After navigating the crowded Amsterdam Metro, I arrived at
the newly opened Hyatt Regency Amsterdam, which is located in the Plantage
district, a residential area on the outskirts of downtown Amsterdam.
Upon checking in, I was informed that the lounge was still
not opened. Instead I was offered a voucher for two drinks and a “snack” for my
stay. Drinks in the mini bar were also complimentary. Considering the voucher
was given once per stay, I considered this arrangement inadequate.
When inquiring about an upgrade to the Regency Suite, which
is a benefit for Globalists, I was told there were no rooms available which was
a bit odd considering the hotel was actively selling the Regency Suite on Hyatt.com
I was assigned a deluxe room that resembled a loft, with
sloping ceilings and a rather unique angled window where seagulls frequently
flew by. Although the hotel is located next to a canal, there is a tree that
pretty much prevents you from getting any sort of view.
This resulted in a rather cramped looking desk space and an
oddly placed chair. The room had a funky
paint smell that was quite strong. Whether this goes away as the hotel ages
remains to be seen, but in the meantime I’d ask to check the rooms before
settling in.
The highlight of the room was the bathroom mirror, which
looked like it came out of the set of TRON.
Since there was still no lounge, breakfast was given at the
restaurant downstairs, and Globalists could order a hot dish on top of the
buffet spread.
Newly opened hotels are always a risk to book, as they are
prone to hiccups. The Hyatt Regency was no exception as there were a few service
issues during my stay. My room wasn’t cleaned when I arrived back at the hotel
after a long day of touring around, and the Wifi frequently crashed.
During my second night, the room kept making some sort of buzzing
noise, similar to what a chainsaw would sound like from a distance. As a
result, I didn’t get too much sleep. On my return visit, the hotel informed me
there was an issue with the air-conditioning and that the issue had been fixed.
Overall, I had mixed feelings about my stay, especially
given the noise problems within my room. It’s always a risk to book a room
during the opening stages of a hotel, as the kinks have yet to be worked out.
Upon informing the manager, she did profusely apologize, and eventually
upgraded me to the Executive Suite for my one day stay.
I’d personally wait a couple months before booking a stay
here, as the hotel should be fully operational and “settled in”.
Paid rates start at
around 240 EUR a night. I used 7,500 Hyatt Points + 90 EUR a night, which is
pretty much the limit I would spend at this hotel, given the saturated nature
of AirBNB in Amsterdam.
