SAT Lawyer

I stayed here several times when it was a Crowne Plaza and several more now that it is a Kimpton. Really like the De Witt. Great location, the king terrace rooms are very nice, always enjoy breakfast at Celia, and the hospitality is top notch. Was very pleased the front desk afforded me an early morning check-in on my last visit fresh off my transatlantic flight.

Alawyer

Good to see a fellow brother-in-law enjoying himself here! It was great to be able to jump on a tram and tap on with your credit card to the Rijksmuseum just outside this hotel.

Don't forget to abuse the secret password this summer.

ninjalad

It seems I had 620 for a stay many years ago , I remember it as having a tiny living room and lots of tram noise . It didn’t bother me as I lived in Amsterdam but my partner wasn’t so happy 😀

IluvJetAirways

Here's my review of a recent 2-night stay at the Kimpton De Witt

What is your IHG One Rewards status?
Platinum (IHG Premier Credit Card)

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?.
1 King Bed Essential (effectively the lowest tier), received 1 King Premium prior to check-in via app (one-category upgrade). Attempted to get a suite at check-in, but they were [supposedly] sold out of them due to some conference at the hotel (the IHG website did corroborate this lack of availability) - more on this below.

How are the rooms?
Coming right off of a 4-night stay at the Kimpton St. Honore (Paris) naturally led to us juxtaposing the two stays and appreciating certain things (and not others). The 'premium' room felt very spacious compared to a standard room in the Paris Kimpton, but would still feel small-ish compared to most American hotels. Our room - 621 - was a 'corner' room (at the very end of the hall) on the top floor and faced the street which was nice to look out of in the mornings. The bathroom was decently sized with standard amenities.

How is the exec. lounge?
N/A (even if it exists, we didn't have access)

What was good and what was bad?
The Good

• Upgrading us was appreciated
• They gave us a raid the bar 15EUR coupon as a welcome amenity
• A variety of choices for the secret password
• Well stocked with umbrellas which made our rain-filled stay less inconvenient
• They gave us a free bottle of wine + chocolate + handwritten card welcoming us (since I had mentioned it was a special occasion for us)
• Directly connected to Super Lyan which is a great bar

The Bad

• Based on my experience + other comments in this thread, it seems that this hotel is often used for business purposes (perhaps a relic of its days as a CP). Through our stay there was a 'conference' going on and on the second day additionally there was a corporate buyout of the Super Lyan bar for a portion of the evening. This business utilization + being used as a cruise hotel leads to high occupancy (in theory) which leads to low chance of a good upgrade (although I suppose suite upgrades are at the discretion of the hotel anyway for Plats)
• In general (mostly because we just came from the Kimpton St Honore), the De Witt felt [at least] slightly worse in every category. One thing I didn't already highlight was that the 'architecture'/decoration of the hotel itself also didn't seem as quirky/high-fidelity as the Paris Kimpton. The finishing touches that would make it feel like a luxury stay in general felt missing - such as them offering such limited items for free breakfast (as opposed to the Paris buffet) and that too only valid for 1 day instead of the entire stay.

Would you return?
I paid something around $220/night cash. At this price point, I would say that the Kimpton delivered on (or above) its contract, That being said, when I next return I'll probably give another hotel a chance between:

• all the different options competing) for attention (status through other IHG, Hyatt, Hilton, etc.)
• many perk-enabled hotels via AMEX/Capital One/Chase hotel collections.
• a slightly more southern location for centrality

IC Amstel seems interesting enough, although I hear it's far more expensive?

nicolas75

Kimpton hotels do not have lounge (but social hours drinks and canapés)


The products (and prices) are not the same.

The Kimpton Amsterdam was the brand's first hotel in Europe. It was built in a building that was previously a Crowne Plaza.

The Kimpton Paris recently opened in a building completely renovated for the occasion.

Just multiply the price by 2 or 3...

HadesNL

Glad you enjoyed your time in Amsterdam!
Great you like the bar, it is pretty purple funky but the drinks are good
whoops there goes my €15 credit everytime !

About suite upgrades,
The hotel has a healthy flow of InnerCircle / Diamond guests staying,
So tricky as platinum to get a suite.
+
Due to the nature of the building + hotel rooms division + limited inventory
- as a former CP: oodles of standard rooms
- the 5 terrace rooms are not classed as suites
- there are only 3 / 4 true junior suites (bit meh, you are not missing anything)
(usually never allocated to those impared with mobility issues : stairs)
- the little house (2 bedroom) is not classed as a suite
- Penthouse the Witt is ofcourse quite popular

About IC AMS,
it is a historic grand hotel that has a different target market and as such pricing can shoot through the roof.
Old money is in residence + the sjeik's harem is parked here.

