Hello from Amsterdam! I’m spending the week in the Netherlands, and am presently staying at the Hotel Pulitzer in Amsterdam. It’s just down the street from the Andaz Amsterdam, where I stayed last year during my visit.
I checked into the Hotel Pulizer yesterday afternoon and was impressed by the overall check-in experience. All elite benefits were recognized, and the front desk associate even called over the duty manager to greet me since I’m a Platinum member.
I was informed that I had been upgraded to a “family room,” which objectively is an upgrade, since the rate is quite a bit higher than for a standard room. He told me to just “ignore the extra beds.”
I should note that there were no suites showing as available online, so they were clearly doing their best to upgrade me. I’m realistic, and don’t expect a suite upgrade in Amsterdam in summer unless using Suite Night Awards (however, suite upgrades in Abu Dhabi in summer are a different story). 😉
When I got to the room it sure was… interesting. On the first floor it felt about as big as a standard room.
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam family room
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam family room
And then there was a second floor with two twin beds.
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam family room
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam family room
As much as I’m generally a “top bunk” kinda guy, I can’t say that I was about to sleep in either of those beds, so that space was more or less unusable.
Beyond that, the room had an odd odor, and it didn’t face the canal or even the garden (which is the “less” premium view), but rather just a wall. It felt sort of like a prison, with no natural light whatsoever.
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam family room
So I went to the front desk and explained that I didn’t want to be a pain, but asked if they maybe instead had a standard room with a bit better of a view. After looking at inventory they said one should eventually become available, and had me store my bags and come back at 4PM.
The classic room certainly was charming, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced vertigo like I did in this room.
I really, really loved the design. This isn’t your cookie cutter chain hotel, and for that matter, no two rooms in the entire hotel are the same.
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam classic room
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam classic room
But I literally felt like a giant in the room. Due to the “beams” I could only walk through the center of the room, and the ceiling in the shower was so low that I could barely stand up. I felt like I was on a cruise ship.
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam classic room
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam classic room
And all that would have been fine, except I swear the floor of the room was at an angle…. or it was some really mean mind game. I’ve never felt as “buzzed” as I did in this room from just sitting at a desk.
On the plus side, the room faced the garden, which was certainly better than the view the other room had.
Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam classic room
Ultimately I prefer this room to the family room, though they’ve told me that if a better room opens up they’ll move me to it.
Have you ever requested a room downgrade? If so, under what circumstance?
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