The Apollo Hotel Amsterdam, Tribute Portfolio [Master Thread]
#61
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,589
Upgrade Award Stay with Cash
Hi, I will soon stay at this hotel for a few days using points. I do not have enough points for a suite so I booked a basic room, as a lowly gold I am not expecting much of an upgrade. Other properties have sent me e-mails after booking offering cash upgrade deals, but this has not happened to me this time, or not yet.
What would be the best way to score a good cash upgrade? Expect an e-mail offer? Call the hotel? Ask at check-in? I saw online that they are not sold out. I also called SPG but they don't offer cash upgrades and as I said I don't have enough points (I got the basic room for 10,000 points per night and the suite requires 20,000 points per night).
Thanks!
What would be the best way to score a good cash upgrade? Expect an e-mail offer? Call the hotel? Ask at check-in? I saw online that they are not sold out. I also called SPG but they don't offer cash upgrades and as I said I don't have enough points (I got the basic room for 10,000 points per night and the suite requires 20,000 points per night).
Thanks!
#62
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,589
So to follow up on the previous post, the easiest way to score a cash upgrade was to call the hotel. EUR 100 per night for the Harbor View suite, including breakfast, unless I am mistaken they have no better suites.
The hotel is nice, at least the harbor section, from what we could see through the windows the tower section bedrooms are a lot less interesting. Our suite was nice but not very large, recently decorated but as previously mentioned a few annoying quirks, particularly a stupid sensor-operated mirror light in the bathroom that stays on for five minutes and lights up the entire bedroom too! Not great when you go for a bathroom break at 2 AM. It took them two days to fix it (instead of being blinded for five minutes, it was changed to only thirty seconds). In practice we had to cover the sensor on the ceiling with a paper tissue in order to prevent it from lighting the room all the time. It even turned itself on if you moved in the bed... we had to call and go to the reception four times to get this handled, noone would take responsibility for the problem.
Otherwise the hotel is fine, I will also point out that the building is ugly outside and the breakfast is just good. It is also not central, you will need transportation because walking thirty minutes or more is not always convenient, but we knew this and the price offset it. Despite all the complaining, we did like it!
The hotel is nice, at least the harbor section, from what we could see through the windows the tower section bedrooms are a lot less interesting. Our suite was nice but not very large, recently decorated but as previously mentioned a few annoying quirks, particularly a stupid sensor-operated mirror light in the bathroom that stays on for five minutes and lights up the entire bedroom too! Not great when you go for a bathroom break at 2 AM. It took them two days to fix it (instead of being blinded for five minutes, it was changed to only thirty seconds). In practice we had to cover the sensor on the ceiling with a paper tissue in order to prevent it from lighting the room all the time. It even turned itself on if you moved in the bed... we had to call and go to the reception four times to get this handled, noone would take responsibility for the problem.
Otherwise the hotel is fine, I will also point out that the building is ugly outside and the breakfast is just good. It is also not central, you will need transportation because walking thirty minutes or more is not always convenient, but we knew this and the price offset it. Despite all the complaining, we did like it!
#64
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Phoenix
Programs: AA EXP Hyatt Explorist Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Emerald Club Executive Elite, UA Silver
Posts: 46
#65
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
#66
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Phoenix
Programs: AA EXP Hyatt Explorist Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Emerald Club Executive Elite, UA Silver
Posts: 46
#71
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: dca
Programs: Delta Plat, United Silver, Marriott LT Titanium, HHonors Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 337
I used a SNA which cleared into a design “suite” with wonderful water views. The room was tiny but well furnished, no dividing door between living and bed “rooms”. Both rooms had fantastic views over the canals. The bathroom was quite spacious though, with a nice shower and soaking tub. I chose breakfast as my plat benefit and really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant, the breakfast was fine too. Very good pastries but pretty much basic everything else and very crowded on the weekends with many dirty tables. I had dinner in the attached Harbour Club one night but was annoyed they clustered the relatively few customers together, they seated us at small table crammed in next to many other small tables despite having many open banquettes along the wall and tons of empty tables closer to the window.
I enjoyed the location, its a quiet area but a short walk to various tram stops to central. There are also a number of nice restaurants, like La Folete (old-school dutch, cash only) & Brasserie van Baerle within walking distance, some beautiful parks like Beatrixpark are also nearby. A quick 20-25 minute uber ride to Schipol airport makes it a nice place an extended layover. Overall, Id happily return again as long as I could guarantee a design suite with canal views, will skip dining at harbour club next time though.
I enjoyed the location, its a quiet area but a short walk to various tram stops to central. There are also a number of nice restaurants, like La Folete (old-school dutch, cash only) & Brasserie van Baerle within walking distance, some beautiful parks like Beatrixpark are also nearby. A quick 20-25 minute uber ride to Schipol airport makes it a nice place an extended layover. Overall, Id happily return again as long as I could guarantee a design suite with canal views, will skip dining at harbour club next time though.
#72
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,113
Cheers.
#73
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: dca
Programs: Delta Plat, United Silver, Marriott LT Titanium, HHonors Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 337
#74
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London
Programs: HertzPresCircle, Virgin Atlantic Gold,Hil-Diam, Europcar Elite Vip, Emirates Gold, MarriottTitanium.
Posts: 419
Re-opened yesterday and they have a VERY good promo right now with real good prices. 104 EUR per night for marriott members.
Member Rate Welcome Back, includes breakfast, 25 percent off Retail Rate.
Member Rate Welcome Back, includes breakfast, 25 percent off Retail Rate.
- 25 percent off Marriott Bonvoy Members including breakfast, 7
- days a week for stays from 1st June until 30 September.
#75
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: zurich
Programs: Miles&Smiles Gold
Posts: 509
Re-opened yesterday and they have a VERY good promo right now with real good prices. 104 EUR per night for marriott members.
Member Rate Welcome Back, includes breakfast, 25 percent off Retail Rate.
Member Rate Welcome Back, includes breakfast, 25 percent off Retail Rate.
- 25 percent off Marriott Bonvoy Members including breakfast, 7
- days a week for stays from 1st June until 30 September.