Amsterdam Hilton....Giving Peace A Chance in Amsterdam
Written: Aug 26 '09 (Updated Aug 31 '09)
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Pros: A well run establishment, the Hilton carries on with generally good service. Quiet.
Cons: Not in the city center, the Hilton is only a tram ride away.
The Bottom Line: An established and welll run hotel, the Hilton may have seen its day in the limelight, but it's still going strong.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: Hilton Amsterdam |
The Amsterdam Hilton is perhaps best known as the site of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Bed-In for Peace" in April, 1969. Built in 1962, the Hilton is one of the chain's earlier efforts at building international hotels. As such, it has acquired a certain patina whaich many newer Hiltons don't have.
The Building
Designed in the modernist style by Dutch architect Hugh Aart Maaskant, the Hilton opened in 1962. Periodic renovations over the years have kept it fresh and relevant to the needs of today's traveler. The Bilderberg Hotel next door was, I'm told, once an annex to the Hilton. It has been a separate venture for many years now.
Lobby
Clean, light and spare are the words which come to mind when beholding the Modernist lobby. Cream colored marble and wood paneling are nicely paired in such a way that the lobby feels light and open. The furniture also has a retro feel- think crescent shaped sofas in mossy green velvet with chintz throw pillows. A television camera from the early 60s presides over the entrance, but it's an art installation which may or may not be permanent. The lobby is pleasant, but doesn't really suggest lingering. For that, you'll want to head straight for the rear terrace in good weather.
Registration was swift, but not without a slight hiccup or two. These were rectified by the affable manager on duty and we were sent on our way in a relatively short time.
Room
This isn't a behemoth of a Hilton, so the number of rooms might surprise you- only 271. Most of the rooms would be considered moderately sized by today's standards. Recall that the hotel opened in 1962 and this will explain their size. We were hardly uncomfortable in our room (No. 910) on the club floor. Nearly all rooms are the same size, with just a slight variation for those in the middle and the suites at the end of each floor.
Dusky brown tones mingled with gold and teal for a soothing effect. The twin beds were smartly made up with crisp white duvets. While there wasn't much storage space (just two narrow drawers and a cramped closet) we managed better than I had thought we would during our stay of ten nights.
Particular attention had been taken with the linens and mattresses. If you didn't like your pillow, all you had to do was call and they would send one up to your liking. The adjustable lights affixed to the headboard were another thoughtful touch for late-night readers.
The desk was a sort of L-shaped thing with a frosted glass top in one corner. What I liked about the desk was that they'd thought to place a long strip for your various charging or computer needs. This is simple, but it's not always found- even at such international places as this. The television, on he other hand, had vexing controls which largely relied upon diagrams. It took us some time to figure out how to get the BBC or CNN. For those who must have fresh air, the windows do open, but only slightly- just enough to let a little air into the room.
There was a flurry of activity next door on the last couple of days we were in the hotel. David Beckham was apparently occupying the Presidential Suite next to our to our room. We never saw him or Victoria. The suites, by the way, are considerably more expensive. While they are attractive, they are also relatively small by today's standards. Only the suites and larger rooms on the ends of the building have balconies.
Bath
Smartly turned out in gleaming white tiles and a shower curtain with (you guessed it!) a pop-art rendering of a tulip, the baths weren't large, but had been updated with granite and wood paneling. Piles of towels and (standard) bath amenities were all there. If I had wanted to, I could have spent E. 17.50 on a special bar of soap from the "Soap Menu." I didn't rise to the bait. The only complaint about the bath was that the hot water took its time to reach us on the tenth floor.
Club Lounge
Always pulsing with a never ending flow of guests, the Executive Lounge was a popular place. As club lounges go, I've seen better, but the staff made up for this by being attentive and friendly. A complete breakfast is offered upstairs, but we found that we preferred to take our breakfasts downstairs in a less hurried setting.
During the day, soft drinks and a small selection of snacks are offered. After six, however, the sparkling wine, cheap rose and booze is cracked open for the eager hordes. If you had to, I suppose you could take your dinner up here on the fried snacks, but I grew weary of the Dutch propensity to throw nearly anything into the deep-fryer. On most nights small dishes of sushi or other things were put out on the sideboard.
I was told that the hotel is planning to add two new floors of guest rooms with a new, larger club lounge on top. Given the current use levels, I'd say that this is a smart idea.
Another good thing about the club lounge is the free use of the (one) computer. Even though you will have to wait in line for it, it surely beats having to pay E. 5 for about five minutes of computer use downstairs in the business center.
You may also notice a large deck around the lounge. This used to be open to guests who could enjoy their drinks or breakfast outside in good weather. A tragedy intervened...The terrace was closed permanently after Dutch pop star Herman Brood leaped to his death here in July, 2001. I imagine that the new club lounge won't be featuring a terrace of any sort.
