Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre

It’s all about river views at Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Center, a large business-friendly hotel that places high importance on eco-friendly practices, built on the IJ riverfront. The hotel gives off a warehouse feel from the outside with a facade made up of red brick tiles and glass walls in a quirky design. It almost appears like one building was laid upon another and is balancing ever so gently from above. Inside, the design includes spacious areas, warm colors, and contemporary furniture that guests expect from the Movenpick chain brand. Though clean and modern, it can be a bit boring in some spaces and the lobby feels too open with just a small sitting section in the corner. The most interesting feature in the restaurant is the riverfront views. Sure, it’s a decent contemporary design, but not very memorable. Because the hotel is so large, there's sometimes a wait to check-in or get into rooms, and long queues at the elevator. Guests have reported poor customer service from the front desk, random and unsuspected deposits for rooms, pressure to upgrade, and extra charges to cards. 

Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Center has a lovely location on the waterfront of the IJ River. A short 15-minute walk will take travelers to restaurants and bars in the historic city center. Some attractions can be reached on foot. It’s a 10-minute walk to the NEMO Science Museum and 24 minutes on foot to the Royal Palace Amsterdam. The Red Light District is an 18-minute walk away. The hotel offers a free shuttle to and from the Amsterdam Central Station -- about a 10-minute ride from the property. There’s also a tram and bus stop outside of the hotel that offers good public transportation options to other areas of the city. It’s a 25-minute drive to Amsterdam Schipol Airport.

The rooms at this Movenpick are simple and contemporary. They feature printed carpet, warm colors of reds, tans, whites, and blues, and have great views of the city center or the river IJ. Though they’re clean and modern, the rooms definitely give off a chain-hotel vibe and are about as general in decor as the public spaces. Features of the rooms include flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, safes, kettles, and mini-fridges or minibars depending on the room type. Beds are made with organic fair trade linens, though twin beds are often pushed together to make a double bed. Espresso machines are offered in the Suites, Superior Rooms, and Executive Rooms. SLEEP rooms provide extra touches like earplugs, eye masks, black out curtains, and herbal tea to help guests get a good rest. For Executive Lounge access and free breakfast, book an Executive Room or an Ambassador Suite. Bathrooms are spacious and clean across the board and include a variety of shower and tub configurations, ECO toiletries, and hairdryers. 

The number of great features at this hotel make it a standout pick in the area. The hotel has a luxurious spa area, complete with Finnish and bio saunas and an ice fountain. The spa facilities are free for all guests and massages are available for a fee. The gym is spacious, with ample cardio machines and a decent selection of free weights. The Silk Road restaurant serves a seasonal menu for lunch and dinner with waterfront views and a patio next to the river. It offers a pricey breakfast in the mornings, with interesting selections like fresh honeycomb and smoothies. Room service is available. The bar offers a good selection of cocktails and whiskey. A free wine, beer, and snack hour is a nice perk and offers a chance for guests to interact. The hotel is well-suited to business travelers as it has 15 fully-equipped meeting rooms (that can host up to 600 people) named after international cities. There’s also free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and public desktop computers with headphones and webcams; there's a printer to use. An Executive Lounge is also available for business travelers. A small gift shop sells souvenirs and post cards. On-site parking is available, for a hefty fee.