth the trade-off, since, upon reflection, it just may have been the nicest hotel where I have ever stayed .
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
RobinLynn
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: Parkland, Florida
Reviews written: 192
Trusted by: 363 members
About Me:
My loves are my wonderful family, our amazing grandsons, and travel.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.