Other nice hotels,
and more located south according to your desire,
as you mentioned you have status with other chains:
- Marriott Amsterdam (with lounge) : avoid the Renaissance
- Andaz : avoid atrium rooms
- Waldorf Astoria (chique with destination dining but hidious expensive!)
If perkwise: via virtuoso
Conservatorium hotel has a reputation for pampering (destination dining + also new money seen & be seen )
https://www.conservatoriumhotel.com
https://www.virtuoso.com/hotels/1116...m#amenitiesTab

Happy planning !

IluvJetAirways

You're definitely right about that - I think the cash rate for Kimpton Paris (which we did on points) was around 2x of De Witt. In general are Kimptons classified differently across Europe? If my memory serves me correctly, I do recall seeing that some Kimptons in the US are 4-star hotels as opposed to 5-star.

IluvJetAirways

Yeah I was silently hoping for one of the terrace rooms

I chuckled

Generally trying to optimize hotel for some combination of:

• quality of hotel itself
• price point/% discount I can get via offers or points
• probability that I'll be able to score a worthwhile upgrade

Headed to the Kimpton Fitzroy next and they've been taking real nice care of me even prior to arrival including app upgrade to a studio suite. Looking forward to see how it goes! Overall, between my 3 kimpton stays, IHG has not made me regret getting their credit card yet!

nicolas75

Historic" Kimptons generally have an outdated interior design. I'm generally not a big fan of the Kimpton Monaco or Palomar in North America.

The more recent ones (La Peer in Los Angeles, Rowan in Palm Springs, Pittman in Dallas, Saint George in Toronto, etc.) are more interesting in design... but also generally more expensive.

HadesNL

Don't forget the secret Kimpton password
The Kimpton Hotels Secret Password Experience Thread (2019 Onward)
if your stay start before 29 Feb....

Don't know about Kimpton Paris
Kimpton AMS - Kimpton London usually delight

rove312

Looking this over as we prepare for a return stay: how does the Jumbo compare to the Albert Heijn on Nieuwendijk?

UKtravelbear

I use the AH on Prins Hendrikkade. Is also has an entrance on Haarlemmerstraat (it has a FEBO on the corner across the road from the Celia part of the hotel)

It has an extended range of goods than the ones on Nieuwendijk as people who live locally use it rather than tourists.

UKtravelbear

Was pricing up a stay for next February and noticed a room rate for a King Premium that was €165 a night cheaper (€217 v €382) when comparing the best flexible rate than a normal King Premium with the added description of “ Building 1” in the title.

Checking the room description it then says


Room description

They once put be in a room above the bar and even on the 5th floor I could still hear the music until 1am and it took some effort to be moved even though I am a regular stayer and on the Lux life rate!

if they are going to sell this room they really need to highlight the noise issue more.

Won’t put some people who may still be out that late but it will bother others.

HadesNL you’re a regular there so any views on this?

HadesNL

UKtravelbear : i am about to embark on the love boat less luxury cruise towards the Aegean so i will be offline for a forthnight.
Thank you for your vote of confidence in me :

But to add,

In the pademic past, SuperLyan bar was only doing business on WED THU, FRI, SAT only,
AND only open till 23H ,
so these rooms above the bar were classed as standard premium rooms,
because they had a view on the city / road instead of the inner atrium court.


Nowadays the SuperLyan bar hours are extended till 01.00 AM H the next day.
So causes indeed longer and much more noise.
With the Kimpton's higher dedicated occupancy because of the "geriatric voyage of the eldery"
Viking River cruises pledge of taking rooms for the pensionados,
who in that age demand peace, silence and tranquility,
these standard rooms above SuperLyan are not being abke to be fobbed off on the Viking passengers as part of the pre/post cruise package.
the rooms above SuperLyan becoming a slight liability and as such the hotel decides to come clean about the noise polution of SuoerLyan bar leaking towards the rooms above it.

BLUE : Super Lyan bar + its annex private room / overflow seating area

If it says in your room description: your staying in an authentic part of the hotel in a Dutch traditional house
- those rooms are above SuperLyan bar
- are also some junior suites
see RED / circle : King Jr Suite
red arrow and above floors : KING Executive

Without any noise of SuperLyan but still facing the street in front of the hotel:
GREEN Circle those rooms are X26 & X25
X = floor


https://www.kimptondewitthotel.com/e...ccommodations/

Proof of rooms above SuperLyan Bar,
Compare each floor and its windows of the room description with above photo

Match the windows to see indeed the King executive room is indeed on each floor above the SuperLyan bar






Match the windows to see indeed the King Junior suite is indeed on each of the hotel's classic Dutch houses in the attic above the SuperLyan bar


Hope you find this infornative and that it sheds some light on the situation, good luck !