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Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam, a Luxury Collection hotel

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  • Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam, a Luxury Collection hotel

    Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam, a Luxury Collection hotel
    Prinsengracht 315-331

    Platinum recognition was quite good at this hotel. I could see that my reservation was upgraded to an ‘executive room’ the night before, which turned out to be a 2 floor mini suite. I was also asked if I wanted late check out without prompting. Went for the 500 points for my Plat amenity again.

    The décor of this hotel was pretty strange. I came to Amsterdam to visit the Anne Frank Huis, but I didn’t expect to sleep in its replica. The hotel had pretty quaint looking furniture throughout, and there were odd corridors you had to negotiate to get to your room. As much as I don’t mind looking at museums and theme parks at times, I don’t think I want to stay in them. At least the Hotel Eden felt like a proper luxury hotel.

    I got a canal-view room. As mentioned my room was split into 2 floors, with the bed on the upper floor. This was cute at first but after the novelty wore off it got tiresome climbing stairs just to get to bed, which was an especially difficult task after I got home from a rave one morning! I’d considered sleeping on the sofa as I didn’t want to risk falling off the stairs, but didn’t want to wake up with an even worse hangover.











    The bed was superb, one of the best I’ve ever slept on and possibly even nicer than some Heavenly and Wonderful Beds! The mattress was SO soft, and the duvet sumptuous. The rest of the furniture was comfy but looked pretty cheap and worn.

    There was also a rather cramped bathroom, filled with some pretty crappy bath amenities. They all smelt odd, and the conditioner was rather watery. I resorted to using my own stuff which I’d brought for emergencies like this.

    I had a stropwaffle and a complimentary bottle of water in my room daily. And a card containing info about the next day’s weather and some ‘this day in history’ trivia (seemed like something significant happened historically each day of my stay!), as well as some penis-shaped chocolates (no other way to describe this!!) during turndown.




    What was supposed to be an image of the phallic chocolates – see photobucket agrees with me!

    The service was pretty good at this hotel. The concierge got me a table at some pretty good restaurants with very little notice. Staff were all extremely efficient and only too eager to help. The hotel also owns a boat (named The Tourist), and organizes private boat tours on it for hotel guests. The tour leaves daily at 1700 and lasts for approximately an hour and 15 minutes – there were only 3 pax on mine (a couple and myself) and so we were able to get a very personalized tour from our excellent guide.

    The location of the hotel is very central and within walking distance to everything – the shopping, restaurants, coffee, nightlife, Anne Frank Huis, the red light district etc.

    On the whole this hotel’s strengths are its staff, location and that very comfy bed. However the quirky décor, cheap furnishings in general, and poor bath amenities make it feel more like a B+B, and I do not see how it’s a 5 star hotel, let alone ‘luxury.’
    Last edited by KeithMEL; 1 February 2008, 12:34 AM.
    All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

  • #2
    Originally posted by KeithMEL View Post
    ...after the novelty wore off it got tiresome climbing stairs just to get to bed, which was an especially difficult task after I got home from a rave one morning! I’d considered sleeping on the sofa as I didn’t want to risk falling off the stairs, but didn’t want to wake up with an even worse hangover.
    Too funny...and those stairs look pretty steep!

    Originally posted by KeithMEL View Post
    I had a stropwaffle
    My favorite.

    Originally posted by KeithMEL View Post
    ...as well as some penis-shaped chocolates (no other way to describe this!!) during turndown.
    That's some pretty scary turndown service!
    HUGE AL

    Comment


    • #3
      I do wonder, KeithMEL, why you accepted a two-level room if raving / clubbing was in the works. There are two reasons my clubbing buddies would have found that set-up problematic. One, as you found out, is that coming home when there are substances that affect motor coordination in your bloodstream, makes getting to bed more challenging than it should be.

      I quite like the Pulitzer among the Amsterdam hotels I've stayed in. As you pointed out, service is excellent. There's also a fantastic Indonesian restaurant a short walk away across Prinsengracht.
      ‘Lean into the sharp points’

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by jjpb3 View Post
        I do wonder, KeithMEL, why you accepted a two-level room if raving / clubbing was in the works. There are two reasons my clubbing buddies would have found that set-up problematic. One, as you found out, is that coming home when there are substances that affect motor coordination in your bloodstream, makes getting to bed more challenging than it should be.
        Don't keep us in suspense!

        (I'd also be worried about falling down the stairs in the middle of the night if I was still affected by these substances and wanted to attend to a call of nature! )

        Comment


        • #5
          I like your reason better as the official #2 reason, jhm. The one I originally had in mind was better suited for off-board talk.
          ‘Lean into the sharp points’

          Comment


          • #6
            *cough* Let's keep this thread family-friendly shall we? I do agree with all 3 reasons mentioned, whether explicitly or otherwise, thus far.

