Vijzelstraat 4, Amsterdam, Netherlands | (888) 499-9698
Fantastic location in city center near Dam Square and the Floating Flower Market
Charming Italian cafe, perfect for people watching
24-hour room service
Massage service available in rooms
48-inch flat-screen TVs in rooms
Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel
Bike rentals
No spa or fitness center
Worn, dated rooms, hallways and bathrooms; musty smell in some rooms
Noisy corridors
The 218-room NH Carlton Amsterdam is in a prime location for tourists and business travelers alike -- in the city center, around the corner from the famed Bloemenmarkt, or Floating Flower Market. The city's major shopping areas and public squares, as well as public transportation, are within walking distance. The hotel itself, however, feels big and impersonal, and is less than charming. It could also use some updating, but as far as being in the center of things, the location cannot be beat.
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Scene
Hotel is grand but needs a refresh; has a prime people-watching cafe
Built in 1928 to serve as apartment housing for the Olympic Games and later converted into a hotel, the NH Carlton is grand and traditional, its public areas decorated in marble and brass that reflect an earlier era. Enough of the finish and features remain to give an imposing feeling to the meeting rooms and lobby area, but super hip and modern it is not. The corridors and upper floors are basic and need updating. But the lobby cafe, Il Girasole, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, is a perfect spot for people watching, and Ristorante Caruso provides an ornate, romantic setting for fine dining.
Location
Near the Floating Market, Dam Square, Leidseplein, and Rembrandtplein
The NH Carlton Amsterdam is perfectly situated for tourists who want to be in the thick of busy Amsterdam. The picturesque Bloemenmarkt, or Floating Flower Market, is right around the corner, and the Rembrandtplein, a hotspot for local nightlife, is steps from the lobby doors. The surrounding area is busy with traffic, trams, and pedestrians, day and night, as the hotel is located on a street that leads directly into Dam Square. Shops, restaurants, and cafes are everywhere. The Rokin tram stop, which connects to Centraal Station, is a five-minute walk away. It's about a 20-minute walk the Anne Frank House.
Rooms
48-inch flat-screen TVs but dated decor
Rooms at the NH Carlton Amsterdam, which includes triples, have wide windows that reflect the elegance of late 1920s architecture, but they are otherwise basic and could use some updating, as evidenced by worn and stained wall-to-wall carpeting, rust and missing grout in the showers, and haphazard color schemes. Furniture is (often chipped) formica. Bathroom lighting is dark, and guests report that water temperature can be erratic. Rooms at the front of the hotel have excellent city views, but noise-sensitive guests may want to request rooms at the back, away from the heavy street traffic. The rooms have 48-inch flat-screen TVs (that's a larger screen than in many hotels), coffeemakers, free coffee and tea, and minibars.
Features
Cafe with great people watching, bike rental, meeting rooms with massage chairs
The NH Carlton Amsterdam's downstairs Italian cafe, Il Girasole, is a fantastic spot to people watch while enjoying an espresso or glass of wine, or a meal. The fine-dining Ristorante Caruso is elegant and grand, with high ceilings, gilded woodwork, chandeliers, and lots of light, perfect for weddings or special events. The seven meeting rooms, with massage chairs in the corridors, are more modern than much of the hotel. Although there's no fitness center or spa, guests can book massages in their rooms. Bikes are also available for rent.
