Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam {NLD}
Apr 9, 2018, 5:39 am
#226
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,504
OK, eggs (also made to order), bacon and sausages were available, also pancakes. You don´t leave hungry but for a Luxury Hotel and the prices charged I expect more.
Apr 9, 2018, 7:59 am
#227
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,830
Cold buffet was not much to look at...usual breads, spreads, cereals etc. But the jams were really good. Croissants were perfect. Grapefruit juice was fresh squeezed and delicious.
To-order items (included in our comped Diamond breakfast) included American or Belgian waffles/pancakes and eggs Benedict with bacon or smoked salmon. Hash browns also available. Coffee made to order. Oddly, it seemed like ordering an omelette incurs a surcharge.
Will snap a photo of menu tomorrow to post it.
May 15, 2019, 6:58 pm
#235
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,077
This area/ hotel manager /GM has been gaming HH customers since his longtime affiliation with the Hilton Amsterdam long before the Waldorf ever opened
I won't go into what I learned from a contact @ corporate but lets just say greed prevails above all else and it doesn't surprise me one bit
One interaction in the past years ago I knew this was someone I wanted no part of doing business with and that's a shame as Hilton customers deserve something better
than what they are being subjected too
Thankfully these days there are great alternatives not that helps HH guests who wish to use their Hilton points @ The Waldorf
Of course the hotels defense will be there aren't many rooms in the hotel or let alone standard rooms blah blah blah that's why we offer redemption rooms from 250k in points and up a night
I won't go into what I learned from a contact @ corporate but lets just say greed prevails above all else and it doesn't surprise me one bit
One interaction in the past years ago I knew this was someone I wanted no part of doing business with and that's a shame as Hilton customers deserve something better
than what they are being subjected too
Thankfully these days there are great alternatives not that helps HH guests who wish to use their Hilton points @ The Waldorf
Of course the hotels defense will be there aren't many rooms in the hotel or let alone standard rooms blah blah blah that's why we offer redemption rooms from 250k in points and up a night
May 16, 2019, 10:42 am
#236
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,539
This area/ hotel manager /GM has been gaming HH customers since his longtime affiliation with the Hilton Amsterdam long before the Waldorf ever opened
I won't go into what I learned from a contact @ corporate but lets just say greed prevails above all else and it doesn't surprise me one bit
One interaction in the past years ago I knew this was someone I wanted no part of doing business with and that's a shame as Hilton customers deserve something better
than what they are being subjected too
Thankfully these days there are great alternatives not that helps HH guests who wish to use their Hilton points @ The Waldorf
Of course the hotels defense will be there aren't many rooms in the hotel or let alone standard rooms blah blah blah that's why we offer redemption rooms from 250k in points and up a night
I won't go into what I learned from a contact @ corporate but lets just say greed prevails above all else and it doesn't surprise me one bit
One interaction in the past years ago I knew this was someone I wanted no part of doing business with and that's a shame as Hilton customers deserve something better
than what they are being subjected too
Thankfully these days there are great alternatives not that helps HH guests who wish to use their Hilton points @ The Waldorf
Of course the hotels defense will be there aren't many rooms in the hotel or let alone standard rooms blah blah blah that's why we offer redemption rooms from 250k in points and up a night
Via a recent contact I heard that a number of corporate employees are sitting at their PC's trying to get the staff rates as soon as they become available, which come also book into the few standard rooms they have. As I recall, its 5. So, it's not just HHonors redemptions that come into the mix.
The last minute release of inventory will be a mix of cancellations on speculative bookings and upgrading guests.
May 16, 2019, 11:25 am
#237
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,077
I agree with all you said, as I mentioned before, Roberto Payer is very well known. While I've once had a run in with Mr Payer, I had an excellent stay here, great upgrade, amenities etc.
Via a recent contact I heard that a number of corporate employees are sitting at their PC's trying to get the staff rates as soon as they become available, which come also book into the few standard rooms they have. As I recall, its 5. So, it's not just HHonors redemptions that come into the mix.
The last minute release of inventory will be a mix of cancellations on speculative bookings and upgrading guests.
Via a recent contact I heard that a number of corporate employees are sitting at their PC's trying to get the staff rates as soon as they become available, which come also book into the few standard rooms they have. As I recall, its 5. So, it's not just HHonors redemptions that come into the mix.