Dining
The main dining room was renovated and reopened in March as Roberto's, in honor of their General Manager. We avoided it at first, thinking it would be expensive and boring. We were wrong. It was expensive, but the kitchen turned out to be more than competent. There is also usually a weekly menu which offers prix-fixe specials. Christopher and Lizzie in the dining room made our dining there that much better. It's nice to have enthusiastic servers who enjoy their jobs. This attitude shows forth throughout most of the staff.
Breakfast is in the same room, but you'd never think it could be, as the walls slide away to reveal buffet lines on two sides of the room. While not nearly as tranquil as at dinner, the room comes into its own at breakfast. Presiding over it all is Johnnie Wells, the Breakfast Chef who's been with the hotel for 31 years. Id' been tipped off that he knew a thing or two about cameras, so I asked him where to find a digital card for my camera. He insisted upon taking my card to the hotel's computer room. My photos were put onto 2 separate discs without charge. We were stunned by this level of personal service. He even offered to drive us across town to a camera shop if we'd wanted to take him up on the offer. Where was I? Breakfast. Johnnie will see to it that you have anything you need. Miles of waffles, eggs, sausages,fish, pickled things and a color wheel of yogurt make up the buffet. If you don't see what you like, ask Johnnie and he will see that you have it.
The Half Moon Lounge is another good looking room. Nautically themed and supposedly designed by Ralph Lauren, the bar would be great for a rainy night or frozen evening. As it turned out, we were able to use it only once, as they kept it closed during most of our stay in favor of the garden terrace.
When the sun shines, Amsterdamers like to get out and enjoy it. We had favorable weather during our stay, so the Garden Terrace was open. Rows of tables and chairs slip quietly down the hill to a greensward overlooking the canal. At night, lanterns and Christmas lights in the trees light up the place into a fairyland out of Narnia. The food here is more of the club sandwich (or Dutch Toesti) variety, but it's really the setting you're going for. For those with money to torch, there's still another option called River Dining- basically dinner on a barge tethered in the canal. We didn't like the E. 50 or so prices of the main courses (dinner for two would be in the hundreds), so we gave it a miss.
A curiosity I never figured out was a club built right into the addition where the health club is built next to the hotel. An untended stairway led down to a dubious club called Toomer's. I never saw anyone going in or out, so I assume it must be closed. Whether it is even connected with the hotel is up for debate.
There are a few good restaurants in the neighborhood- but not many. We liked Spring which was about six blocks away from the hotel.
Fitness
There's no pool, but the hotel has an attached fitness club, the Personal Health Club, which can be reached from the second floor. Use of the club is not free unless you happen to be a Hilton Honors Gold or Platinum member. I'm not, so I had to fork over E. 17.50 for the privilege of using it. The club is attractive, and when I visited, it wasn't busy at all. The sauna and steam room worked well enough and there was a nice selection of unikversal machines, treadmills and freeweights. I still dislike the idea of charging guests for the use of a fairly basic health club. This is likely because the hotel does not own the club.
Concierge
The concierge service is somewhat spotty- ranging from energetic to lethargic, depending upon whom is behind the desk at any given moment. The Chef de Concierge seemed friendly enough but was more interested in booking tours than in actually listening to what guests were saying. I sensed a certain alertness to the threat of effort. We fell for one such package tour (owned and managed by a separate company) and found that much of the morning was spent in shops or a kiddie park called Madurodam- not how I would have chosen to spend the morning if I'd bothered to do my own homework. Live and learn, but don't rely upon the concierge staff to do much more than suggest restaurants.
Location and Transport
Several guidebooks list the hotel as being in the Jordaan. From what I was told by locals, this isn't quite the case. The neighborhood is perhaps better described as Amsterdam South. The neighborhood is genteel, leafy and mostly residential. The hotel is within a fifteen minute walk of the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Concertgebouw (concert hall). To get to the center of town, simply walk over to Emmastraat and take the No. 15 tram to Dam Square or to the Centraal Station. You can also walk in the opposite direction and catch the No. 5 tram. This one will also take you to the Zuid or South Station. We found this station easier to use than Centraal. Buses follow the tram routes as well, so you will never have to wait long for transport. You can also buy tram tickets in the hotel's small gift shop. Better tram tickets tham wooden clogs on a key ring any day.
Cost
Our room was booked as part of a package through Hotwire. Had we paid the rack rate for the room, it would have been somewhere in the neighborhood of E. 429.00- an astonishing figure at today's exchange rates. I broke the package price down and figured that we had probably paid only about $170 USD for the room. This was a real bargain. We had been granted an upgrade to the Executive Floor. Rooms elsewhere in the hotel cost about E. 100 less.
Overall
The Hilton is not new, but it has aged gracefully. We had few problems during our stay
and the staff generally went well out of their way to ensure that we were happy. If you must be in the absolute center of things, this may not be the hotel for you. For a bit of peace, it should be just fine.
Amsterdam Hilton
Apollolaan 138
1077 BG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel. 31-20-710-6000
Fax 31-20-710-6080
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 688
Trusted by: 444 members
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With Barbara in Miami, 2004
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