WALDORF ASTORIA in Amsterdam - Hotel Review with Photos

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Updated: May 26, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Herengracht.
• Hotel website: hilton.com
• Hotel phone: +31-(0)20-718-4600
• Check prices for Waldorf Astoria

The Waldorf Astoria offers it all – opulent rooms, huge garden, fantastic spa, beautiful indoor pool, Afternoon Tea, and Michelin-starred dining – in historic buildings within the canal ring.

Waldorf Astoria – Five-star luxury in the heart of the historic canal ring.

Spread across six grand, double-front townhouses dating back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Waldorf Astoria is the only five-star hotel in Amsterdam in a privileged location, facing Herengracht Canal within the UNESCO-accredited historic canal ring. Its interior is an elegant blend of original architectural features such as the grand staircase and heavy wooden beams in the characterful loft rooms, a muted blue and cream color scheme, and modern amenities: Murano glass lamps, espresso machines, state-of-the-art in-room entertainment systems. The ninety-three rooms are very spacious, with palatial bathrooms to match. The on-site dining is superb and the service strikes that fine balance between formality and warm, personalized service.

Waldorf Astoria – Location

Area: The Waldorf Astoria is located on a quiet street in Amsterdam’s World Heritage canal ring, overlooking Herengracht canal. The hotel is 3 minutes’ walk (200m) from lively Rembrandtplein and its bars and restaurants, and an easy walk or tram ride from the Medieval Center and Centraal Station, the Museum Quarter, and a cluster of nearby museums and art galleries. The nearest tram stop is a 4-minute walk away (250m).
Address: Herengracht 542-556.
Nearest Transport: Bus & Tram – Keizersgracht (200m) & Rembrandtplein (250m), Metro – Waterlooplein (500m).
How to Get There: Take the train from Schiphol Airport to Centraal Station, then tram #9 to Rembrandtplein stop, 4 minutes’ walk (250m) from the hotel.
Private Transfer: We use and recommend Welcome Pickups car service. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more than a taxi – about €50 from Schiphol Airport – but can be worth it to avoid the long taxi queue and for the convenience of paying ahead.
Handy to: Rembrandtplein, Hermitage Amsterdam, Museum of Bags and Purses, Museum Van Loon.

Walford Astoria – The Basics

Ages: The Waldorf Astoria is very much a grown-up hotel, particularly popular with couples on a romantic break, and honeymooners. The Vault Bar is 18+.
View: Many of the 93 rooms benefit from canal views, with better views from the loft rooms and suites.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Some of the suites come with jacuzzis.
Laundry: In-room laundry service.
Parking: Parking possible with prior reservation (€75 per day).
Extras: Free bicycles for guests; Personal Concierge service that can obtain exclusive theater tickets, and make private dining, canal tour, and museum tour arrangements; turn-down service. The beautiful Maurer Room with original rococo interior can be booked for private dining and events.
When to Book: Reserve 3 to 4 months in advance for the mid-March to mid-May tulip season, the July and August high season, and the Christmas-New Year period.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +31-(0)20-718-4600
Email: reservations.amsterdam@waldorfastoria.com
Website: hilton.com

Waldorf Astoria – Amenities

Pool: There’s a large indoor pool with a waterfall feature and inner garden access.
Spa: Award-winning Guerlain Spa is the only one of its kind in Benelux. Exclusive personalized treatments offered, as well as access to the steam room, sauna, and relaxation lounge.
Fitness Center: Fully-equipped fitness center with complimentary fruit and water.
For Disabled Guests: One room adapted for disabled guests.
For Families: No specific family-friendly facilities.

