Seattlenerd

Free Internet. Free breakfast. Late checkout. "Platinum treatment" is more than room upgrades. The breakfast at the Pulitzer was quite nice, the Internet was acceptable, and I never had an issue getting 4pm checkout there.

It's one reason that, even if the Pulitzer honors my award stay in October 2015 (as has been stated), I may choose to stay elsewhere as the non-upgrade SPG benefits are valuable to me. YMMV.

777RJ

Have a reservation in June, received this email today:

Dear Mr. Stepleman,

I am writing to inform you that as of 1st April 2015, Hotel Pulitzer, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Amsterdam, will no longer be part of the Starwood portfolio.

The exit of Hotel Pulitzer from the Starwood system is the result of a mutual decision between Starwood Hotels & Resorts and the owners of the property following the end of the current management contract. Starwood has successfully managed Hotel Pulitzer since 1995 and the property has enjoyed success as one of the premier hotels in Amsterdam.

I see from our booking system that you have reservations confirmed at Hotel Pulitzer for after the exit date. Hotel Pulitzer will of course honour your Starwood Preferred Guest award bookings, however, please note that since the hotel will no longer be affiliated with Starwood, I’m afraid you will not earn Starpoints for any eligible charges incurred, nor will you receive any of Starwood Preferred Guest membership amenities or benefits.

However, if you would like to continue to earn Starpoints and receive SPG benefits, then we are happy to provide you with the opportunity to move your bookings to the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel. If you would like to amend your bookings, please email our reservations department on [email protected] and they will be happy to amend your reservations.

Should you wish to connect with a member of a Starwood Preferred Guest Customer Service Team you may email us at [email protected].

Please let me take this opportunity to sincerely apologise for any inconvenience that has caused. If you have any questions or need any further information please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Yours Sincerely,

Kurt Renold
Area Manager, Belgium & The Netherlands
Starwood Hotels & Resorts

KevinS

I am absolutely gutted over this. One of my favourite hotels in the world, let alone in SPG.
Funky, cool, unique old hotel, great location, fantastic people.

Have been coming here on the regular for 5yrs now, including my 40th birthday, Prinsengracht concerts, and have developed friendships with the staff to the point where we go out for drinks off-property when I'm in the City.
This is my home in Amsterdam.

I literally may travel to AMS in the next few months just to get one last gasp here as a Lifetime Plat with SPG.

SF1K

I agree. Have only stayed there a few times but loved it each time. Such great memories. I'll miss the hotel being part of SPG. Wonder if it will affiliate with anyone else?

Seattlenerd

Got the same email this week for my October award stay.

As a result, decided to cancel my Pulitzer reservation outright, since my Plat status (and even SPG membership) would be for naught, and moved to a nearby Marriott property for an award stay. Was sorry that Starwood did not offer the W Amsterdam since it would work for my October stay if it opens as planned in September. The airport isn't the same as staying inside Amsterdam, especially for a short (two-night) visit.

I'll miss the Pulitzer.

kevinsac

I will miss the Pulitzer; I've stayed there many times. Always got nice upgrades -- but never was breakfast extended.

I liked the old-world charm of the place, but many people who wanted "modern" facilities could not deal with the quirks of a series of 16th-Century buildings melded together.

Yeah, a W is a nice new addition ... and I may stay there. But I'd prefer a hotel that is more representative of the city.

I will not stay at the airport.

pricesquire

Of course it'll affiliate with someone else.

I'm sure we'll be hearing something in that regard soon.

For those that are 'gutted' over this - no reason not to stay here just because it's not SPG. Life's too short....if ya find a hotel you love, stay there regardless of mgmt.

KevinS

Is more a matter of economics. I have almost 400k SPG pts, 800k+ IHG pts, 350k+ Hyatt, and almost 1m UAL miles... I just can't digest the thought of paying out of pocket for leisure travel. Is like throwing away money to me.

Am looking into an AMS trip, maybe a full suite at the P before it goes.

XMS91

Very sad, had an amazing stay at this property in the spring. It seems that Starwood is losing many of these classic hotels like Hotel Eden, Dom (Koln), and now Hotel Pulitzer.

Okto

Well, after reading all the comments regretting the Pulitzer's departure from the SPG portfolio I felt I had no "choice" but to go check it out for myself
Just booked a trip to Amsterdam, so I'll be staying at the Pulitzer on points (before April). I also put in a request for SNAs. We'll see how generous they feel.

reuthermonkey

Since each room is different, buyer-beware using SNA's for that property. Some upgrades there come with caveats (ie room is further away, higher floor up narrow stairs, etc. etc.). And the definition of an "upgrade" there is very subjective.

Otherwise, have a great trip!

Luvs2snowbordbut1kSEA

Agreed! So sad to see this. One of my favorite properties in the world- very silly to offer a change to the airport Sheraton. I hope SPG will find a comparable unique property.

schley

Just saw this and NOOOOOOOOOO I love this hotel.!

FD1971

At a certain point in time, contracts run out and the owner parts ways with the company managing the property. In recent years, we lost a lot of properties in Europe that were scheduled to undergo a (major) renovation like the Dom.

The new Dom is delayed now until 2016. The company taking over management of the Dom gave up Schloss Lerbach, which is now scheduled for a major renovation and should be on the market after that in mid 2015. Would be a perfect option for a Luxury Collection property, btw.

The problem with those minor Starwood brands is minimal brand recognition, poor communication, so hardly anyone knows them and there is really no unique selling proposition of any kind. Brands like Le Meridien outside of France, 4 Points, Element or Luxury Collection are almost dead in key European markets, so it is really not surprising that the owners part ways.

In the case of the Domhotel, the owners demanded something more upscale and Starwood could not deliver, although the new Althoff Dom should get close to a St.Regis.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the Pulitzer. Severe building restrictions, maybe even tougher in comparison to the Dom do not make things easier, but in recent years, we saw luxury and ultra-luxury chains reducing the number of rooms significantly to improve the average room size/quality

Despite all the praise here in recent days, hardly any hotel in Europe offered a more unbalanced experience like the Pulitzer, they must have 67 different room categories.

What I will really miss is the opportunity to have a quick lunch at 238, which was always nice.

In general, one should give a lot of praise to Mr. Renold for managing the SPG properties in the Netherlands. Aside from his presence here, one can really feel the influence of good management and training while interacting with the young staff at the Pulitzer, but also at the Sheraton. ^

mckroes

According to one of the duty managers at the Pulitzer, the hotel will continue as a independent hotel after the 1st of April 2015. So it will not be affiliated with any hotel chain in the future.