The last minute release of inventory will be a mix of cancellations on speculative bookings and upgrading guests.
In my many thousands of nights over decades I put him in a special category of the worst 20 GMs in history I tried to leave his name out of my post to be kind & repectful
There is no question that the Waldorf is a well respected attractive property however unless they do something that no one else does in the city I refuse to support a property
with arrogance and self entitlement in their business culture.Have found enormous satisfaction and happiness elsewhere without naming competing brands & programs
25 years ago when there was a limited competition in Amsterdam I was forced to put up with some really bad business practices in Amsterdam overall
I prefer friendly business cultures that deliver high end guest experience solid brand assurance and fair business practices based on terms and conditions
and the expectation that many Int Hilton's exceed written expectations
For all those reasons I wont be competing for those 12 nights a year they release for standard award availability
So there is a lot more inventory to go around 
May 20, 2019, 8:05 am
#238
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
If you think getting an award redemption is hard here then try using a BMG free night certificate.
I put in a standard BAR booking for a King Premium Room for one night (not weekend or Easter) in April and then followed up with the hotel to check if my BMG certificate was OK. They replied that BMG was only valid for a King Superior, which is apparently their standard room (I’d never seen it in the listings for any candidate date) and that there was no availability for the night I selected in such a room.
However, when I checked their calendar their didn’t seem to be a single night where such a room was available in the next 6 months. When I put this to them they replied that there was availability in a superior room for one single night at the end of October... and that was it!
So basically they only allow BMGs against a ‘standard’ room that never appears after you’ve selected your dates because there’s essentially zero availability for it. The whole attitude of the staff in the email gave me the impression that they would do anything to make sure I wouldn’t stay there. They needn’t worry - this hotel is permanently off my list.
I put in a standard BAR booking for a King Premium Room for one night (not weekend or Easter) in April and then followed up with the hotel to check if my BMG certificate was OK. They replied that BMG was only valid for a King Superior, which is apparently their standard room (I’d never seen it in the listings for any candidate date) and that there was no availability for the night I selected in such a room.
However, when I checked their calendar their didn’t seem to be a single night where such a room was available in the next 6 months. When I put this to them they replied that there was availability in a superior room for one single night at the end of October... and that was it!
So basically they only allow BMGs against a ‘standard’ room that never appears after you’ve selected your dates because there’s essentially zero availability for it. The whole attitude of the staff in the email gave me the impression that they would do anything to make sure I wouldn’t stay there. They needn’t worry - this hotel is permanently off my list.
May 20, 2019, 8:14 am
#239
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,077
If you think getting an award redemption is hard here then try using a BMG free night certificate.
I put in a standard BAR booking for a King Premium Room for one night (not weekend or Easter) in April and then followed up with the hotel to check if my BMG certificate was OK. They replied that BMG was only valid for a King Superior, which is apparently their standard room (I’d never seen it in the listings for any candidate date) and that there was no availability for the night I selected in such a room.
However, when I checked their calendar their didn’t seem to be a single night where such a room was available in the next 6 months. When I put this to them they replied that there was availability in a superior room for one single night at the end of October... and that was it!
So basically they only allow BMGs against a ‘standard’ room that never appears after you’ve selected your dates because there’s essentially zero availability for it. The whole attitude of the staff in the email gave me the impression that they would do anything to make sure I wouldn’t stay there. They needn’t worry - this hotel is permanently off my list.
I put in a standard BAR booking for a King Premium Room for one night (not weekend or Easter) in April and then followed up with the hotel to check if my BMG certificate was OK. They replied that BMG was only valid for a King Superior, which is apparently their standard room (I’d never seen it in the listings for any candidate date) and that there was no availability for the night I selected in such a room.
However, when I checked their calendar their didn’t seem to be a single night where such a room was available in the next 6 months. When I put this to them they replied that there was availability in a superior room for one single night at the end of October... and that was it!
So basically they only allow BMGs against a ‘standard’ room that never appears after you’ve selected your dates because there’s essentially zero availability for it. The whole attitude of the staff in the email gave me the impression that they would do anything to make sure I wouldn’t stay there. They needn’t worry - this hotel is permanently off my list.
