Kimpton De Witt - King Bed Junior Suite with Bath
Kimpton De Witt - King Bed Junior Suite with Bath (bedroom and living space)
A unique accomodation in Amsterdam, conveniently situated near the city centre and train station, marking our first stay with this brand. Do take note of your drop-off location though!
Kimpton De Witt - King Bed Junior Suite with Bath
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We landed in Amsterdam at about 6pm local time, but it was already very dark outside, due to the short daylight hours during the winter season. We managed to catch an Uber, though it took a while since the pick-up point was a bit of a walk from the arrival exit. We headed to the hotel, staying at a new brand under the IHG Hotels portfolio, called Kimpton. Their hotels are known for their intimate, boutique atmosphere, often situated in urban areas and designed to reflect the local culture and character of its location. Excited!
Damage: I booked this stay under the IHG Lifestyle and Luxury Program, which gave the following benefits:
USD100 dining credit
Complimentary room upgrade
Complimentary breakfast at Celia
Late check-out until 4pm (which helped with the sightseeing, without the need to rush back for check-out!)
Check-In
After about 20 minutes, we reached our destination—or so we thought……
The Uber dropped us off at the opposite end of the street, as there was ongoing construction on the hotel's side. As it was a rainy and muddy evening, the trek with our luggage through the mud from that street to the hotel felt like an eternity.! We were so relieved when we finally found the entrance and went inside!😅
The lobby was a totally differing contrast to the outside, with warm lighting and a Christmas tree heralding the festive Christmas period!
After checking in, we passed by the hotel’s main restaurants and bar, which had an element of nature to the design and furnishings— a refreshing sight for travellers.
Room
With thanks to the Hotelux rate (and maybe my IHG Platinum Elite Ambassador status?), we were upgraded to the King Bed Junior Suite with Bath, located on the top floor of the hotel. This suite was certainly one of the most unique places we've stayed in! For starters, we had to navigate down a few steps before going up another flight of stairs, before entering the room.
The suite resembled a very stylish attic (or rather two attics), offering a spacious, open-concept design where the bathroom wasn't physically segregated from the bed and living space by a door.
We especially liked the living space, which featured a really comfortable sofa and stylish seats with motifs reminiscent of the famous ceramic patterns in the Netherlands. The living space also featured Philips Smart TVs and a Pols Potten Gold-Dipped Porcelain Parrot Statue, adding to the “layered artisan detail and sophisticated design” as described on their website.
A welcome letter outlining our benefits was placed on the living area table, along with our welcome amenities: a fruit basket and a bottle of sparkling water.
Kimpton hotels feature customized Ultra-Comfort Mattress from Hypnos, renowned for its high-quality craftsmanship and use of premium materials, For us, the bed was relatively comfortable, though on the firmer side. However, this didn't affect our sleep much, possibly because we were exhausted from our travels and explorations!
It's worth noting that the suite included a Nespresso machine, passing my personal hotel test! ✅
There was also a nice window view of the local houses around the area, but we only got to see it during the day.
Bathroom
The open-concept bathroom was utilized sparingly during our stay, especially considering the chilly winter weather (too cold to shower too long, let alone linger in the bathtub!). However, it would have been lovely, as the bathtub was a good size. The water pressure of the rain shower was also pretty nice, but it took quite a while for the water to become hot enough. Quite a challenge for a winter shower!
Bathroom amenities (Poivre Noir Frais Liquid Soap, Body Lotion, Shampoo and Conditioner) were supplied by Marie Stella-Maris, which had a very nice refreshing blend of scents, including hints of black pepper and other fresh notes. We were tempted to bring some home! 😶
Lounge
We were aware of the Hosted Evening Wine Reception taking place in the Living Room between 5-6pm, but unfortunately, we arrived too late to partake. No problem!
Dining
We utilized the USD100 dining credits at the main restaurant, Celia, for dinner on our arrival night. Below is a glimpse of the menu:
We sampled the Burrata, Smoked Mushroom Tacos, and Seabass a la Plancha. The food quality was very good, with the Smoked Mushroom Tacos standing out, particularly with the refreshing touch of lemon adding a surprising compliment.
For breakfast, we also dined at Celia, enjoying a Continental Breakfast style meal which stood out as one of the highest quality breakfasts we experienced during our time in Europe.
Before checking out, we decided to use up the remaining dining credits on in-room dining, opting to try their in-house burger. It was really yummy! The fries even passed my wife's "sogginess test" with flying colors 👍👍
Overall, we both agreed that the food quality and the ambiance were exceptional, particularly during our dinner at Celia on the first night. The missus gave it two thumbs up!
Facilities
We didn't visit the fitness center during our stay, but it operates 24/7 and is situated in the basement. I've attached some photos and a link from The Points Guy on the gym, which indicate that the gym, although functional, is on the smaller side and the equipments might not be the most updated.
Additionally, there's a small business center located in the basement as well.
Service
I like that Kimpton offers a feature called Social Password, allowing guests to receive additional perks by mentioning it during check-in. When I mentioned it, we received two high-quality Thermos bottles branded with Kimpton De Witt's logo. It was a nice touch! Keep an eye out for it periodically on the official website.
Apart from that, our interactions with staff were limited to encounters with the Celia Restaurant team (friendly and accommodating) and when placing orders for room service. The food arrived promptly, within 10-15 minutes. Not bad!
Check-Out
After that, we checked out slightly earlier at 3pm to check-in at the next hotel - an IHG property offering a completely distinct ambiance from Kimpton De Witt. Stay tuned for the next blog post!
Conclusion
Overall, Kimpton De Witt proved to be a delightful hotel, conveniently located near Amsterdam Train Station and major attractions. The room and dining experience (particularly at Celia Restaurant) was impeccable. However, we feel that there's room for improvement in the infrastructure, particularly concerning the drop-off and pick-up points. It will definitely better accommodate guests with large luggage!
