Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam
 

I was wondering if anyone has stayed at the Hotel Pulitzer in Amsterdam? Any input would be helpful. Thanking you in advance.

We stayed there about eight years ago for two nights, out of the 10 that we had booked months in advance.

We found out when we checked in that they were undergoing heavy remodelling and it was very very noisy from very early in the morning and throughout the entire day. They were not only re-doing rooms, but the lobby as well, so that was in disarry and we couldn't sit down there. Since it was our first stop on that trip, we really needed a nap, which was impossible either day and the construction noise woke us up very early both mornings.

We were lucky enough to find a another hotel for the remainder of our stay.

Our mattress was well worn and they said that our room was scheduled for remodelling next and they would then replace the mattress!!

Obviously there was nothing that they could do, and we were upset that we hadn't been notified -
Since we had made our reservation about three months in advance, we expected some consideration, but that never happened.

We later wrote to the manager, and got an "I'm sorry" letter, telling us how beautiful the new lobby was and that they hoped we would stay there again.

We met two other first time guests who were only there for three days and didn't want the hassle of moving for one or two nights. They have since become very very good friends. They have stayed at the Pulitizer four or five times since then.

The husband wrote the manager at the same time we did, and then when they checked in the following year - they were upgraded to a lovely large room. It is now their favorite hotel in A'dam. We looked at the lobby a few years later, and it is lovely.

I'm sure that you will enjoy your stay there and it is a very good location. Anne Frank House is only a block or so away as are many restaurants, etc..

I guess that we would stay there again, but I really thought the manager's letter could have been a little nicer. I also thought that for someone who was staying for 10 days under those conditions, they would have offered a drink, breakfast or something similiar. No, but they did let us know that there would be no extra charge for checking out eight days early!

Nina

My husband has stayed there on business and liked it. The location is superb.

In that price range you might also check out The Ambassade. However, the Ambassade is several historic, narrow townhouses linked together to form a single hotel. The canal views are to die for -- truly lovely -- but the narrow staircases mean that anyone with mobility or vision problems should get a guarantee of an accessible room before booking. But if you can handle some comically narrow, spiral staircases, it's a great spot.

The Ambassade was modeled after the Pulitzer. The Pulitzer is a group of townhouses also, with similar narrow stairs and various levels.

The Ambassade has an elevator, and most of the rooms are accessible by it. A few are not. I stayed there a few years ago.

Less expensive is the Dikker & Thijs Fenice Hotel. I've stayed there as well--another nice canal hotel.

I couldn't remember the number of canal houses combined to make the hotel, so I checked their site. It says that it is comprised of 25 restored 17th and 18th century canal houses.

Therefore the rooms vary in size and shape, with little staircases connecting areas of the same floor. This is also the case at the Canal House Hotel where we have stay for the remainder of the Pulitzer stay, and also on subsequent trips.

Many hotels in Amsterdam have similiar configurations, as like most large cities there are no vacant areas to build and unlike the U.S., they don't tear down beautiful old buildings to replace them with modern monstrosities.

When we booked the Pulitzer, it was referred to as 'one of the most romantic hotels in Europe'.
Between jetlag and hammering, it is hard to feel romantic, so I cannot attest to that.

I know you'll enjoy your stay, as I said, my friends love it and the husband is very very picky.

Nina

The Ambassade has elevators, but not all the rooms are on floors level with the elevators. Some rooms require that, after you exit the elevator and walk down the hallway, you have to take a small "back" stairway to an individual room -- perhaps a dozen steep steps or so. In my case, the stairs spiraled so tightly that some of the steps were less then an inch wide where the step met the wall. The stair well itself is quite narrow, so you can lean against the wall (and there are railings).

But as I said, if you have mobility or vision problems, you need to specify in advance that you have a room that is accessible -- meaning, no stairs once you leave the elevator.

nessundorma -- was that room 18 at the Ambassade?...I loved that room!

Room 10 is fantabulous too -- it's in a house to the left of the hotel entrance. No elevator and has super-steep Dutch stairs, but it's all worth it -- a huge 2nd floor apartment with three sets of French-door windows looking out onto the Herengracht! ...so nice... (that was a few years ago, I'm sure it's priced out of my range now)

We stayed at the Pulitzer, September 2002 for 9 nights. We booked on Expedia and requested a canal view. We were in room # 317, on the Prinsengracht (the hotel also fronts on the Kaisergracht).. The room was a good size, nicely furnished, we were extremely content. It was magical watching the boat traffic on the canal. The bathroom was on the small side, but new, also nicely done, and efficient.

The location was excellent. We rode the tram only 4 times--to & from the central station and again to the Concertgebouw. We took the shuttle to the hotel & a taxi back to the airport--everywhere else we walked.

The front desk was helpful and made dinner reservations for us. We could not fault our stay and would gladly return.

We stayed at the Pulitzer in June. Although we didn't get a room with a canal view :( we enjoyed our stay there. It is charming, and has modern convenience with old world charm.