Amsterdam Renaissance (Netherlands) [Master Thread]
 

Has anyone stayed at the Ren. in AMS and been able to get 2 beds (twins or double)? All the rates I see show only one bed per room. I'm traveling with a friend and would prefer not to share a bed :p . The Marriott in AMS does have 2 beds which I guess would be my next option...

Great question, in that all the times I stayed there I don't ever recall being in a standard room with two beds :confused: However, I once stayed in a suite that did (not much help to you I guess) but there are 'family rooms' - I forget the number sequence but they're on the inside corners furthest from the elevators (x31 or x33 maybe?) - which have a bed and a sofa bed. I drew the short straw for the sofa bed, but it was substantial enough to make it comfortable - relatively speaking compared to a real bed of course. Maybe one of those rooms would work for you if you can get one?

I've gotten two beds on Priceline stays at both the Renaissance and the Marriott in Amsterdam.

Questions for upcoming award stay Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel
 

Hi,

We are base Marriott members and are turning in points for our 1 night stay in Amsterdam on Dec 4. After booking the award stay the confirmation came back that the King bed was not available at this time nor the request for non-smoking. So here are my questions:

1. Isn't the Renaissance a smoke free facility as reported on the web page?
2. Is it appropriate/possible to request an upgrade with a 10/? Euro in hand?


Thank you,

1. I think it is.
2. I wouldn't but that's just me. I'd do a verbal request at check-in. If they're not booked & it's a weekend so they probably won't be, you might get something.

Enjoy your stay. Cheers.

I stayed there for a week last July and enjoyed the location. They are smoke free, but on more than one occasion I could smell marijuana, not surprising since this is Amsterdam.

A tip may well get you the upgrade, but I would not count on it.

J

We stayed there in April and it was non-smoking.

I would call Marriott Reservations and ask them to note in your reservation record that you prefer a king if one is available. That way, even though they can't confirm the king bed at this time, at least it is in your record that you would like one. When you arrive you can request it again at check-in.

Is this trip for any special celebration such as a birthday or anniversary? If so, I'd also ask that to be noted in your record.

Yes, that indeed smells Amsterdam!

Is AMS Ren CL open 7 days now?
 

Hello all - I'll be in AMS next week. Currently booked at the FS Marriott, but am seeing much better rates at the Renaissance. Their room information states that the concierge lounge is open 7 days a week, 6 am to midnight, which conflicts with the sticky which states the lounge is closed weekends. The sticky info for the Ren was last updated in 2013. Anyone been there recently?

I do see the statement by Baccarat King above, which I think confirms that the lounge is open at least for breakfast, but not clear about evening?

I appreciate that many feel the AMS FS Marriott is better than the Ren, but I'll be visiting on my own dime for personal travel, and saving several hundred Euros would be nice if I was sure I'd still get full lounge access for breakfast and evening drinks.

Thanks in advance for any more up-to-date info!:)

A few posts above yours says the Ren exec lounge is open. So if you can save several hundred Euros, go for it. The same post says that the Ren checks corp id, so if your saving several hundred euros is based on a particular corp rate make sure you have the proper i.d.
I'll also update the exec lounge sticky to reflect that the lounge is open.

Cheers.

Sharon is (as always!) correct here! I just posted the following on the lounge open/closed wiki but thought it would be helpful to also post in this thread:

AMS Renaissance Trip Report
 

Hi all - just spent a week at the Renaissance Amsterdam and wanted to post some thoughts which I hope may be helpful for those planning a trip.

Overall - this is a surprisingly pleasant, almost 'boutique' hotel. The staff were generally warm and welcoming, management was visible and interested in guests comfort, and all important features work as they should.

