Review of Amsterdam Marriott Hotel 5*

Easily one of the most over-rated Marriott's I have stayed in. I just left Grosvenor House in London so perhaps the bar was high, but in the last 7 hours of my stay here, this is my experience. 1) Upon checking, which they graciously did allow us an early check in for (+) — the front desk clerk checked my colleague and I into the same room unbeknownst to us. We looked at the keys on the way up and the two card holders said the same #. Must be a mistake. Lets go look at the one room and drop our hand baggage off for a minute and go fix it after a breather. 2) We got into the one room — smelled kind of musty & very dark. It was a low floor overlooking an air conditioner and by an elevator, despite my request a month earlier for a room high, in the corner with no stairwells or elevators next to it. I know these requests are only upon availability, but one of the three would have been nice. We decided it was time to head down and fix the first mistake. We told the desk clerk the issue. She said that was probably the way our group reservations person booked it. Then she just stared at us. Awkward. We asked to fix it again. It was an ordeal. We called our reservations organizer at our company, she confirmed that, no, we had two separate reservations. She gave us two confirmation codes. We told the clerk that. We were told the hotel was all sold out. No options offered, no "We will call another hotel… " just a blank stare. I pushed the point. Look, here are two reservations #'s I said… The queue was forming, Finally we had a room for each of us. I got a higher floor room (+) — it was next to an elevator and a stairwell. And down the hall their are some guys getting drunk as can be, so… well. It is what it is. Small bathroom, (tiny tub, sort of laughable, but its a city hotel I guess), the room is on a "family suite" level (means two queen beds, no extra room). It's loud. (sigh) But the worst part: I went to put my things on the bed and noticed a splatter of what looked like dry ketchup on the ceiling above it (we can hope anyway). So gross. The luggage showed up. I told the porter and he went to get someone to clean it right away. (+). I found food wrappers on the carpet by the trash. It does not feel clean. Just tired and worn and small and sad. 3) I paid for the Executive Lounge usage. I wish I had not. It is dirty, and ill stocked and nothing executive about it, its just loud and full. There is no phone room and no meeting space — no where to take a quiet call or finish up business while waiting to get a room ready or catch a cab etc… For the 45 E it cost it was an absurd expense for essentially nothing but lukewarm beer and some pilots dropping F-bombs and talking loudly about strip clubs for 45 minutes while I tried desperately to get online. I sign up for those perks so I can work in a more conducive space for meeting with colleagues. Well, this is none of those things. The room is filthy, dust and food are under the chairs. Highlighted nicely by the bright sun streaming in the window — it was like a beacon saying "Here I am, clean me! " It looks likes its been there a while. Empty bottles and glassware, long abandoned. Littered tables, food was no where to be found. No snacks, no fruit… nothing. Sad. 4) No matter where I try to get online its an issue. 2 calls to the desk have netted no assistance. I am currently tethering to my own phone. Its just too frustrating. That included the Exec lounge as well. 5) The elevators are finicky and make those sort of bad sounds that make people nervous. It sometimes skips the floor you are going to. I could go on, but I already sound like "that guest" so I won't. But I will say that this week better improve or this will be so less than ideal. And probably not worth the $ or the E. Overall there is no way this is a 4 star hotel. It has a crappy gym, no luxury amenities, a terrible executive/professional environment, only casual eating spots, a tacky souvenir shop in the lobby (like crammed full of junk crappy) … Its just a tired and a barely passable 3.