Waldorf Astoria – Food and Drink

Restaurants: 2 Michelin-starred Spectrum (6.30pm-10pm, Tuesday to Saturday) is one of the city’s best restaurants, helmed by one of the country’s finest chefs and serving a seasonal menu of expertly-crafted, original dishes. The 7-course chef’s menu (€158/€144 regular/vegetarian) is a worthwhile splurge. Reserve well in advance. $$$$. • The elegant Peacock Alley (9am-9pm) lounge is open all day, from breakfast buffet and light lunches to afternoon tea (3pm-5pm daily, June-August) and international dishes for dinner. $$-$$$.
Lounge/Bar: Creative cocktails are served at the subterranean Vault Bar, a former vault of what was once the MeesPierson bank.
Breakfast: Not complimentary. Excellent buffet breakfast with hot dishes cooked to order available from the Peacock Alley between 8am and 11am; €37 per person.
Room Service: Room service available around the clock from the Peacock Alley.

Waldorf Astoria – Rooms

Room Types: Twin Premier • Twin Grand Premier • Twin Grand Premier with Canal View • Queen Deluxe • King Superior • King Superior Plus • King Premier • King Loft • King Grand Premier Room • King Grand Premier with Canal View • King Grand Loft • King Deluxe • Backer Suite • Brentano Suite • King Junior Suite with View • King One Bedroom Suite • Roell Suite • Van Loon Suite • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: Waldorf Astoria is 100% smoke-free.
Best Room: The Neo-Renaissance Van Loon Suite retains original architectural features, such as the 17th-century spiral staircase that connects the living room with the downstairs bathroom. The suite boasts sweeping city views, a private entrance to the Guerlain spa, and a palatial bathroom with rain shower and jacuzzi.
For Families: No family rooms, though several suites have 2 bedrooms.

Waldorf Astoria – Local Transport

Walking: Easy walking distance to Rembrandtplein and its nightlife, the Medieval Center, Red Light District, and Leidseplein with its many bars, restaurants and theaters. Walkable to the Museum Quarter and De Pijp. Numerous museums, cafes, and restaurants just minutes away on foot.
Tram: Direct tram connections to Centraal Station, De Pijp district, and Waterlooplein.
Taxis, Uber: Taxis and Uber charge around €35 from the airport to the hotel. Within the city, Uber rides cost around half of taxi fares. It’s often quicker to walk, cycle, or jump on a tram.

Waldorf Astoria – What’s Nearby?

Recommended Nearby Tours

Jewish History Amsterdam

Best Nearby Restaurants

Klein Breda – Experimental fine dining with an ever-changing menu, and wallet-friendly multi-course lunch. Reservations recommended. (150m).
Café Van Leeuwen – Bacon cheeseburgers, grilled tuna steak, Dutch sausage with fries, and other bistro food in a canal-side setting. (200m).
Van Dobben – Old-school Dutch restaurant, open since 1940, and specializing in meaty classics. (300m).
Lo Stivale d’Oro – Family-run trattoria renowned for its pizzas, and popular with families. Occasional live music. (350m).
Brasserie NeL – Family-friendly brasserie, good for anything from coffee and cake to light lunches. Stylish bar attached; live jazz on Monday nights. (350m).
Pata Negra – Popular tapas bar, where the sangria and margaritas are as good as the authentic Spanish dishes. (500m).
Pasta e Basta – Pre-set Italian menus, family-style live music, and singing. (500m).
Bouchon du Centre – Rustic French-style bistro with a daily-changing menu. Good list of Rhone Valley wines. (600m).

Best Nearby Bars

Café Montmartre – Arguably the best gay bar in the city, with the crowd singing along to 80’s and 90’s pop and Dutch ballads, a friendly vibe, and drag night every other Friday. Happy hours 6-8pm. (300m).
Café Bolle Jan – Enjoy your beer while listening to some rollicking live folk music at this lively bar. (300m).
Door 74 – Dark-timbered, speakeasy-style bar behind an unmarked door (send a text message to gain entry), responsible for some of Amsterdam’s best cocktails. (350m).
Mulligans – This authentic Irish pub has live traditional Irish music most nights, a fun vibe, and Guinness and Magners on tap. (350m).
Lion Noir – Original cocktails, and interior full of plants, bird cages, and taxidermied birds, and some of Amsterdam’s hippest A-listers. (600m).
Taboo Bar – Gay bar popular for its pre-clubbing drinks, drag shows on Wednesdays (and €6 cocktails), and happy hours from 6-7pm and midnight-1 am. (600m).

