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The InsideFlyer Europe team was in Amsterdam recently and the good folks at the Hilton Amsterdam invited us round for dinner and to take a look at the hotel.
The first thing to be clear about is that obviously they knew we were coming and, naturally, they were trying to show the hotel off to its best advantage. That said, I made sure to wander around by myself (a lot) and observe how staff treated ‘regular’ guests and diners, so I think I can offer a reasonably objective view. Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments!
Location
The Hilton Amsterdam is located in an upscale residential neighbourhood, overlooking one of Amsterdam’s many canals. You can walk to famous sights like the Rijksmuseum and Vondelpark in about 10-15 minutes and can be right in the buzz of the city centre very easily by walking, cycling or making use of Amsterdam’s excellent public transport.
Public Areas
As you enter the Hilton Amsterdam you come straight into main Reception/Lobby area, which is very pleasant and quite classic in style.
The lobby goes all the way through to one of my favourite parts of the hotel, the Canal/Garden Terrace area, on the other side. If the sun is shining, it’s a very pretty spot to relax with a drink.
The main bar, the ‘Half Moon Lounge’, has a comfortable old-school nautical vibe – I love ships (and bars on ships in particular!), so I rather liked it. If you prefer minimalist modern design, I would advise going elsewhere.
Rooms
We weren’t actually staying at the Hilton as it was fully booked, but the standard rooms are what you would expect from a good chain hotel in a major European city:
At 25 Square Metres, the rooms aren’t large but they are comfortable and some have superb views.
We got the chance to check out a couple of the ‘major’ Suites too (Mercurius and Presidential), which were certainly impressive.
The Suites really make a big play of the great views from the hotel, which is exactly what I would want if I was celebrating.
Executive Lounge
If you book a Suite or Executive Room (or have Diamond status with Hilton Honors), you can access the hotel’s Executive Lounge on the top floor.
It’s a fantastic space with panoramic views all over Amsterdam and the perfect place to enjoy breakfast or an evening drink and canape.
The Executive Lounge at the Hilton Amsterdam is one of the most impressive Executive Lounges I’ve been to at a Hilton (remember this isn’t a Conrad) and a real bonus if you have access.
Fitness Centre
The fitness centre is connected to, but not actually owned by the hotel, so the hours are a bit limited – particularly at weekends. I’m reliably informed that options are being reviewed to improve this.
On the plus side, the equipment is good.
Business Facilities
The Business/Events options at the hotel are extensive, with a range of different areas which can be customised to suit events of all different sizes.
Restaurant
We had dinner at Roberto’s – the hotel’s fine dining Italian restaurant.
The style is very much classic Italian, but with just a little bit of a modern touch to brighten things up.
Service was excellent throughout and started with a bit of a cocktail masterclass producing some exceedingly fine Negronis:
As regards dinner, you can have a look at the menu here. Considering the quality, the 3-Course for 49 Euros or 4-Course for 59 Euros options are good value. It’s not ‘cheap’, but the food is delicious and the portions are generous:
Unlike many hotel restaurants, the wine list is also very good – providing options starting at just 6 Euros a glass, as well as regional variety from throughout Italy.
Hilton Amsterdam bottom line
We were certainly very well looked after during our time at the Hilton Amsterdam, and I’m pleased to say I saw a similar level of friendliness, attentiveness and proactive service most of the time when (inconspicuously) observing staff interactions with everyone else. It’s always possible that the wool can be pulled over your eyes a little in these situations, but my impression was of a well-trained operation and it’s actually quite hard to fake that.
Cash rates at the Hilton Amsterdam for a standard room generally vary from £170 to £350. Points rates are never higher than 70,000 Hilton Honors Points per night, though can be significantly lower on nights when the cash rate is relatively low.
I stayed here a couple of weeks back. Decent but not outstanding, very late 60s/early 70s design theme in rooms and corridors. The room was small, but the view was excellent.