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You can’t miss Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, which was built from six palaces next to each other on the Herengracht canal. But walk in, and it’s even more magical than you imagined.
Here’s an example: upon check-in, a staff member opens a box of four glass horns, lying in velvet beds; each holds a different air of Trudon fragrance, and you can choose them for your bedroom and bathroom aromas. A glass of champagne is poured for you as you do your paperwork. Windows look out onto the canal and its boats outside.
What are the rooms like at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam?
There are many room and suite configurations, including some that nestle in the palace attics with exposed rafters and dormer windows. I stayed here with my sister, and our room was a King Grand Premier, a large space with an interior hallway. The muted color furnishings were a pale blue, and large windows flanked a seating area. The bathroom had a tub set up for a pleasant soak with a caddy tray holding aromatic salts, and the amenities were Aesop haircare products and a nice array of boxed and branded toiletries, like a shaving kit with a wooden razor. I loved the small black hairbrush with a Waldorf Astoria emblem.
What is the food like at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam?
This was a high point, beginning with a silver domed dish in our room that held miniature white chocolate Dutch clogs with milk chocolate inside, as well as a white chocolate Pride flag because our visit was during Pride. The turndown service chocolate comes in a Delft style cardboard box, so precious I didn’t want to open it. For breakfast, we had Eggs Benedict in the breakfast room looking out over the gardens; I had the realization that the term hollandaise sauce means ‘of Holland.’
We also ordered the Taste of Waldorf, a tiered confection tray holding scones, breads, smoked salmon, jams and epic croissants that look as if they held 50 layers or more. You can order drinks and dine in the Peacock Lounge off the lobby, where the walls are painted Vermeer blue. Each Waldorf Astoria has a clock in its Peacock Lounge; here, it’s an armillary compass instead to honor the city’s maritime history. The Vault Bar’s backbar consists of safety deposit boxes from the building’s time as a bank; you can also see the literal bank vault nearby. Finally, the Goldfinch Brasserie is open in the afternoon into the evening for lunch, brunch and dinner.
What is the service like at Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam?
The staff are thoughtful and know their city; the doormen kindly insisted that we take loaner umbrellas as we set out for the day. The woman at reception gave a cheerful, thorough tour of the hotel, spotlighting the carved wooden staircase that curves up from the lobby, at one time a wedding present and still one of only two such staircases left in the city. She brought us out to the back gardens where there’s a 17th century teahouse and a medieval fountain still bubbling water through its pipes; the hotel lies within the Unesco World Heritage site of the Canal Ring District. Back inside, she pointed out how as we walked the long hallways between the six connected palaces, you can tell when you move from one into another by a metallic line embedded in the portal.
What is the spa like at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam?
The Guerlain Spa is quite something; a turquoise indoor pool with sculptures around its perimeter and a waterfall wall, sauna and steam room. You can also book facials and massages, and there’s a beauty section for manicures, pedicures and even makeovers.
What’s the area like around the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam?
The hotel sits on the Herengracht canal, perhaps a bit quieter and more sedate than other areas, but we were able to locate late night dining (always an issue!) nearby on Reguliersdwarsstraat. The train station is walking distance, as is the Anne Frank House. We took a canal cruise and were thrilled when the skipper pointed out the Waldorf Astoria Hotel as we cruised past; he asked if any of us were staying there but clearly didn’t expect anyone to say yes and continued on narrating the hotel’s exclusivity and nightly cost. The Rembrandtplein area is close by with its cheese shops, tourist boutiques and Art Deco masterpiece Theater Tuschinski.
DETAILS
Address: Herengracht 542-556, Amsterdam, NL
Price per night: Prices start at €750 per night.
Closest transport link: Amsterdam Centraal Station is just a 15-20 minute walk. However, cobblestones and uneven paving may make this a challenging trek with a roller bag.