I moved six posts from the general Amsterdam thread to this one, which is specific to the Renaissance.

Bruce
Moderator

This is my favorite hotel in Amsterdam. The little green book that you always find in full service Marriott hotels says, "Guests are kindly requested not to smoke cannabis in the guest room. Repeat violations will result in being asked to leave the hotel".

Only in Amsterdam would they use the word "repeat"!

The Ren in Amsterdam is really a horrible choice over the MC. I stayed at the Ren way back in the early 90s before it was even a MC, then stayed a lot at L'Europe at Rembrandtsplein, but in the last years have stayed at the MC every time in AMS (about a dozen times) with the exception of last summer when there was some promo and went back to the Ren after a long absence.

It (the Renaissance) was absolutely awful from start to finish. The front desk staff ranged from indifferent to rude. The lounge by any definition is terrible food wise, but especially when compared to the MC just a km away. This Ren lounge offers almost a non-selection for breakfast whereas the MC has a huge buffet and they'll do cook to order anything you want. The evening at the Ren lounge is the same, virtually nothing, and what they do have is crap . Also the breakfast buffet downstairs at the Ren was one drab choice after another. I wish they hadn't had that promo so I didn't have that experience!

Some say they like the area of the Renaissance. As a boy 20 years ago I did also, but for me personally now, I don't want to be in the noisiest and most congested part of the city steps from Centraal station, Damrak, drugs and "red lights". On the other hand, a hundred meters or so past the crowds of Leidseplein, almost next to a large park and right on a huge canal, but still only a five minute tram ride to/from anywhere in the city, the MC Leidseplein is in a perfect location.

If you are considering staying at these two properties in Amsterdam, there is nothing to consider, the MC at Leidseplein is the only real choice. Better in every possible way.

^^^^^

Brucemcdou, thanks for the detailed trip report and to bdschobel for moving it to the property specific thread so that it will be easier for others when doing a search.

Cheers.

I can respect your opinion and of course there are always hotels some have an amazing experience at while others don't.

I can say my experience with the Renaissance is a complete 180 experience from what you have, and I go there at least 6-8 times annually for the past 3 years. I would say a big difference is I have over time begun to know who the staff is, and they have always been accommodating to me and provided great service. On the weekends, they do give you access to the breakfast buffet. Truthfully though, the lounge service there is FAR beyond the lounge service of any US based hotel (though most international lounge services are with Marriott I've come to notice) so I compare them to the hotels I normally stay at in the States.

I've stayed at the Marriott there too, and wasn't extremely impressed. It wasn't anything bad, just no big wows that would make me return over and over again.

Be careful here when paying. If you do express checkout they will auto use dynamic currency conversion to charge you 3-5% more. When questioned they do not provide honest answers.

Still a nice hotel by run by a scammy GM

Marriott Renaissance Amsterdam - 5 month old beers in the minibar!
 

Hello all,

So, the story is:

Last week I stayed at Renaissance Amsterdam - a friend of mine told me he had one of the beers from the minibar which was expired. I then looked at mine, and they also were expired. I informed the reception and tweeted directly to the hotel. They said they will get it done.

http://pic.twitter.com/SWdoOByva7

I arrived again yesterday evening, and thought I would check the beers out of curiosity. And?

http://pic.twitter.com/oSkpPtDZLX

April 2014! 5 months old. Any advice on what I should do in this instance?

Not that I have time to spend writing these posts and informing then week in week out.

Cheers

My suggestion would be to stop staying there :D. The Marriott is so much better :)

What the heck are you doing getting beer from a mini-bar? :p Go to the local corner shop & buy a 6-pack. :D I didn't know beers had an expiration date :eek: I have an annual holiday party; wine & spirits gone by end of party, but takes me 6 months-year to get rid of the beer as I'm not a big beer drinker.

Getting back to the Ren I would let them know via tweet, email, PM, etc. If they don't fix it by the next time you've stayed you might also want to do a post on TripAdvisor (or do it now since the last direct contact didn't work).

