Review: The Stunning Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam

Background:

I was going to be in Amsterdam for two nights and always wanted to try the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam as I heard great things about it. My friend and I decided to stay one night at the Sir Albert Amsterdam, and then one night at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam. The Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam was opened on May 1, 2014, and became the 25th addition to the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts collection.

TAKEOFF POINTS:

Date of Stay: February 2023
Room Type: Twin Grand Premier Canal
Pros: Amazing service, gorgeous rooms, and a stellar location. A true five-star experience and one of the best hotels I have stayed in.
Cons: None I could think of.

Booking:

I used a Hilton Free Night Certificate from my American Express Aspire Card that was going to expire in a month. Cash rates for my stay were starting at EUR 700 for the King Superior Plus Room. Depending on the time of year, cash rates at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam range from EUR 400 to EUR 800 per night for a base room.

FORA TRAVEL BENEFITS:

I work with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays. Fora is a Hilton Impresario Travel Agency. With Fora’s partnership, you can get special perks when booking cash rates with me. This specific property features:

• Daily breakfast for two guests per room
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at check-in
• Double Hilton HHonors points for the stay
• $100 USD equivalent hotel credit once during the stay

If you are interested in getting these perks and want to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, feel free to email me at takeofftotravel@fora.travel and I would be happy to help you plan your trip.

Location:

To me, the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam has an amazing location. It’s located on the Herengracht Canal which is quiet and peaceful. But at the same time, virtually everything was within walking distance. Just across a bridge is Rembrandtplein which is a plaza surrounded by bars and restaurants. You’re also about a 15- minute walk to the Museum Square which contains the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. My friend and I practically walked everywhere we wanted to go.

Pre-Arrival:

The concierge personally reached out a few days via email before our stay to make sure any questions were answered and if we needed any assistance with dining reservations, transportation, or activities.

Additionally, I saw on the app that we had been upgraded to a Premier Canal Room a couple of days before our stay, which was greatly appreciated.

Arrival:

We checked out of the Sir Albert Amsterdam and decided to walk to the Waldorf Astoria. Once outside, you can see that the hotel is comprised of six former canal houses dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

We arrived to the hotel at around 1:30pm, and the reception is off to the right-hand side once you enter the building. The service at the Waldorf Astoria was amazing the moment we arrived. As we approached the front entrance, a bellman immediately helped us with our bags and guided us to take a seat at the reception.

Check-In:

At the reception were two desks for a sit-down check-in experience. We were both given refreshing towels. They then asked if we wanted a welcome drink, to which we both got a Cappuccino.

The front desk associate was very friendly and was happy to share that our room was ready early, before the standard 3pm check-in time. That was much appreciated and allowed us to freshen up to start our afternoon. He also introduced us to the concierge just across the hall if we needed any recommendations or assistance. He even also granted us 2pm late check-out for the next morning, which was much appreciated. Service throughout the stay was stellar, with the staff members being very helpful and easy to reach by phone or by chat via the Hilton app.

Turndown Service Scents:

One very cool aspect about the hotel is that toward the end of the check-in experience, we were asked to select from one of four Cire Trudon scents, which would be utilized as our room’s scent during turndown service. My friend and I both agreed that the third option, Cyrnos, was the best scent. It consisted of Lemon, Myrthle, Thyme, Black Fig, Lavender, and Pine.

After our scent was chosen, we were personally escorted to our room, where our front desk associate talked about some of the hotel amenities, and mentioned the room’s features. This marked my 6 Waldorf Astoria visit, and the only other property that walked us to our room was the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.

Heading to the Room:

The interior of the hotel is amazing, and the restoration of the six canal houses to a hotel was very tastefully done. They managed to keep the historical architecture dating back to the 1600s but modernize it and make it luxurious.

Right outside reception is the grand staircase, and the wall details were quite nice.

Twin Grand Premier Canal View:

Our room was located on the first floor, which would be the second floor in the states. I learned that rooms on the first floor have much higher ceilings than the second or third floors due to the design of the building. The room was located in the same canal house as the lobby, and I believe we were above the concierge area.

The Twin Grand Premier Canal View rooms at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam are between 47 and 57 square meters in size (505-613 square feet). I believe our room was on the larger side, as it was quite spacious.

Entry:

As you entered the room, it featured a hallway with a large side table containing the Espresso Machine and bottles of still and sparkling water. Further down the hall on the right was the large closet.

Then as you turn left at the end of the hall, you enter the main room itself. The room was gorgeous and the first thing you notice is the incredibly high ceilings.

The Room:

All the furnishings and decorations were tasteful and luxurious. Two large windows overlooked the canal outside. The room had two large European Twin Beds (which would be queen-sized in the United States). The bedding was comfortable and to the five-star level.

