LadyC
Established Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2012
- Posts
- 2,641
Andaz Prinsengracht Amsterdam – the good, the bad and the ugly
We had five nights booked at this hotel. The first four were booked through my Citibank Prestige, utilising the fourth night free benefit. The fifth night had to be booked separately at was also booked through the Prestige service (more because it was easier than anything else). We arrived at the hotel at about 11.30am and all staff were busy doing either check ins or check outs, so we were escorted to a couch, offered a drink and waited about 5 minutes for someone to look after us. Andaz hotels run a tablet/mobile style check in, so when a staff member was available, they came over to see us rather than requiring me to go up to the desk.
When I went through our check in details, there was some confusion over the two bookings. Andaz thought that we had booked 2 rooms for four nights each rather than 1 room for 5 nights across two bookings. The full 5 nights had been paid in advance. Not a problem they said, took a copy of the paperwork and that was the last we thought of the issue. The room was not quite ready yet, so we had an early burger lunch in the lobby before heading up to check it out.
I had booked a large canal view room with a king sized bed. The room we were provided with was on the first floor just above the bar. It had a nice view over the canals. This is the first Andaz hotel I have stayed in and the design is a little unusual. With a giant fish on the wall and the bathroom sink in the middle of the room, the style is definitely unusual. You definitely want to know your room companion as there is no separate bathroom, you just walk in and out of the shower. The toilet, at least, is enclosed and there is also a closet to hide your suitcases. The minibar was limited but all non-alcoholic items were free and staff were very good at replenishing it.
So after ambling about the nine streets and an early dinner, we headed back to the room for an early night as MasterC and I were tired. The music in the bar below started at about 7pm. Lying on the bed, you could hear the music and bass reverberating. The speakers in the bar were in the roof, meaning that they were placed below our floor. The gentleman called reception and asked when the music would stop. 1am they said. We can hear it in our room, he says. We will turn it down they reply. The music is turned down and a few minutes later it is turned back up again. So we go around in this merry go round a few times until the gentleman cracks it on my behalf, heads downstairs and tells them they have to move us to another room. They find another room for us for that night but will need to move us again the following day to relocate us to a room at the level we booked. So we have to pack up all our stuff, wake up MasterC, and move to another floor to get away from the music. At least we got some sleep after that! I wonder how many other guests have had the same problem – it could not be the first time they had that complaint – I do not understand why they would place a family in the room above the bar – who will definitely be going to bed before 1am.
After playing musical rooms the next day, the rest of our stay was more peaceful and quiet. On check out however, I ran into another problem. They wanted me to pay for the last night. They only had the record of the first booking and thought I had organised to extend it one night at check in. No, no I said, it was a separate booking, I discussed with your colleague and here is a copy of the booking, showing it has been paid in advance. The Andaz staff member looks at it, gets the duty manager, they both look at it and accept it has been paid for and I pay a bill for the hotel tax and some room service, no problem. Except when I check my credit card statement, the same day of our departure, an additional charge has hit my credit card representing the final night at the hotel. After some back and forward with the hotel, they have credited me this additional charge, but I am certainly not very impressed with their customer service after these issues.
We had five nights booked at this hotel. The first four were booked through my Citibank Prestige, utilising the fourth night free benefit. The fifth night had to be booked separately at was also booked through the Prestige service (more because it was easier than anything else). We arrived at the hotel at about 11.30am and all staff were busy doing either check ins or check outs, so we were escorted to a couch, offered a drink and waited about 5 minutes for someone to look after us. Andaz hotels run a tablet/mobile style check in, so when a staff member was available, they came over to see us rather than requiring me to go up to the desk.
When I went through our check in details, there was some confusion over the two bookings. Andaz thought that we had booked 2 rooms for four nights each rather than 1 room for 5 nights across two bookings. The full 5 nights had been paid in advance. Not a problem they said, took a copy of the paperwork and that was the last we thought of the issue. The room was not quite ready yet, so we had an early burger lunch in the lobby before heading up to check it out.
I had booked a large canal view room with a king sized bed. The room we were provided with was on the first floor just above the bar. It had a nice view over the canals. This is the first Andaz hotel I have stayed in and the design is a little unusual. With a giant fish on the wall and the bathroom sink in the middle of the room, the style is definitely unusual. You definitely want to know your room companion as there is no separate bathroom, you just walk in and out of the shower. The toilet, at least, is enclosed and there is also a closet to hide your suitcases. The minibar was limited but all non-alcoholic items were free and staff were very good at replenishing it.
So after ambling about the nine streets and an early dinner, we headed back to the room for an early night as MasterC and I were tired. The music in the bar below started at about 7pm. Lying on the bed, you could hear the music and bass reverberating. The speakers in the bar were in the roof, meaning that they were placed below our floor. The gentleman called reception and asked when the music would stop. 1am they said. We can hear it in our room, he says. We will turn it down they reply. The music is turned down and a few minutes later it is turned back up again. So we go around in this merry go round a few times until the gentleman cracks it on my behalf, heads downstairs and tells them they have to move us to another room. They find another room for us for that night but will need to move us again the following day to relocate us to a room at the level we booked. So we have to pack up all our stuff, wake up MasterC, and move to another floor to get away from the music. At least we got some sleep after that! I wonder how many other guests have had the same problem – it could not be the first time they had that complaint – I do not understand why they would place a family in the room above the bar – who will definitely be going to bed before 1am.
After playing musical rooms the next day, the rest of our stay was more peaceful and quiet. On check out however, I ran into another problem. They wanted me to pay for the last night. They only had the record of the first booking and thought I had organised to extend it one night at check in. No, no I said, it was a separate booking, I discussed with your colleague and here is a copy of the booking, showing it has been paid in advance. The Andaz staff member looks at it, gets the duty manager, they both look at it and accept it has been paid for and I pay a bill for the hotel tax and some room service, no problem. Except when I check my credit card statement, the same day of our departure, an additional charge has hit my credit card representing the final night at the hotel. After some back and forward with the hotel, they have credited me this additional charge, but I am certainly not very impressed with their customer service after these issues.
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