Review of the Apollo Hotel Amsterdam, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Paul‘s 172nd Hotel Review for the

Apollo Hotel Amsterdam,

a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

General Impressions

For the property:

For the staff:

Details:

Duration of stay: 1 night / layover before travelling to northern Holland.

Check-in / Check-out:

Check-in Process:

Check-out Process:

Concierge Service:

Staff @ Front Desk:

Bonvoy recognition:

At Check-in:

In General:

Posting of points & nights:

Room / Bathroom:

Bed, quality of sleep:

Bathroom, Shower:

Room Atmosphere:

WiFi / Internet:

Housekeeping general:

Cleanliness:

Food & Beverage:

The Harbour Club - Amsterdam Zuid:

Quality of Food:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

The living room by Bodon:

Drinks & Snacks:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

Breakfast at the Harbour Club :

Quality of Food:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

The Harbour Club Bar:

Drinks & Snacks:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

Lounge:

No Lounge

Paul‘s Mix:

Pool, Spa: N/A

Hotel Location:

Mojito Rating

:

General Customer Care:

Staff attitude, interaction and responsiveness:

Social media interaction:

—-

= bad, a lot of work needs to be done

=not good, you will be busy with corrections

= good & normal, nothing special

= high level, but the icing on the cake is missing

= topnotch, leave me here!

= Half a Point/sheep

—-

Before heading north of Holland for our Houseboat vacation, we stayed the first night in Amsterdam.

General Info:

The Apollo Hotel Amsterdam is located at Apollolaan 2, in the southern part of Amsterdam, Netherlands. This area, known as Amsterdam-Zuid, is a stylish and affluent district characterized by its broad avenues, upscale shops, and proximity to several major cultural institutions.

The hotel is situated at the confluence of five canals, offering picturesque waterfront views. It is conveniently close to notable attractions such as the Museumplein, home to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum. Additionally, it is near the exclusive shopping street of P.C. Hooftstraat, the Vondelpark, and the RAI Convention Centre, making it an ideal location for both leisure and business travelers.

The next metro and tram station is only a 5-10 minutes walk away from the hotel. Public transport in Holland is super easy and reliable.

History

The Apollo Hotel Amsterdam has a rich history dating back to its opening in 1934. Designed by the Dutch architect Alexander Kropholler, the building reflects the architectural style of the early 20th century, incorporating elements of the Amsterdam School and Art Deco. Over the decades, the hotel has undergone various renovations and updates to maintain its classic elegance while providing modern amenities.

Originally, the hotel was part of the Apollo Hotels chain, which later became part of the Marriott International portfolio under the Tribute Portfolio brand. This affiliation has allowed the Apollo Hotel Amsterdam to blend its historical charm with contemporary luxury and service standards expected by international guests.

Throughout its history, the Apollo Hotel has hosted numerous notable guests and events, solidifying its reputation as a distinguished establishment in Amsterdam. Its unique canal-side location and historical significance continue to make it a popular choice for visitors seeking a blend of heritage and modern comfort.

The hotel describes their own history as follows :

In the 1920s, the Apollo Pavilion was built as a guest residence for the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. In 1961, the Apollo Pavilion expanded to become the Apollo Hotel. The hall which was once used as an Olympic sports hall is still located next to us: The Apollo Hall. The history of the Olympic Games can be seen in the wall behind the reception desk. This wall is covered with an artwork of tiles: a deconstruction of the original poster of the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. And there are white lines running across the floor in the lobby; these represent the Olympic starting lines.

The hotel in general is in great shape as it was renovated in 2017. It is super stylish, modern and has a great colour concept. They were able to mix the modern hotel vibe with the old Olympic Style in the days.

The hotel has a total of 223 rooms and suites spread over 2 buildings.

Check-in:

The check-in was simply fantastic and one of the best in a very long time.

The agent did a fantastic job. She was super friendly and chatted with us during the whole process. She explained us the history of the property, where to find what and made us feel comfortable and especially super welcome from the first second.

Check-out:

Check-out was good. The agent interacted with us and asked for feedback about our stay. All procedures followed.

Staff at the front desk was super friendly and helpful and if they had the time also very chatty.

Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Recognition:

During check-in, the agent acknowledged our status, we were upgraded to a fantastic design suite and all benefits received.

As a welcome gift we choose the breakfast and in addition we were also given 2 vouchers for some drinks and a. Snack at "the living room by Bodo" restaurant.

The room was prepared absolutely spotless and with VIP treatment.

There were 2 small bottles of rose sparkling wine on ice waiting for us and two bottles of water.

I addition we got a handwritten welcome card from the GM with many other welcome gifts and two vouchers for a drink at the Bar. (see pictures)

There was a small bottle of red wine with some nuts and chocolate awaiting us in our room as welcom amenity.

