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A vote for Stimpy.
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Originally Posted by stimpy
(Post 22955305)
I already quoted your post above, but I will do it again for you, you posted "Getting a suite on a regular work day is already difficult in Western Europe."
That simply isn't true at other hotels. Even many other Starwood hotels. I both expect and receive excellent upgrades at a good many Starwood properties in Europe. Including Des Indes. But not the Pulitzer. And this is without spending extra money. Yet this isn't true at most other hotels in Europe, Starwood or otherwise. Of course the loyal guests should get good upgrades, but Platinum members are considered loyal guests at most Starwood hotels. Is it true that the management us the same across all 3 properties? Whilst the Regional manager is responsible for all I would have thought that day to day responsibilities would be more federated? As a result I no longer even consider the Pulitzer as an option in the City. Rather than pay more to get a more acceptable room, I tend to recommend paying more to stay at a better more consistent property. The new WA looks like a much more interesting option to me. |
Originally Posted by Land-of-Miles
(Post 22959534)
The new WA looks like a much more interesting option to me.
Hotel de l'Europe and Conservatorium are also very good alternative. |
Originally Posted by nicolas75
(Post 22960570)
As a Royal Ambassador, why not staying at the Amstel?
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Wish I had a better stay to report
Hey All:
I had a group of 10 coming to the Pultizer. I spoke to my ambassador, I used SNA's, I contacted the hotel directly etc. The SNA's did not clear, which was no problem as the hotel was booked and I could see this online. I requested a quiet room with lots of light. I had two rooms on Thursday, 5 rooms on Friday night and then two again through the weekend. Friends family etc who I had invited to bring us all together. I flew in from Asia and arrived excited to begin my holiday. I checked in with a lady who told me that unfortunately the Deluxe rooms I had booked was the best I was going to get, there were no Executive rooms available....nothing but a Dark room facing a courtyard....and Internal courtyard. Then I said these was unacceptable and asked to speak to a supervisor. She explained that they had 12 check ins that day and were fully committed. The dark internal view room was the one I had to take. I asked if they had many lifetime platinum's there and she said "Lots". I looked at both of them and calmly explained that I would accept these rooms but I have never felt more let down by a hotel and by a program. I have been staying at the Pulitzer for 20+ years..etc. I am a cheerleader for this hotel and have been for years! They spoke in Dutch and the supervisor told me that as I had two rooms under my name, one of the rooms HAD been upgraded and it was not the dark courtyard facing room. It was an Executive room on the 4th floor. I walked into this room and almost walked directly into the 3 large wooden beams that crisscrossed the entire room. So when I walked from point A to point B I had to hunch. To make matters worse, the bathroom entrance door was 6 foot and I am 6'4''....so I had to bend down to enter and remember.....I felt like a Hobbit! Showing could only be done by me sitting down in the bath....I called right away and asked if this was the best they could do and they said "at this time yes"...But tomorrow we can change you to a better executive room. That night when I climbed into bed....the left side by the bathroom...the bed leaned so heavily to the left....I had to sleep in the middle of the bed in order not to slide off. At 2 Am when nature called....WHAM into the doorway I walked....Thank you Pulitzer hotel! Oooh and my request for lots of light was a view of a roof next door. This Executive room was a really poor. Turns out, the next day I inquired and was told that the room I had was NOT and Executive room....So I was lied to, and I never like that. So when I my ambassador emailed me following up I explained how disappointed I was. I explained that at no time was I thanked for returning....For being a platinum, I was given no welcome letter, no welcome back note, no listing of my current Starwood point balance NADA.....The duty manager then contacted me and explained that they were fully committed that evening and they had tried to get me a better room however it was the best they could do at that time and she was sorry. She used all the proper words....she Understood. but quite frankly, the damage was done and nobody had looked out for me or my party at all. It was like I wasn't even an SPG member or a 20 year loyal customer. I have booked Deluxe rooms for 20+ years and NEVER had the caliber of room I received on this trip. Yes I packed up the next day and moved to an Executive room with light....AMEN. It ruined my taste for this hotel on this trip... such is life. Set your expectations properly at this property. Amsterdam is full full full and this summer season is going to be a busy one. I have friends who work in tourism and said AMS is catching lots of tourists because Paris and London have gotten so expensive and it is becoming the hub for booming river cruising.... Positives: Staff in all bar and dining venues were very nice. Location is fabulous as usual. Mauritz the concierge recommended several nice small casual restaurants that we liked. Platinum full breakfast was delicious every morning. Enjoy Amsterdam! Safe travels to all! |
