Hotel van de Vijsel

Love the quiet location of this hotel. But it’s so close the main spots of city of Amsterdam, all within 10-30mins walking distance. It’s closest to the iconic Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum. Plus the building has great security, and 24hr check-in/out for late comers. Highly recommend!!

We really enjoyed our stay, the rooms were super clean, modern, and the location was perfect. The employees greeted us really nicely and were very nice overall. Really recommend it.

Service in Amsterdam is reserved. At Van de Vijsel its outstanding. The hotel is beautiful, location is great and the staff are friendly and very accommodating.

That is worth adding because it establishes that your criticism comes from considerable travel experience, rather than simply dissatisfaction with one stay. I’d keep it confident and measured: I booked this hotel largely because of its positive reviews and convenient location, which is indeed one of its strengths. Unfortunately, however, our experience did not meet the standards I would expect from a four-star hotel. In my view, it was closer to a three-star experience and did not represent good value for money. I make this assessment as an experienced international traveller and former owner of a family travel agency. Over the years, I have stayed at and reviewed numerous hotels and restaurants, and people have frequently sought my recommendations. I believe in recognising excellence where it is deserved, while also highlighting shortcomings fairly and accurately. I do not write negative reviews lightly. We booked a twin suite as a senior couple. The booking information did not make it sufficiently clear that the bedroom is located upstairs and accessed via a steep, rather flimsy wooden staircase, while the bathroom is downstairs. Each time we needed to use the bathroom during the night, we had to negotiate these stairs, which could present a significant safety risk for older guests. Most concerningly, I received an email mentioning the stairs only after I had completed payment. At that stage, no refund or alternative arrangement was offered. It is unclear whether the responsibility lies with Agoda, through which I made the booking, or with the hotel itself. Regardless, this is important information that should be clearly disclosed before payment is made, not afterwards. I strongly believe that the room description should clearly state: “Not suitable for elderly guests or anyone with mobility difficulties.” The one particularly positive aspect of our experience was Michael, a courteous and attentive member of staff who listened carefully to our concerns, took responsibility for addressing them and made every effort to ensure our comfort. Thanks to his assistance, a folding bed was placed downstairs for me while my husband slept upstairs. Unfortunately, my husband still had to use the stairs repeatedly to access the bathroom. Michael deserves particular recognition because, unlike others we dealt with, he demonstrated initiative, kindness and a genuine understanding of our circumstances. To make matters worse, the mattress on the large bed upstairs is severely sagging in the middle. My husband has been waking with back pain after sleeping on it. A mattress in this condition falls well below the standard we expected from accommodation advertised as four-star. The hotel’s lack of flexibility was also evident in its late-checkout policy. Standard checkout is at 11 a.m. As our flight was not until 7 p.m., I asked whether a slightly later checkout might be possible. I was informed that extending our stay by just one hour, until noon, would cost €25, while staying until 1 p.m. would cost €75. We were then informed that we could leave our luggage at the hotel after checkout. While this was appreciated, storing guests’ luggage for a few hours after checkout is a standard service offered by many hotels and is not generally considered an exceptional favour. The manner in which this was presented rather summed up our overall experience. What we would have appreciated much more was a degree of flexibility and genuine hospitality. The hotel entrance is also dark and somewhat uninviting, creating an impression that falls short of what one would expect from a four-star property. Although the location is convenient, it did not compensate for the uncomfortable room, poor-quality mattress, unsuitable layout, lack of transparency during the booking process, inflexible policies and overall poor value for money. Michael deserves our sincere thanks for his professionalism and kindness. Unfortunately, we cannot extend the same praise to