Originally Posted by scubaccr

IC Amstel (April 2017, Kings Day period)

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Very (as usual)


Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked - KB Exec River View (2nights Corp followed by 2night bogo)
Received - Exec River View Suite (4th floor tram bridge end)

NOTE:- IC Amstel are refurbing/restoring the building externally. Extreme left third River Side covered my netting etc.
Will affect the /202/302/402 RV Exec Suite rooms often given to RAs

How are the rooms?
Fourth floor corner suites are quainter and more interesting than the 2nd floor corner suites I had from first visits (never received different coz I never asked until 2years ago !)

o Bedroom
comfy bed, recessed (in box) TV at end of bed, shuttered attic type windows

o Living room
sofa, large coffee table, workdesk+chair, bureau with minibar , again shuttered attic type windows. Plus corner cupboard with safe

o Bathroom
Large, separate large shower cubicle and bath, great thick towels
+ 2x Sets of Anne Semonin toiltries here in Exec Suite (no idea if all rooms though) great improvement on tired Agraria products

How is the exec. lounge?
1. NA No Lounge
2. BUT IC Amstel one of 3x European IC's trialing "Club Experience"
Club Experience
o free b/f for two in restaurant
o free coffee/sodas in tearoom throughout the day
o free afternnon tea in tearoom in afternoon (cutdown version of full paid offering, which was fair enough and offering was fine for me)
o evening drinks/canapes n "A" bar for 2hours (says inc Sparkling wine)
.. sparkling wine is actualy Moet which is what tearoom serves
... bar manager used Veuve Cliquot for me as the A bar offering (and so similarly priced)
... hot canapes bought out to table on plate
... had foc bottled beers too foc (cocktails eg Mojitos chargable circa eur15++ )

Did you receive a welcome gift?
o Fruit basket

How was the minibar?
o no changes, but far far too may bottles of water
o water, water, water, 1x cola, 1x sprite, 2x heineken, 1x poor white wine (1/2 bottle), 1 x poor 1/2 bottle red (Yes you can drink both wines as RA )
o I removed 8 bottles of water and requested 2x bottles each soda instead
(too long a walk to tearoom for a free soda on lounge experience ! )

What was good and what was bad?

-Good
o Early 10am checkin to RV Suite although I could have been there 8am or earlier from Renaissance Amsterdam
(IC Amstel deliberately did not use my planned room the night before for other guests)
o Introduction of Club Experience
o free breakfast first time here due to club experience on paid night stays
o free afternoon tea experience ..only bothered with foc afternoon tea 1 of 4 days though (but not because offering was not good)
o 2hours foc VC champagne or beer in A bar each evening much appreciated on 3 of 4 nights

-Bad
Just minibar being nealy all water *nothing changed there *

Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
o Costly here as always, alas extra eur100++ / night as Kings Day period
o although I booked early, so luckily paid eur200-300 less/night than rooms selling for 1month out
o and used a BOGO so just paid 3of 4 nights though bogo night was eur100 more than my corp rate
o no 50k point award rooms available this trip, but as I wanted River View I needed to pay cash anyway.
o 50k award night is good value as entry rooms are more than eur350++ at any time of the year, frequently eur450++ (ie $500) per basic Exec City Room

Would you return?