Originally Posted by NYCtraveler
(Post 23055489)
Hey All:
I had a group of 10 coming to the Pultizer. I spoke to my ambassador, I used SNA's, I contacted the hotel directly etc. The SNA's did not clear, which was no problem as the hotel was booked and I could see this online. I requested a quiet room with lots of light. I had two rooms on Thursday, 5 rooms on Friday night and then two again through the weekend. Friends family etc who I had invited to bring us all together. I flew in from Asia and arrived excited to begin my holiday. I checked in with a lady who told me that unfortunately the Deluxe rooms I had booked was the best I was going to get, there were no Executive rooms available....nothing but a Dark room facing a courtyard....and Internal courtyard. Then I said these was unacceptable and asked to speak to a supervisor. She explained that they had 12 check ins that day and were fully committed. The dark internal view room was the one I had to take. I asked if they had many lifetime platinum's there and she said "Lots". I looked at both of them and calmly explained that I would accept these rooms but I have never felt more let down by a hotel and by a program. I have been staying at the Pulitzer for 20+ years..etc. I am a cheerleader for this hotel and have been for years! They spoke in Dutch and the supervisor told me that as I had two rooms under my name, one of the rooms HAD been upgraded and it was not the dark courtyard facing room. It was an Executive room on the 4th floor. I walked into this room and almost walked directly into the 3 large wooden beams that crisscrossed the entire room. So when I walked from point A to point B I had to hunch. To make matters worse, the bathroom entrance door was 6 foot and I am 6'4''....so I had to bend down to enter and remember.....I felt like a Hobbit! Showing could only be done by me sitting down in the bath....I called right away and asked if this was the best they could do and they said "at this time yes"...But tomorrow we can change you to a better executive room. That night when I climbed into bed....the left side by the bathroom...the bed leaned so heavily to the left....I had to sleep in the middle of the bed in order not to slide off. At 2 Am when nature called....WHAM into the doorway I walked....Thank you Pulitzer hotel! Oooh and my request for lots of light was a view of a roof next door. This Executive room was a really poor. Turns out, the next day I inquired and was told that the room I had was NOT and Executive room....So I was lied to, and I never like that. So when I my ambassador emailed me following up I explained how disappointed I was. I explained that at no time was I thanked for returning....For being a platinum, I was given no welcome letter, no welcome back note, no listing of my current Starwood point balance NADA.....The duty manager then contacted me and explained that they were fully committed that evening and they had tried to get me a better room however it was the best they could do at that time and she was sorry. She used all the proper words....she Understood. but quite frankly, the damage was done and nobody had looked out for me or my party at all. It was like I wasn't even an SPG member or a 20 year loyal customer. I have booked Deluxe rooms for 20+ years and NEVER had the caliber of room I received on this trip. Yes I packed up the next day and moved to an Executive room with light....AMEN. It ruined my taste for this hotel on this trip... such is life. Set your expectations properly at this property. Amsterdam is full full full and this summer season is going to be a busy one. I have friends who work in tourism and said AMS is catching lots of tourists because Paris and London have gotten so expensive and it is becoming the hub for booming river cruising.... Positives: Staff in all bar and dining venues were very nice. Location is fabulous as usual. Mauritz the concierge recommended several nice small casual restaurants that we liked. Platinum full breakfast was delicious every morning. Enjoy Amsterdam! Safe travels to all! While I don't mind the soft product issues much, the mrs. is requesting we start staying at the Andaz down the block. Your review was right in line with most people's experiences lately, unfortunately. |
Originally Posted by NYCtraveler
(Post 23055489)
Hey All:
