It has been a long time since I have stayed at a Hilton. Historically the Hilton was known for being one of the most dominant hotel groups globally. For the Hilton Amsterdam, I would say don’t judge a book by its cover. Even though it is situated on a beautiful canal in one of Amsterdam’s very wealthy areas, the building itself is not very pleasing to the eye. In entering for me it was like going back in time and the 80’s era came to my mind.
For me when I ever heard about luxury stays in the past, the name Hilton would always come up. This Hilton Amsterdam was famous for John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1969 ‘bed-in for peace’ and it was Hilton’s first hotel in the Netherlands. This iconic hotel was famously built on the baseline of Plan Zuid, a district designed by prominent architect Berlage. If you’re looking to explore the Concert Hall, Vondelpark, designer shops and museum square, which is home to three of the world’s most renowned museums, then this a great place to stay.
Reception
The decor at the reception felt dated, but it really added a nostalgia about the place. This included what the staff wore that were standing outside the hotel, it really took me back in time, regarding luxury travel. The view of the canal from the reception was lovely, and watching the couture houses whilst having a nice drink at the moon bar was something that was great to experience. I and my friend had some nice cocktails and the staff were great to engage with. The sweeping views of the city with the floor-to-ceiling glass windows throughout the hotel were lovely and it created bright spaces with lots of natural light.
King Executive Room
The King Executive room was spacious and once again I loved going back in time. The view of the canal and the couture homes from the room was lovely. The bed was comfortable and cosy. The dark oak doors reminded me of history when it came to luxury stays in the past. The bathroom was big and newly decorated. An added bonus with this room class was the access to the rooftop view called the executive lounge, which had stunning 360-degree views of Amsterdam. The food and drinks available are complimentary and it was a great way to spend lots of my time here. If choose you can you have the option to eat breakfast in the executive lounge? In the late afternoon at 18.00, there was a nice selection of drinks and bite-size food, great as a starter for dinner later in the evening. The staff are always there to assist and it was always full of food and drinks and left clean which is a great example of great customer service.
Executive Lounge view
Breakfast
Bedroom View
Roberto’s Restaurant
I come from an Italian background and it has been a very long time since I have gone out and eaten Italian food. So it was nice to speak the language, eat the food and drink some great wine from Puglia, which is where my parents are from. We had the restaurants signature menu which took me back to my Italian roots. The simple tastes of olive oil just enticed me to appreciate the simplicity of Italian cuisine. At the same time, food was literally melting in my mouth. The sizes were not too big which allowed me to really appreciate the food.
The organic Prosecco was the best I have tasted in a long time, in fact, all the wines served to me came from vineyards with an organic approach. The Donnalaura white from Masseria Frattasi winery was amazing, this wine had a golden yellow colour and was full-bodied with a hint of vanilla taste. The roast chicken was cooked to perfection, and those chunky chips with that spicy sauce completed the main course. As with the Hilton, customer service was excellent.
This was very smooth
Limoncello
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- Tiramisu
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- Insalata chilometro
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- Galletto alla Diavola
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- Panna Cotta
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- Crostini Roberto’s
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- Spicy Sauce
Conclusion
The Hilton Amsterdam is about people coming on holiday to explore the luxury side of Amsterdam. Its location is outside the three big ring canals close to other areas the city is famous for like the Rijks Museum, Van Gogh Museum and the Vondel Park. The tram is a 3min walk. If you are a lover of the 80s, like I am, then this hotel suits you to a tee. Make sure you book a room overlooking the canal, it is beautiful in summer to look at, and it is what makes Amsterdam so unique. You get excellent service which comes with the Hilton name.
Details
- Room reviewed: King Executive Room from €319
- Website: www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/netherlands/hilton-amsterdam-AMSHITW/index.html
- Address: Apollolaan 138, 1077 BG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Phone: +31 (0)20 710 6000
