After spending some time in Germany, it was time to head to the Netherlands, the next step on our five country Europe adventure. We spent three nights at the amazing 93-room Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, which is one of my favorite city hotels.
We traveled to Amsterdam.
We were going to go to Amsterdam last minute. Ford and I had a discussion with my mom about Amsterdam while we were in Germany. She said she hadn't been in a long time, but had fond memories of visiting when she was younger. I said, "Why don't we go for a few days?"
I quickly put something together after I realized it was a short drive and that the points availability was at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam. We were going to Amsterdam before we knew it.
How to book a hotel.
The base room at the Amsterdam hotel is 400 to 800 euro per night, depending on the time of year. The cash rate for our dates was 600 euro.
If you do book a cash rate, I recommend you use the hotel's website, which offers all kinds of extra perks, including a room upgrade subject to availability, a $100 property credit, early check-in and late check-out, double Hilton.
This is a better option than booking through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, for a number of reasons, including that you get a $100 property credit, double the points you earn, and more.
How to redeem points at a hotel.
We redeemed points for a three night stay.
The hotel costs 95,000 Honors points per night, so we paid that.
There was only award availability for three nights, and that was all that fit into our schedule, so you do get a fifth night free on award redemptions.
It can be difficult to find an award room at this hotel since there are few base rooms, but we booked just days before our trip so we were able to find an award room.
Ford and I are both members of the Hilton Honors Diamond program, so we want to book one room in each of our names, so that we can get elite perks for both rooms, and that is why I like staying at the hotels when we are booking two rooms.
The location of the hotel is Amsterdam.
I don't claim to be an expert on Amsterdam, but I do think that the hotel has a great location. It is located on the Herengracht Canal, which is a UNESCO heritage site. We walked the entire city, and did it all on foot.
The street that the Waldorf Astoria is on is very quiet, which is nice in terms of both foot traffic and noise.
Herengracht Canal is near Amsterdam.
There are six former canal houses in the hotel. You can tell them apart from the outside.
The exterior of a building.
The check-in is in the lobby.
From the moment we arrived, the service was flawless. Two bellmen immediately assisted us with our bags as we pulled up. This was up the exterior staircase and then to the right.
The entrance to the Amsterdam hotel.
The interior of the hotel is even more of a treat if you think the exterior is cool. The hotel dates back to the 1600s and was renovated to make it modern and luxurious. Look at the moldings!
The lobby entrance of the hotel.
Two desks were used for a sit-down check-in experience. The chocolates were made with honey from the hotel's garden and looked like bees. We were also offered towels that were refreshing.
The Amsterdam welcome treats are from the Waldorf Astoria.
We were asked if we wanted a drink, and I ordered a coffee. There was a screen with the guest's name on it, and then during the check-in experience there was almost a little slideshow presentation going over the basics of the hotel, what's included with your rate, etc.
Coffee is welcome at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
We were asked to pick from one of four Cire Trudon scents, which would be sprayed in our room each evening with turndown service.
Amsterdam Cire Trudon is a scent.
The rooms were upgraded to King Grand premier rooms.
The staff at the hotel wear traditional local dresses, which is a cute touch, given the history of the hotel. We were given a brief tour of the hotel after we checked in.
The architect of Louis XIV built the staircase across from reception.
The staircase of the Waldorf Astoria.
The staircase of the Waldorf Astoria.
One of the hotel's restaurants is Peacock Alley. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea.
The lobby of the hotel.
The elevators are close to Peacock Alley.
The elevators of the Waldorf Astoria.
The piano is further down the hall.
The lobby piano is owned by the Waldorf Astoria.
There is a private dining room across from that that has original Rococo style decorations and paintings. You can rent this for a private event, but I don't want to know how much it will cost.
The historic dining room of the hotel.
The Canal View of the King Room of the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
Getting to the room was an adventure for Ford and I. We had to walk to the far end of the hotel after taking an elevator up a level.
The elevators of the Waldorf Astoria.
There are signs in the hallway that let you know when you are moving between buildings.
The hallway of the hotel.
Amsterdam historical signs.
At the other end of the hotel, we took the stairs down a level, and our room was located in a hallway. This isn't a hotel for people with accessibility needs, but it's a problem in Amsterdam, given how many old buildings have been restored.
The hallway of the hotel.
The King Grand premier rooms are listed as being 474-592 square feet. Our room was stunning, but I think it was under 500 square feet, which is the lower end of the size range.
The entryway was to the right and the rest of the room was to the left.
The entryway of the Amsterdam room.
The design of the room, the high ceilings, and the amount of natural light made it simply gorgeous. There was a king size bed in the room, with night tables on both sides.
The canal view room is at the hotel.
The canal view room is at the hotel.
The bed had a sofa at the foot. There was a desk with a chair near the window. If two people want to enjoy in-room dining together, the second chair could be moved to the desk.
The canal view room is at the hotel.
The canal view room desk is located at the Waldorf.
The canal view room chair is from the hotel.
There was a wall-mounted TV at the far end of the room. Look at how high those ceilings are.
The canal view room is at the hotel.
There were a variety of drinks and snacks for purchase at the minibar, which featured complimentary coffee, tea, and bottled water.
The hotel has coffee in-room.
The in-room coffee and tea is from the Waldorf.
The hotel has a minibar in the room.
The hotel has a minibar in the room.
Three madeleines were on this table. It was good.