            The other room that was offered was very cramped and looked even more worn. Hence I was prepared to deal with stairs. Plus getting to the other room involved an extremely convoluted journey via several different hallways and flights of stairs that I could just imagine myself getting lost and waking up in the middle of a hallway, this one was just around the corner from reception - so the cake could be had but not eaten.
            All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by KeithMEL View Post
              The décor of this hotel was pretty strange. I came to Amsterdam to visit the Anne Frank Huis, but I didn’t expect to sleep in its replica. The hotel had pretty quaint looking furniture throughout, and there were odd corridors you had to negotiate to get to your room.
              Hmm I guess you did not do enough research eh?
              If you tour Netherlands, I am sure you will see so many tiny houses. Yes, land scarcity. And Hotel Pulitzer consists of many houses as one hotel. It is not strange, but unique. And the luxury here is being in a historical buildings with a very unique lay out... But again, I had been too many other hotels in Amsterdam since the first time I went to visit, range from low budget, hostel, and other kind of accomodations. Thus, Hotel Pulitzer was really a treat for me.
              Service had been top notch there. The breakfast is very nice, a typical Dutch breakfast. The same place for breakfast will be a place to be seen during the evening for drinks etc..

              In fact, if you want SPG properties that has modern looking style, that would be Sheraton at Schiphol as well as the Westin in Rotterdam.. But again, I had not been to Amsterdam for a very long time...

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by KeithMEL View Post
                *cough* Let's keep this thread family-friendly shall we?
                ...
                as well as some penis-shaped chocolates (no other way to describe this!!) during turndown.
                This will still be a family oriented answer... to let the youngsters know the reality in this world...
                When I was young, and went to Amsterdam for the very first time, the first thing I noticed was the penis-shape like thingy everywhere on the street by the pedestrian sidewalks... Thus, the chocolate for the turn down service was not surprising, and actually a unique touch. And as I recalled, couple blocks from the hotel, there is homo monument which has the same shape as you described it.


                PS: Did you do other things as well? I mean the things that make many American college students flocking Amsterdam during the summer...

                Comment


                • #9
                  I was somewhat intrigued so did a Google ... !

                  http://www.trippist.com/2007/08/the_..._souvenir.html

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by jhm View Post
                    I was somewhat intrigued so did a Google ... !

                    http://www.trippist.com/2007/08/the_..._souvenir.html
                    Umm no not those. They were penis shaped but not explicitly so.

                    Originally posted by SQ LPP View Post
                    And the luxury here is being in a historical buildings with a very unique lay out...

                    In fact, if you want SPG properties that has modern looking style, that would be Sheraton at Schiphol as well as the Westin in Rotterdam.. But again, I had not been to Amsterdam for a very long time...
                    I do not see how being housed in a historical building with a quirky layout in itself is luxurious at all. Perhaps a matter of taste. But then old hotels can be luxurious to me - like the Hotel Eden in Rome. The Pulitzer just didn't have that luxurious feel. Perhaps it'd be better suited being branded as a Sheraton or something.

                    The alternatives you mentioned are a fair way out. There was also a Le Meridien in Amsterdam but it ceased being an LM some time ago, leaving the Pulitzer as the only SPG property in central Amsterdam.

                    Oh and I went to this very fun Australia Day party at the Belushi Bar at St Christopher's Inn - a youth hostel!
                    All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by jhm View Post
                      I was somewhat intrigued so did a Google ... !

                      http://www.trippist.com/2007/08/the_..._souvenir.html
                      You googled the wrong one!
                      Your chocolate are colourful.
                      The chocolate at the Pulitzer was a half of this fixture all over Amsterdam sidewalks. Just plain chocolate color.
                      See the real one here...

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                      • #12
                        SQ LPP - spot on! I have a pic of the phallic chocolates but photobucket wouldn't let me display it - they seem to think it's porn!
                        All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Oh, the naughty Dutch!

                          (But still not as naughty as the Japanese, e.g. the Kanamara festival near Tokyo. )

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by jhm View Post
                            Oh, the naughty Dutch!
                            No, naughty tourists. Honni soit qui mal y pense.*






                            *No, not the motto of the Order of the Garter, as this one's in modern French.
                            ‘Lean into the sharp points’

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by SQ LPP View Post
                              Hmm I guess you did not do enough research eh?
                              If you tour Netherlands, I am sure you will see so many tiny houses. Yes, land scarcity. And Hotel Pulitzer consists of many houses as one hotel. It is not strange, but unique. And the luxury here is being in a historical buildings with a very unique lay out... But again, I had been too many other hotels in Amsterdam since the first time I went to visit, range from low budget, hostel, and other kind of accomodations. Thus, Hotel Pulitzer was really a treat for me.
                              Service had been top notch there. The breakfast is very nice, a typical Dutch breakfast. The same place for breakfast will be a place to be seen during the evening for drinks etc..

                              In fact, if you want SPG properties that has modern looking style, that would be Sheraton at Schiphol as well as the Westin in Rotterdam.. But again, I had not been to Amsterdam for a very long time...
                              Very well said. Part of the charm is the unique structure of the building including the hallways and various sets of stairs encountered, as well as the furnishings and hardwood floors. IIRC, the hotel consists of 25 different "houses" which have been incorporated into one property.

                              Given the number of reviews available for this property, I don't see much room for surprise or complaints if one has done any "research" before staying.

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