One of the best recognitions I have received in Europe every. Absolutely top and the Hotel knew our preferences in and out and were always a step ahead of us.

Phenomenal customer service and recognition. We were actually speechless.

Eligible nights and points:

The eligible night as well as the points and revenue were posted 24 hours after our stay. all details were posted correctly.

Concierge:

The concierge was super friendly and helpful. We stored our bags when we got to the hotel before heading into the city. When we returned, he helped us immediately and brought us our bags.

Room / Suite:

The design Suite we were upgraded to was absolutely stunning and had a phenomenal view over the canal.

The room was big and had a great atmosphere. Two huge window which allowed us to watch the traffic on the only 5 canal crossing in Amsterdam. In the morning we could see rise the sun right above the canal in front of our suite.

The room is equipped with a fantastic king size bed, a nice couch and armchairs, it also had a modern desk which could be folded out as a table and with two chairs.

The suite itself was super modern, trendy with useful furniture and decoration. The room had a fantastic atmosphere.

The aircondition worked perfectly fine.

The bed itself was heaven. The mattress was top, the bedding phenomenal. The duvet were super comfy and fluffy the pillows were rather on the firm side but still okay.

WiFi is without login in the entire hotel and it worked perfectly fine. Also the speed was great.

Bathroom:

The bathroom is huge in size and quite modern as well. When you enter the bathroom you have the washbasin right in front of you. On the left, there is the shower with a rainforest shower head and the bathroom is equipped with a whirlpool bath tub.

If you aren't travelling with family or your partner then privacy in the bathroom might be an issue as there is only a glasswall dividing it from the bedroom.

Housekeeping:

The room was cleaned properly and the bed was done astonishing perfect and impeccable. Housekeeping did a great job.

The room was super clean as were all the public areas.

F&B outlets/ Lounge:

The Harbour Club Restaurant - Amsterdam Zuid:

The Harbour Club restaurant is the main restaurant of this property.

Like the entire hotel the interior is very modern and stylish. The restaurant is famous for its sushi but also has a great choice of other dishes on the menu.

We had dinner at the Harbour Club and the food was super delicious and tasty.

Staff is phenomenal from the chef de restaurant to every single server. They are fresh, vibrant and super friendly. Their knowledge, customer service and professionalism is on a super high level.

We loved every bite and second at the Harbour Club Restaurant.

The living room by Bodon:

The living room is the lobby bar / restaurant / coffee & cake place of the hotel.

It has a veranda overlooking the canal and the interior and design is cosy, warm and modern.

In the afternoon we had a drink and a snack at the living room. Also here staff did an amazing job. Super friendly and proficient.

Breakfast at the Harbour Club :

Breakfast was also served at the Harbour Club.

The buffet is set up on the left hand side of the restaurant. There is everything you need for breakfast. They have a bread and Danish station, a salad bar, cold cuts and cheese, Joghurt, fresh fruits, cereals, juices an a hot dish section.

In our eyes breakfast is the weakest link in the F&B department. Presentation is without love and passion, some items just seem smacked there and others which are also there in the evening are spotless.

There would be lots of potential just by improving the presentation to increase the quality feeling of the breakfast.

Unfortunately there is only a single coffee machine for coffee and tea at the entire restaurant. There was always a queue for it.

Also here this could be improved with very little effort. Simply put a hot water boiler next to it so people for tea do not have to queue on the same machine. A second coffee machine maybe at an other place in the restaurant would improve it even further.

Staff was friendly and they did a great job.

The Harbour Club Bar:

We went to the Harbour Club Bar in the evening for a drink. The mojito was awesome and the bartender took the time to chat with us and connect.

The bar is super modern, has a great feel and especially in summer with the big outdoor patio this is an awesome place for a drink or night cap.

Executive Lounge:

The Hotel has no Lounge

Pool / Spa / Gym:

The hotel has a gym room on the second floor. It is equipped with all the basics which are needed to exercise.

Social Media:

Marketing is very active on social media channels and does also interact with postings.

Summary:

All in all a fantastic stay at the Apollo Hotel Amsterdam.

I would even go that far to call it a hidden gem on the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio and a must place to stay when in Amsterdam.

From the outside the hotel looks very dated and nothing like a modern and vibrant property. Exactly according to the motto: ugly on the outside and great on the inside

On the inside the hotel is a gem, beautiful, modern and vibrant with a great atmosphere.

The biggest treasure of this property is their staff. They are all well trained, offer a phenomenal customer service but are still very open and approachable. Simply wowwww.

We will definitely come back to this property for another stay in Amsterdam.