Nearby Shopping and Cool Shops

Concerto Record Store – Huge music shop stocking CDs and vinyl in every imaginable genre. (150m).
Mobilia Amsterdam – ‘Lifestyle studio’ stocking Dutch and international designs, from homewares to furniture. (250m).
Look Out – Super-hip men’s and women’s fashion by the likes of Fogal, Zenggi, and Soho de Luxe. (300m).
Vlieger – Upmarket, handmade stationary from Asia and Central America, Egyptian papyrus, and more. (350m).
MaisonNL Concept Store – Clothing, homewares, leather accessories, and more inside a hip gallery. (500m).
Jaski Gallery – Sculptures, ceramics, prints, and paintings by members of the CoBrA (Copenhagen/Brussels/Amsterdam) art movement. (700m).
So ART Gallery – Contemporary art prints, paintings, sculptures, and drawings, from the 1900’s to the present day. (700m).
Renssen Art Gallery – Charcoal drawings and paintings by independent Dutch artist Erik Renssen. (700m).

Nearby Market or Grocery

Marqt – Large, well-stocked supermarket just off Rembrandtplein. (100m).
Waterlooplein Flea Market – Vast flea market (Monday to Saturday) selling designer knockoffs, antiques, jewellery, and more. Street food stalls also. (700m).

Waldorf Astoria – The Hotel

The private garden nearby is the largest in the area.

The Waldorf Astoria benefits from the largest private garden in the surrounding area.

The gym is fully-equipped, and features private trainers on request.

The fully equipped gym is open from 7am to 10pm, and faces the garden. Private trainers available on request.

The indoor pool has a waterfall feature.

The indoor pool with waterfall feature is open from 9am to 8pm Sunday to Thursday, and 9am-9pm Friday & Saturday.

The award-winning Guerlain Spa offers exclusive personalized treatments.

The award-winning Guerlain Spa is open from 9am to 8pm Sunday to Thursday, and 9am-9pm Friday & Saturday, and offers exclusive personalized treatments.

Peacock Alley serves afternoon tea daily.

Afternoon tea is served in the Peacock Alley lounge from 3-5pm daily.

The Vault Bar is located in a former bank's basement vault.

Open till midnight, the Vault Bar serves an extensive selection of spirits in a former subterranean bank vault.

The famous Librije Zusje Amsterdam is one of the best restaurants in the city.

Two Michelin-starred Spectrum (6.30pm-10pm, Tuesday to Saturday) is one of the best restaurants in the city, with a seasonal menu of beautiful, imaginative dishes. Advance reservations essential.

The Twin Premier rooms are cozy and overlook the garden.

The snuggest of the accommodations, the Twin Premier rooms overlook the garden.

Grand Premier Canal View rooms offer great views.

Some of the Grand Premier Canal View rooms are slightly smaller than regular Grand Premier, but the views more than make up for it.

Most bathrooms have showers, and tubs with TVs.

Bathrooms in most rooms are equipped with walk-in showers, and bathtubs with inset TVs.

The King Loft rooms feature wooden beams and large sitting areas.

King Loft rooms are particularly atmospheric, with original wooden beams and spacious sitting area.

Many bathrooms feature free-standing tubs.

Loft room bathrooms come with free-standing tubs, as do some of the suites.

The luxurious Bretano Suite is very spacious.

Popular with royals over the centuries, the 2-bedroom Bretano suite has excellent canal views, and spacious living and dining areas.Check rates and availability: Waldorf Astoria.

Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Amsterdam

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