Location - it's roll-your-suitcase close to the train station. This has pluses and minuses, as like in most European capitals near the station there are also a selection of cheap hotels, cheap take out food shops and (unique to Amsterdam) dazed pot smoking foreigners on the sidewalk you need to step around. However, if you use the train to/from the airport, or take any day trips on the train as I did, it is very convenient. It is on the edge of the Jordaan, a trendy area that quickly gets more residential as you go further west from the hotel. Since it's close to the station it's also convenient for all the tram lines that start and end at the station, along with the ferries across the Ij behind the station. I rented and used a bike for the week, and it was incredibly easy to get around from the hotel and always find your way back.

Room - I booked a basic queen deluxe and was upgraded as MR Gold to a Club King on the top (eighth) floor. Beware because the 900 rooms are on the second floor of the hotel. The room was decent sized for Europe, with a desk and sitting area by the window. Small closet but ok drawer space in chest. As others have noted you can hear your neighbors - I had a connecting room and I could hear neighbors talking in a normal tone of voice in the room next door even with a towel under the door. The bathroom was nice, porcelain tile and granite, but nothing lavish, with a shower/tub combo. Coffee/tea service was a kettle and instant coffee and tea bags, not great.

Club - the lounge is on the first (American second) floor, and is fine for normal use but packed on weekends. This explains why they serve Gold/platinum breakfast in the restaurant on the weekends, which is a full hot breakfast buffet. The weekday club breakfast is limited but includes scrambled eggs/bacon/sausage for those who need fat, selection of breads and rolls with jam and honey for the carb folks, and sliced meat and cheese for the Swiss/Germans. A few cereals along w bowls of yogurt and fruit. Afternoon Tea was sweets and pastries, no sandwiches or savory. Evening hors d'ouvres were cheese and crackers, some limited canapés, dips such as hummus and tapenade, and some fried bitteballen. Beer and wine only. The stated hours are strictly enforced by a very attentive and very helpful lounge staff who circulated and constantly made sure guests were taken care of, from clearing plates to offering to refill wine or beer glasses

Gym - not bad for the size of the hotel. In the basement so little light. Four treadmills, three elliptical and one bike, along with two adjustable benches and dumbbells up to 30 Kgs. There's also a small stretching area w Swiss balls, mats, and a cable pulley machine in a corner.

Restaurant and bar - didn't try except for eating breakfast buffet there on the weekends. Very pleasant and hardworking staff at that time.

Odd bits - the street out front is still under construction (late august 2014) which is hand-laying brick. Once it's done it appears that vans will be able to get to the front door once again. Until then you need to be flexible to get in and out of the hotel. From the station you can cut through the back way past touristy cheap restaurants and pot-smoking coffee houses, or come around the corner and just assume you'll need to carry your bag a ways.

The restaurant, bar, gym, and meeting rooms are all effectively in the basement of the hotel, with windows where you can see people's legs as they walk by. The ceiling heights are low on each floor, giving a potentially claustrophobic feel throughout. I assume the designers were going for 'cozy' but there is really no space in the hotel that doesn't feel crowded or cramped.

You can't get away from CNN in this hotel - although the cable selections include Euronews, BBC World, RTL, TV5, FR1, etc, the TVs in the lounge, the gym, and the bar were always tuned to CNN. You may consider this an advantage; some of us would prefer to avoid the American news cycle when we're traveling.

Durning the time I was there I saw big crowds from a cruise line that specializes in elderly American passengers. I also saw numerous flight crews, including in the lounge. You may have your own opinions about this, I'm just reporting the news. Overall I was very happy with my stay.

Thanks for your detailed and helpful review. As to the tv choices, I assume the CNN you are referring to would be "CNN International," which would be much more Euro-style news than the American news cycle.

Hi Ohmark - I suspect you're right, it must have been CNN International, but if it was they were not doing the normal 1/2 hour news cycle at the appropriate time of day for the European time zone, they were using the American news cycle. This isn't meant as a criticism of the hotel which understandably caters mostly to Americans, just intended as a comment for non-Americans to take into account if you are considering staying there. During my stay I certainly saw many Dutch, German, French, Chinese, Spanish, and other travelers.