The welcome amenity is at the hotel.
The best part of the room was the view of the canal. I was concerned about being on the ground floor and not being able to see anything. We ended up loving it. It was cool to have a direct view of the boat traffic from the room at the Waldorf Astoria, which is elevated a bit off the ground.
The canal view room is at the hotel.
The bathroom was small but well appointed, with a sink, a tub, a shower, and a toilet.
The grand premier room has a bathroom.
The Amsterdam Grand premier room has a bathtub.
The grand premier room has a shower and toilet.
The grand premier room shower is at the hotel.
The grand premier room of the hotel.
The standard of toiletries at the properties is from Salvatore Ferragamo.
The Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam has Salvatore Ferragamo products.
The room had free and fast wi-fi, and was clean and well-equipped. On the last evening we were given a small tube with our preferred scent to enjoy at home, I loved the scent that they sprayed every evening. A thoughtful touch.
The scent of Amsterdam Cire Trudon can be enjoyed at home.
The Amsterdam Peacock Alley is a breakfast area.
We received complimentary breakfast on account of our Diamond status, and it could be enjoyed either via in-room dining starting at 6AM, or at Peacock Alley from 9AM until 11AM. Breakfast was available at Peacock Alley all three mornings.
The lobby lounge is not a traditional restaurant, but it is beautiful.
The Amsterdam Peacock Alley is located at the Waldorf Astoria.
The Amsterdam Peacock Alley is located at the Waldorf Astoria.
The Amsterdam Peacock Alley is located at the Waldorf Astoria.
The Amsterdam Peacock Alley is located at the Waldorf Astoria.
The breakfast here is called "The Taste of Waldorf" and retails for 39 euro per person.
Breakfast menu at the hotel.
Breakfast menu at the hotel.
Breakfast menu at the hotel.
Breakfast starts with coffee or tea and a juice. I had coffee and juice.
Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria.
A tray was brought out with a variety of food.
Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria.
There was an a la carte option. We tried several things during our stay, including an omelet, eggs benedict, and oatmeal.
Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria.
Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria.
Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria.
The hotel went above and beyond because they only have to offer elite members a continental breakfast, but they instead offer a full breakfast.
The in-room dining at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
We decided to order lunch in-room at the hotel. It seemed like the easiest option since I needed to get some work done after a long car ride. The in-room dining menu can be found here.
We ordered chicken yakitori, a club sandwich, and a pizza to share, and all were great, but this was our least interesting meal in Amsterdam, as we otherwise enjoyed some awesome Indonesian food. The pizza tasted better than it looked.
The in-room dining at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
The in-room dining at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
The in-room dining at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
The canal view terrace of the Waldorf.
In the summer, the Waldorf Astoria has a small terrace with a few tables on the canal. We had some drinks here one afternoon.
The terrace of the hotel.
The Amsterdam Spectrum Restaurant is owned by the Waldorf Astoria.
Sidney Schutte is the chef at the Spectrum Restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam. We didn't have the chance to check it out because it's only open for three days a week. The bar was closed, but it looked cute.
The hotel has a pool, gym, and spa.
Gerlain Spa is located on the basement level of the Waldorf Astoria. The spa menu is where you can find the treatments we didn't get.
The entrance to the spa.
The reception was at the Amsterdam Guerlain Spa.
The spa had a pool, sauna, steam room, and many other things.
A spa pool at the hotel.
A spa pool at the hotel.
The spa at the hotel is called the Guerlain Spa.
I thought the gym was great for a historic hotel like this, with great cardio equipment and weights.
A gym in Amsterdam.
A gym in Amsterdam.
A gym in Amsterdam.
A gym in Amsterdam.
The garden of the hotel.
We lucked out that the garden at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam has a place where you could read a book or work on a project. Since the garden is a UNESCO heritage site, there is no food or drink service. This would be a great setting for a cafe.
The garden of the hotel.
The garden of the hotel.
The garden of the hotel.
The garden of the hotel.
The garden of the hotel.
There was a nice sitting area near the garden. I am not sure what the intent is for this space, or if this is used for something.
The sitting area of the hotel.
The sitting area of the hotel.
The service of the Waldorf Astoria is in Amsterdam.
I have never received a better service at a hotel in a city. The service matches the rest of the hotel, which is quite a compliment. The staff was friendly and competent, which can be difficult to achieve, but they were also attentive and polished. Where do we start?
The concierges here are great, a good concierge at a city hotel can be very helpful in securing reservations and getting the best table, and the team here was very responsive by email.
The front desk staff, the concierges, and the Peacock Alley server were all friendly and interested in detail, even though we never discussed it with them.
I appreciate how the envelopes were addressed to Mr. and Mrs., even though the hotel has both passports on file.
The Cire Trudon scent at the turndown service and the drinks and chocolates at check-in were all small touches that I loved.
I pay close attention to the service at hotels and it is normal that I can critique it. The staff of the Waldorf Astoria did everything they could to execute perfectly. Excellent.
There is attention to detail.
The bottom line.
I can't recommend the hotel enough, whether you're paying cash or using a credit card. One of my top 10 city hotels in the world is this one.
The hotel is modern and historic at the same time, and it has a great location, elite recognition, and excellent service.
If you are going to Amsterdam and can swing it, I recommend the Waldorf Astoria.
What was your experience at the hotel? What is your favorite hotel in Amsterdam?