Across the beds was a television and a large desk with a chair, plus a minibar with snacks for purchase. Waiting at the desk, was a welcome amenity of a chocolate waffle pastry. It was a cute tasty treat.

Two large chairs with a small table are located at the windows and had a nice arrangement of tulips.

The room was equipped with plenty of power outlets, and they even included 2 converters in the room to the US Type A/B which was very nice.

Bathroom:

The bathroom was quite large and well-appointed. It featured dual sinks a soaking tub with a TV, a walk-in shower, with shower head and wand, and a separate W/C. Shower caps, cotton swabs, and sewing kits were provided as well. The tiles with the subtle blue line at the top gave off the famous Dutch Delft Blue House vibe.

Also, the shower worked really well, and even the drain was special as it had WA Amsterdam engraved.

The toiletries were from Aesop, and I enjoyed the scent. This was a welcome surprise, as the standard scent at Waldorf Astoria is from Salvatore Ferragamo.

Other Aspects:

The cleanliness was top-notch, and I didn’t see anything that appeared unclean. Turndown service did come, and put on classical music, replaced a water bottle, laid out the slippers, and sprayed the scent we chose at check-in. A little sweet treat, Kaneelkussen (which is a cinnamon hard candy), was left at each of the bedside tables.

We also had no issues with the complimentary Wi-Fi.

Overall, the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam Twin Grand Premier Canal View was one of the best rooms I’ve stayed in.

Touring the Six Houses:

My friend and I decided to take a short tour of all the canal houses in the hotel. When walking down the corridors, it’s cool how there are little signs with a summary letting you know which historic building you are entering.

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Dining:

On the ground floor just past reception, you pass Peacock Alley, which is one of the hotel’s restaurants. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea.

Next to Peacock Alley, is the Maurer Room, which is a private dining room that you can rent out.

The Breakfast:

Breakfast was included with my Hilton Honors Diamond Status, and it was served in a breakfast area one level below the lobby level (-1) next to the Spectrum Restaurant overlooking the private garden. The standard breakfast here is “The Taste of Waldorf” and it is quite unique.

A cute tray was brought out with a berry bowl, smoked salmon, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt and a various assortment of breads.

It also included coffee, and tea plus your choice of juice.

Then there was the choice of an a la carte option. My friend and I both got Eggs Benedict, and it was quite good.

Overall, we both enjoyed the luxurious and extensive breakfast offerings. 

Spectrum Restaurant:

The Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam has a 2 Michelin starred restaurant called Spectrum on floor -1. It is open for dinner from Wednesday-Sunday nights.

There is also a bar near the restaurant on the same level which looked to have people even late in the night.

Amenities:

Just past the bar on floor -1, The Waldorf Astoria has a twenty-four-hour fitness center that looked great for a workout. 

Down the hall, the Guerlain Spa is also available from 9am to 9pm for treatments from facials, massages and more.

There is an indoor pool in the Spa and we were told at check-in that you can access it 24 hours a day. We would just call and someone would open it up for us. So, we called down to ask if we could use the pool around 11pm and they were happy to open it up for us!

We met an associate outside the spa and were the only ones who wanted to use the pool at the time. The associate also set up the sauna for us, and there’s a steam room as well. You can also access the garden from the pool if you want some fresh air. Such a nice feature of the hotel!

Garden:

One of the cool aspects of the Canal Ring, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage, is the preservation of private gardens behind the canal houses. They are called “Keurtuinen” and they are protected by the City Council of Amsterdam since 1612. The garden behind the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam is one of the largest remaining private gardens in Amsterdam.

Note: Food and beverages are not allowed in the garden, due to its protected UNESCO status. It would be a great place to read a book during the spring and summer months.

Complimentary Bike Rentals:

One of my favorite amenities offered at the hotel is the complimentary bikes. Amsterdam is a very bike-friendly town, and you’ll see bikes parked literally everywhere across the city.

To attempt to fit in with the locals, my friend and I biked around the city for a few hours. The concierge recommended us a couple of routes, and we saw nice canals and even parked our bikes near the tulip market to walk around.

The bikes were relatively easy to use, had a nice basket to store items, and had locks for convenience if you wanted to park the bike and explore an area on foot.

The Verdict:

Overall, the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam is a luxury oasis in the heart of the city. From the polished staff to the beautiful architecture and design of the rooms and common areas, the hotel was a delight to experience. I highly recommend the property, and cannot wait to stay here again on my future visits to Amsterdam.

Have you stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam before? How was your experience? Comment below!

Cheers,

Ty

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Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!