I had a group of 10 coming to the Pultizer. I spoke to my ambassador, I used SNA's, I contacted the hotel directly etc. The SNA's did not clear, which was no problem as the hotel was booked and I could see this online. I requested a quiet room with lots of light. I had two rooms on Thursday, 5 rooms on Friday night and then two again through the weekend. Friends family etc who I had invited to bring us all together. I flew in from Asia and arrived excited to begin my holiday. I checked in with a lady who told me that unfortunately the Deluxe rooms I had booked was the best I was going to get, there were no Executive rooms available....nothing but a Dark room facing a courtyard....and Internal courtyard. Then I said these was unacceptable and asked to speak to a supervisor. She explained that they had 12 check ins that day and were fully committed. The dark internal view room was the one I had to take. I asked if they had many lifetime platinum's there and she said "Lots". I looked at both of them and calmly explained that I would accept these rooms but I have never felt more let down by a hotel and by a program. I have been staying at the Pulitzer for 20+ years..etc. I am a cheerleader for this hotel and have been for years! They spoke in Dutch and the supervisor told me that as I had two rooms under my name, one of the rooms HAD been upgraded and it was not the dark courtyard facing room. It was an Executive room on the 4th floor. I walked into this room and almost walked directly into the 3 large wooden beams that crisscrossed the entire room. So when I walked from point A to point B I had to hunch. To make matters worse, the bathroom entrance door was 6 foot and I am 6'4''....so I had to bend down to enter and remember.....I felt like a Hobbit! Showing could only be done by me sitting down in the bath....I called right away and asked if this was the best they could do and they said "at this time yes"...But tomorrow we can change you to a better executive room. That night when I climbed into bed....the left side by the bathroom...the bed leaned so heavily to the left....I had to sleep in the middle of the bed in order not to slide off. At 2 Am when nature called....WHAM into the doorway I walked....Thank you Pulitzer hotel! Oooh and my request for lots of light was a view of a roof next door. This Executive room was a really poor. Turns out, the next day I inquired and was told that the room I had was NOT and Executive room....So I was lied to, and I never like that. So when I my ambassador emailed me following up I explained how disappointed I was. I explained that at no time was I thanked for returning....For being a platinum, I was given no welcome letter, no welcome back note, no listing of my current Starwood point balance NADA.....The duty manager then contacted me and explained that they were fully committed that evening and they had tried to get me a better room however it was the best they could do at that time and she was sorry. She used all the proper words....she Understood. but quite frankly, the damage was done and nobody had looked out for me or my party at all. It was like I wasn't even an SPG member or a 20 year loyal customer. I have booked Deluxe rooms for 20+ years and NEVER had the caliber of room I received on this trip. Yes I packed up the next day and moved to an Executive room with light....AMEN. It ruined my taste for this hotel on this trip... such is life. Set your expectations properly at this property. Amsterdam is full full full and this summer season is going to be a busy one. I have friends who work in tourism and said AMS is catching lots of tourists because Paris and London have gotten so expensive and it is becoming the hub for booming river cruising.... Positives: Staff in all bar and dining venues were very nice. Location is fabulous as usual. Mauritz the concierge recommended several nice small casual restaurants that we liked. Platinum full breakfast was delicious every morning. Enjoy Amsterdam! Safe travels to all! I was considering this hotel for my Amsterdam trip. I have some doubts now. I will continue to monitor here before deciding between this hotel & Sofitel Legend. |
I did check out the Andaz
When my room was so bad, I did check out the Andaz as the "new kid on the block".....It is 4 blocks down from the Pulitzer and brand new. Rooms were small, but alas...after my Pulitzer experience I cannot complain. Breakfast looked similar and the garden/bar in the back looked beautiful. It was also sold out.
Keep in mind that a Waldorf Astoria also just opened in a grouping of canal houses on the south side of the ring close the museums and many restaurants etc. Some of their opening pricing was quite competitive and it looked beautiful from the outside....larger rooms than both the Pulitzer and the Andaz from what I have heard. Safe travels, NYC |
Originally Posted by NYCtraveler
(Post 22941787)
Now that I said all of this I will probably end up in one of their shoe box rooms on my next trip :)
Sorry to hear your tale though. No frequent traveler should experience that. I agree with trying other properties. The Amstel is excellent and hopefully the new Waldorf Astoria is too. |
Apparently I did!
