I spent one night at the Hilton Rotterdam and I can confirm as a Diamond the breakfast choice is Lounge or full breakfast in the Restaurant.

The hotel is dated (the key card is still with a magnetic strip and there are no USB plugs) but well kept.
Diamond recognition is good, I was upgraded to a one bedroom suite three days in advance; Lounge is basic but decent, two hot items plus soup, two cold cuts, cheeses, olives, crisps and breads. There were also some sweets and small cups of panna cotta.
There is a self pour limited selection of spirits and few wines red, white and prosecco and beers. The lounge was not busy

 

To above all -like-

A light update concerning the F&B

Yesterday was the grand farewell to Hilton Rotterdam's executive chef.
At the party it was revealed that he was indeed the last person left from the orginal Hilton team members from the 80/90s.
And as such revealed vis � vis that the orginal Hilton manual for preparing breakfast, dictates strict use of fresh eggs for ALL egg dishes.
Also the lament was the loss of at least 30+ years of experience with new recruits showing less skill & interest.

Hilton GM was present, i uttered the remark that we (regulars + diamonds) feel that now that the executive chef with old values has retired,
this should not grant beancounters the ability to go pennypinching with instant powdered egg from a can.


We were treated with a sample of restaurant JacQ's new concept and dishes.


The consenus from the group after analysis:
- easy to assemble by the kitchen if low on manpower or on skills
- not balanced enough, i.e. very raw wintery carrot pieces, pulled pork not proportional to amount of fries
- must be devised by management and not by an actual patron chef cuisinier

New menu





Loaded fries with pulled pork





Veg springroll





Breads and dips





Advocado shrimp cup





Salmon teriyaki bowl 1 comes with rice and veggies (see below)




Salmon teriyaki bow 2 commes with salmon as option (see above)





Buddha bowl
with insanely raw hard wintery carrot, even Dracula's fangs would not be able to topple




Grilled veggies





Fried chicken




Loaded nachos with jalapenos




Simmered tofu


It was the infamous black friday sale, with the restaurant being at 1/3 capacity with shoppers and shopping bags everywhere.

 

I filled out the survey with my points and received an e-mail from someone in the Executive Office, basically acknowledging the points and that the lounge breakfast is no substitute for the Jaq and that guest prefer the lounge as it's quite and more private.

When I showed up last week for a quick overnight I was welcomed and immediately informed that if I wish I could have breakfast at Jaq and they were happy to see me again rather.

As I was very late, I got a voucher for the bar as the lounge had closed.

Overall, a reliable stay, but I still gave the nhow a go and my gods, I was blown away by the staff there and the treatment of titanium members in GHA discovery. In future I will choose between the 2 depending on price and how I feel.

 

Just finished a stay and they again changed the breakfast in the lounge, it's now only during weekdays. Weekends breakfast is only in the restaurant.


Lounge Info

 

Thank you so much for the latest updates !

I would like to

 

Anybody any recent stay updates, is there further cost cutting noticeable ?

 

Well, at least they took you feedback seriously.


Digital key has finally arrived so no longer a magnetic stripe on keycards. Photographed in front of a full litre of still and a full litre of sparkling water in reusable glass bottles. Wouldn't know if this is only in Junior Suites and up, or in maybe in Executive Rooms.


Power socket now has USB-A and USB-C, both sides of the bed.

Lounge hours remain unchanged, except that (probably because of summer) the breakfast is now restaurant-only. The lounge was busy, it had just one hot item (soup, ok) and a macaroni salad (also ok) and the items mentioned in your review.

The restaurant appeared to be busy, didn't attend, because of the African Food Festival nearby, with real good bands performing all day long. Next week (last weekend of July each year) there'll be the Summer Carnaval. ZOMERCARNAVAL 2024 ROTTERDAM | Dates & More (carnivaland.net)

A while ago I think I wrote that this Hilton stopped offering beers from a local craft brewery because it switched from bottles to cans. Hiltons (in this part of the world) are not allowed to offer beer from cans. But now the bar had 'Brouwerij Noordt Blondt' - one of their finest beers - on tap. Brouwerij Noordt helped HEINEKEN setup a brew cafe in their new main sales offices for the Netherlands, which of course are located in... Leiden.


Streetview of HEINEKEN Netherlands HQ opposite of the Leiden Central Station, where Brouwerij Noordt helped build a micro brewery in the restaurant area. (This trivial info added mainly because so many Hiltons worldwide serve Heineken.)

 

Rotterdam's
Hilton / Marriott / Holiday Inn Express are prefered hotels for pre/post cruisers from the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal.
Source: no 2 son doing his summer job as tour leader: esp. Ship's pick up / transfer.
I met Joyce today on the Holland America MS Rotterdam,
she booked a standard award room at the Hilton but was upgraded to the executive suite with executive lounge access.
(She has diamond via US Aspire creditcard)
From others that tuned in to the conversation we learned that those booked the pre-cruise stay at the Hilton via the ship's travel package that they were not upgraded.

Just an average datapoint. Miracles can still happen

 

It makes sense to use the Hilton for pre/post cruises - location is perfect for the central station. And that was a superb upograde!!