Guest User
October 20, 2025
Yes, one star for a supposedly four star hotel, a big chain no less, not because of the noise but because they failed on almost all fronts as a hotel.
First of all, there’s no arguing that the location is absolutely five star. It’s right in the middle of town and very close to Centraal Station. Other than that, I’m really struggling to find any merits.
Upon arrival, I wasn’t sure if they were even operating because the reception area was so dark. I don’t know what they’re trying to achieve by keeping all the lights off, but it felt like nobody was working. The receptionist was helpful but not exactly friendly. I arrived just before two, and although check in was officially at three, I still had to wait until about 2:30 p.m. That was fine, I went out for lunch in the meantime.
The first night was rough. My room was a "Junior King Suite" facing one of the busiest roads in Amsterdam, and the noise was relentless. Trams run until around 12:30 a.m., and with traffic and pedestrians, it was impossible to sleep even though I was exhausted. The next morning I went to reception to ask for a room change. I said I didn’t mind downgrading to a smaller room as long as it was quieter, but was told none were available and they would try to find a solution. There was no follow up all day.
I initially thought the windows were closed since they tilt open rather than push or pull, so it wasn’t obvious, but later realised housekeeping had left them slightly open. Once I properly closed them, most of the noise disappeared. The next day, they left them open, AGAIN. And to be clear, I don’t smoke or use **** at all, nor was there any smoking inside the room.
Now to the service. I picked this hotel because of its central location, thinking I could come back for a short rest between museum visits. Instead, I found out housekeeping would knock and come in again around 4 p.m. asking if I needed anything. Since when is that a thing? I ended up hanging the Do Not Disturb tag every time I returned just to get some peace.
I stayed five nights, and every single day I had a different number and size of towels, showing no standard whatsoever. As seen in the photos, the towels weren’t lighting effects; they were genuinely yellowed and stained. Four star hotel? Enough said. Then there’s the mould on the shower ceiling. Again, four star hotel.
Finally, the breakfast I paid extra for. The buffet had fewer than ten items, all cold or lukewarm at best, and the scrambled eggs could rival the chewability of rubber tires. On my second morning, I was the only one in the restaurant. I finished my first plate and went out to grab a croissant. I had specifically placed my fork and knife in a position indicating I was not finished, yet when I came back, my coffee, plates, and everything had been moved to another table. I didn’t think twice and simply continued using the same plates and drinking the same coffee, only to find out later they hadn’t moved my things but had actually thrown trash into my coffee cup and were preparing to clear the table. The staff said nothing while I drank from that same cup, and I later saw the trash at the bottom, as shown in the photo.
And finally, the €250 deposit. It wasn’t a pre authorised hold; it was charged. Now, more than a week after check out, I still haven’t been refunded.
Conclusion: Do yourself a favour and stay somewhere else. There are plenty of hotels with great locations in Amsterdam. Swissôtel is by far the worst four star property I’ve ever stayed in, and I will never stay with them again.
