Hi.. Looking for some information on the Marriot in Amsterdam and perhaps a comparison to the Renaissance. How is the location to the dams and garden?

You can find several comments about thias hotel by using a &quot;Boolean search - - i.e., &quot;amsterdam AND Marriott&quot; (note the spelling of Marriott).<BR><BR>Especially on this thread:<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&amp;tid=34387871<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR>

Hi, we spent a week in the Renaissance and enjoyed it. It is near Cental Station and Dam Square - not the nicest part of the city, but the location was convenient. I think it has a bit more Old World charm than the Marriott does. Which garden were you referring to?

? why stay in an american chain while visiting a foreign country. some of my best memories are of charming european hotels.

We got a &quot;freebie&quot;, so we stayed at the Marriot in Amsterdam. I can't remember anything special about the hotel except that it was clean,comfortable and well located. The free breakfast was good too.

Marriott is close to Vondel Park if that's what you mean by garden. It's a good location but it's a Marriott, i.e., nothing very &quot;Dutch&quot; about it. Personally, I would stay in one of the smaller hotels on a canal, e.g., Ambassade, Canal House, etc.

I've stayed at both the Marriott and Renaissance recently. Overall, I'd give a slight edge to the Renaissance. Both have nice, well-apportioned rooms. The Renaissance is within walking distance of Centraal Station, Dam Square, and the Red Light District. The Marriott, on the other hand, is in the Leidseplein area, a much more charming area of town. However, the tradeoff is a 10-15 minute tramride from Central Station (on lines #1, 4, or 5). For me, the slightly nicer rooms and closer proximity to Centraal Station (which provides train access to Schipol Airport, the rest of the Netherlands, and Europe at large), tips the scales slightly in favor of the Renaissance.

Agree with most of what has been said. The Marriot is a very US type hotel. The best thing about it is it's proximity to the major art museums.

Following up on my previous message, I should have said the #1, 2, and 5 trams serve the Marriott and Leidseplein area, not the #1, 4, and 5. So please don't mistakenly take the #4 tram in a doomed effor to get to the Marriott. Sorry for the confusion.