One word: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

This is what I wrote in the "Biggest Luxury Hotel Disappointment" thread in this forum in October 2004:


Without a doubt my worst stay in any hotel (regardless of hotel rank) was at L'Europe in Amsterdam. The rooms themselves were not too bad, but the service went beyond atrocious - I would classify it as mean-spirited.

My reservation requests were rudely, arrogantly ignored by desk staff, and a guest coming to meet me was hassled at the entrance (and he was not some scumbag, he had just finished conducting a performance of "Dialogues des Carmelites" at the Netherlands Opera)!.

Also, my car (which I had picked up in order to make a driving trip into the countryside the next morning) was left parked on the street all night, instead of being placed in the garage, and a broken light globe with exposed jagged edges at eye level next to the bathroom mirror was never replaced, in spite of two requests. Lastly, no LHW Leaders Club amenity was offered, even though the hotel had been booked through the LHW office in New York via telephone.

Never again - and it's a shame, as the location is perfect (both central and scenic).


One of the specific requests mentioned above had been for a nonsmoking room, which was listed as confirmed on my faxed LHW reservations confirmation. When I arrived at my assigned room, I was overpowered by a reeking, toxic stench of what I imagine the Cohiba factory in Havana must smell like. When I went back downstairs and showed the clerk my confirmation, she literally threw the sheet back at me and sneered "We have only a very few nonsmoking rooms, and they are occupied - Leading Hotels shouldn't have promised you one" (I checked with LHW when I got back and was told that LHW only confirms nonsmoking when the hotel inventory shows NS rooms available). And I also observed other guests being given brusque treamment at the desk, so I don't think they were picking just on me (I was paying a nondiscounted rate).

So unless you're a glutton for punishment or want to see if things have changed in the intervening two years, return to the Amstel at all costs.