If you like the property you can continue staying there (and not drink beer from the mini-bar). Otherwise, check out the Marriott. Note, I have not looked at beer expiration date in Marriott mini-bar.

Cheers.

Agreed - it is unclear why the OP is even opening the minibar when the lounge has free drinks every evening.

As to the negative comments about the Renaissance- I have stayed there multiple times recently, and it is a fine hotel. Unfortunately I can't compare it to the Marriott since I haven't stayed there yet, but I would happily stay at the Ren again.

Because the OP might not be Gold or Plat or have booked exec level? ;)

Cheers.

+1. My brother stayed there on points with his brood of 3 teenager and young adults for a week and the staff went all out, upgraded him and his wife to a junior suite, brought in a cot to the room for the 3 kids, gave them all access to the lounge and treated them just fine. This was upon my recommendation from 2 years ago where my wife and I had a great time. Amsterdam had become seedy for awhile but about 15 years ago -- about the time that NYC was getting better -- the streets became cleaner and less scuzzy and this location is not like other properties near train stations -- in fact, it benefits from it since you can visit other areas of the country with just a short walk to the Centraal Station. Further, this property is opposite the Poozenboot -- a canal boat for homeless cats looking to be adopted -- so go visit it, donate some $$ and get a nice T-Shirt with that catchy name!

I think both properties are very similar in terms of rooms and quality. Same with the service. I arrived at 6:30am one time from the States and they let me check in early in a room that was not mine and sleep until my room was ready at noon. They didn't charge me and had to make up the room. I was very greatful as I had been travelling 24 hours straight.

When I choose between the two is about location and price. I always stay at the cheaper one. I could never imagine paying 50-100 more Euros a night to stay at one or the other. You can be on a tram a few minutes from each location.

Just stayed a Saturday night. Checkin was fine, although ended up with a Twin Room (I prefer King) as had to book "Standard Type of Type where Room Bed type allocated later"

Kind of plain room, small bath, small bath towels and this was a clubroom type. I know rooms in Amsterdam are small in "old buildings" so room not small by some Amsterdam standards, but kind of plain and cold, not warm colour scheme wise. TV channel poor, just BBC1/2 for UK guests when mayny NL hotels include ITV1/2/4 etc. Table and 2chairs by the Window.

Special offer of club access 35euro (normally 55) and as at weekends gave breakfast in restaurant (normal 29euro) as lounge not doing breakfast.. I upsold myself purely for breakfast and daily coffees from lounge machines.

Lounge open to midnight, happy hour (beers) all of 1730-2130 which is good, and minibar in room has top shelf free for own stuff (if you have a few cans of lager). Some hot "finger" food but not to my liking, had some cheese+crackers with my beers.

Breakfast Sunday morning , nominally 0700-1100, and I went 1000. As expected too many turn up in last hour, but at 10am already overspilled to Bar table areas, worse only saw 3 staff members, from 1000-1020 no mugs/cups to use at self-serve coffee machine, no bread, no glasses for orange juice, no bread+rolls and if a few put out, gone in 1minute. found table, it was cleared but no cutlery placed or available

In end just had 8 lumps of Melon, 6 segments of peeled oranges, + coffee once mugs put out.. a real zoo, lack of staff and organization, seemed lack of food too, and probably lack of backroom staff to wash stuff up, prefer more food.

At checkout asked for adjustment, and Renaissance immediately refunded my 35euro Lounge upsell fee. Originally were going to refund 50euro but I would have been uncomfortable taking 50 when only cost 35euro, would have been OK with say half fee back as had some use of lounge + drank lounge beers.

Will give hotel another chance in a few weekends time but a really poor showing as management must know hotel is full and how many are having breakfast.

BUT ...more hands-on staff are needed to support the breakfast zoo here on Sunday mornings. Absolutely worst disorganization at breakfast I have ever seen, nothing in last 5years even came close to this bad.