Yes, I believe I got what I deserved and more! At no Extra Charge! Sometimes the travel gods are just not in my favour.
Originally Posted by stimpy
(Post 23060263)
So did you get what you deserved? :D
Sorry to hear your tale though. No frequent traveler should experience that. I agree with trying other properties. The Amstel is excellent and hopefully the new Waldorf Astoria is too. |
Amsterdam has a good amount of well-located, competitively priced lux hotels.
You'd think Pulitzer would take note and step up their soft product to match the incoming traffic. Hotel Amstel (IHG) Andaz (Hyatt) Waldorf (Hilton) All viable options, all priced pretty comparatively. Although, if you want to stay on the Prinsengracht, the Andaz looks like the next logical step. |
Wonderful stay. I am not a regular here since my last stay was 5 years ago (I am platinum). One night stay, Wednesday night, on award. I reserved a deluxe twin room (traveling with my son). On arrival (3pm) they advised that they had a nice upgrade, but that room service would need 1 hour, or they had 2 other options. We were happy to walk and we said we would wait. (They offered a drinks in the bar, but we would rather walk). An hour later they called to say that the room was ready. Beautiful twin room in one of the converted 1600's houses (canal view). Full buffet breakfast and still got the 500 points. When we got to the room there were vouchers for 2 drinks in the bar (I used those for some enjoyable wine while I did my email by the window of the bar overlooking the canal). Only good things to say about this award stay.
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Originally Posted by sbrower
(Post 23137628)
Wonderful stay. I am not a regular here since my last stay was 5 years ago (I am platinum). One night stay, Wednesday night, on award. I reserved a deluxe twin room (traveling with my son). On arrival (3pm) they advised that they had a nice upgrade, but that room service would need 1 hour, or they had 2 other options. We were happy to walk and we said we would wait. (They offered a drinks in the bar, but we would rather walk). An hour later they called to say that the room was ready. Beautiful twin room in one of the converted 1600's houses (canal view). Full buffet breakfast and still got the 500 points. When we got to the room there were vouchers for 2 drinks in the bar (I used those for some enjoyable wine while I did my email by the window of the bar overlooking the canal). Only good things to say about this award stay.
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Good one-night Plat stay at Pulitzer
Having seen the anecdotal complaints here on FT after our excellent Hotel Pulitzer stay in late 2011, I was wondering what to expect for a one-night return stay this week.
Pleased to say, even though the hotel was sold out, it went very well. ^ We had reserved (on Starpoints) a King room for two people, a basic Deluxe. My SNA failed to clear. Expecting little, I checked in and was pleasantly surprised that we had been upgraded to a courtyard-view Executive King. Large, modern furnishings, very pleasant and quiet on the inside with a view of the garden and courtyard. And, honestly, because it was the night of the Netherlands-Argentina World Cup came, a quieter inside view trumped any canal-facing view. As a Plat, breakfast was the amenity -- plus, like the earlier poster, we also received our 500 "Welcome" points as an unexpected additional amenity. We also had a nice welcome tray of fresh fruit waiting for us in the room. Internet was free, of course, as Plat. It's a wonderful property, quirky and well-appointed. I'm delighted our return visit was as good as our first one. We had no complicated advance requests (unless others who have had issues), and the property more than delivered on Plat recognition. |
I am at this hotel and booked three rooms via SPG and frustrated. I do not feel Pulitzer belongs in the Luxury Collection brand. We checked in during a high occupancy period so I thought I would give the hotel 48hrs to sort it out as I know the industry and the demands can be brutal. You get the distinct feeling that if you are using SPG points you are not a valued customer. Also for some reason I am a level 4 of importance on the Pulitzer guest roster which at the Pulitzer means zero...I mean less than zero. I should have followed suggestion to stay at new Waldorf.
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