Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre - Amsterdam, Netherlands     

The rooms were nice looking and modern but everything else about the stay was painful, long and no way a 4 star service. Location: To start with, it is NOT AT ALL in the center. It takes 20 minutes to walk to the center or a pricey $40 cab ride both ways. It isnot a convenient location at all and the walk from the hotel is pretty sketchy. The most bothersome of the whole experience was probably the location. I truly felt that it was false advertisement. It was so far from the center that we feel that we didn't do things we would have otherwise done if the hotel was REALLY in the center. I fell that it truly tarnished our vacation. We REALLY wanted to be in the middle of the action and were far from it. The staff was inefficient, unfriendly and SO slow. My first impression was already bad. We arrived at the front desk, there was 3 persons working with one costumer so there was no line. It took 15 minutes for us to be addressed! At no point were we welcomed, told about how long it would take, or to take a seat for a while we wait.The type of things you expect in a 4 star establishment. We were not even acknowledged. When we check-out at the front desk, my husband rested his foot to tie his shoe on the little shelves meant to rest your computer bag on and a manager got off his cell phone to reprimand him on this act. Again, this is not very 4 star attitude. My husband was dressed in a suit with spotless shoes and this reprimand was quite unnecessary. Cleanliness: the room had not been not really cleaned after our first day there -although the beds were made- and the second day, no one came to clean. It'sclearly unacceptable in a 4 star establishment. Elevators: Only 4 elevators for a 20 story, 408 rooms! They are supposed to hold 13 person but even with 10 thin looking individual it was uncomfortably tight, so imagine what it's like with bigger people and suitcase. Everybody was complaining about how slow they are and often time, when they stopped they were full. Also, for some reason the elevators would not stop by our floor. We would press the button and we would see the elevators passing us up and down without stopping. One time we waited 15 minutes for one. Another time, the elevators were not working after we arrived from long day of walking around the city. We were exhausted but since tons of people were waiting in the hallway we decided to climb the stairs to the 10th floor only to find out that you couldn't! Some staff members told/showed us that at each staircase you need a special key to get to the next fly of stairs.I am not sure how that will work if there is a fire or during a blackout. Concierge: very unhelpful, every time we had a question it felt like we were bothering them and our questions were left unanswered. City tax: at the end of our stay the hotel charged us with a city tax of about $20 which I don't feel we should be accountable for. I have never heard of that before and usually when I use the reservation system I use, everything is included and if I don't use hotel services, I shouldn't have anything more to pay, I have never had until then. Amsterdam and I would NOT recommend it to other costumers. I await more from a 4 star hotel and to me this hotel is not up to the standards I have been accustomed to. I used an all inclusive reservation system (priceline) and I would like to be refunded the city tax as in all my travel I never had to pay such a thing and priceline did not mention it.

I totally agree with the previous review. This hotel has lots of issues. We stayed from the 27th January for three nights. The hotel is about a 5 min drive from the train station (take a train from Schiphol not a taxi as it is only 4 euros each and the trains leave from the airport every 15 mins). The hotel is 20 mins from the centre, the walk is fine and that was not a problem. It was the access that was the problem. There are no clear walkways and you have to walk under dark, un-lit bridges at night to get back to the hotel. It is really frustrating as you can see the main entrance from the bridge but you then have to walk for another 5-7 mins to the end of the bridge and the walk back in the opposite direction (there is no walkway or staircase available). Taxis are way over priced and best to avoid or agree a price before you set off. Hotel staff are not really friendly (bar staff are very nice though) and we only encountered one smiling face on check in and that was the guest standing next to us!! The concierge are non existent. We had to drag luggage to our room only to find we were not given the right type of room, then to come back down again with luggage in hand. Rooms are clean and adequate BUT be aware if you book a king bedroom, you get a kingsize bed with two small single duvets. They do not provide one king duvet. This meant cold feet all night and this "style" is totally couple unfriendly. You might as well book a twin bed and sleep separately. I asked for a king duvet and the guest relations just said "well this is our style". I said well we are both cold and with a king bed you would expect an adequate sized duvet and all she said was well "you can turn the room temperature up". Apparently this is a normal procedure for a Dutch hotel. I can't honestly believe it and I think the world has gone mad if they really think that a couple can sleep adequately together in a king bed with a single duvet per person. I think the hotel is totally over-rated and would only be suitable for business travelers traveling alone who don’t really need to leave the hotel during their stay. We will highly recommend using the trams and buy an "I amsterdam" discount card from tourist information as it gives you free entry to loads of attractions, free bus and tram travel and also discounts on other attractions and restaurants. Restaurants to recommend; Restaurant Brasserie Di Poort (part of Di Poort Van Cleve Hotel), is near Dam Square and serves gorgeous meals. It is fairly pricey if you go for three courses and wine and come to about £50 per person but it is worth it. Amsterdam is a wonderful city and very beautiful but try to avoid the Movenpick.