Intercontinental Amstel: Sharing the hotel with George Clooney
Most Color Coordinated room ever
Visited Jan 2016
Published Apr 2016
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| View of Intercontinental Amstel from the Bridge |
This was my second hotel in Amsterdam, having moved from W Amsterdam (the previous review).
The original plan was to stay at the Intercontinental for a few days, but as mentioned in the W Amsterdam review, there was a drop in the rate and I cancelled my first night here at the Intercontinental for the W.
It was not the best decision, but it wasn’t bad either.
The Intercontinental is a very old grand hotel with a history of more than a century and has its own wikipedia entry.
As the W at the centre of the canal system, transport is a significant issue as the tiny roads are easily congested. After much consideration, I decided to walk to the Intercontinental which is at the edge of the canal system.
It was quite a walk, especially with luggage, but I justified it with views of the Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market), the Opera House, the Hermitage, as well as other interesting structures along the way.
The hotel was a magnificent sight and was visible far away with the flags atop the building.
The entrance to the hotel was the side away from the canal and as we approached, the luggage was swiftly taken by the bellboy/bellhop.
The checking-in was done seated at a table by a gorgeous tall blonde lady who also invited us to take some nibbles of the complimentary traditional treats available at the side.
The walk took some energy and I hurriedly went to my room. The pictures of the lobby were taken after that.
The chandelier looked simple but effective. The grand piano in the centre in front of the grand staircase was a lovely show of grandeur.
The lobby seemed to transport the guests to a much earlier time.
The elevators to the rooms were really classic with a seat in it.
The corridors were no less impressive. Well-lit, opulent and quiet, this is obviously one of the grandest hotels ever for me. Only one other hotel comes to my mind and that would be the St Regis New York. A not-so-close second after some pondering would be the Grand Bretagne in Athens.
Entering the (Executive King) room and the colours truly overwhelmed. The pictures on the booking site really does reflect the tones and hues well.
The room was relatively big as well, with a small walk-in wardrobe at the door.
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| Walk-in wardrobe on the left |
There was a complimentary bowl of fruit with a card for me as a welcome amenity as well.
The power outlets are the usual Europe configuration with a pair on the bedside tables.
The desk is also a classic deserving of a picture. The bottle of Evian was complimentary as well.
The bathroom was comparatively huge for the room and had a bathtub with a towel warmer, a separate shower and a peculiar polygonal toilet bowl.
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| Rain-forest shower! And the usual Intercontinental bath amenities |
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| Towel warmer to the right |
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| Single sink and bathrobes |
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| An octagon for a toilet! |
We were upgraded to a Amstel River view room as a Intercontinental Ambassador member which wasn’t too bad although I would have preferred a bigger room than a view room. No complaints whatsoever about the beautiful room no matter the view.
There is a Michelin-starred restaurant, La Rive, in the hotel as well, but I didn’t find the opportunity to visit.
One of the highlights of the hotel is definitely the impeccable indoor swimming pool.
Where is George Clooney?
On leaving the hotel for an evening stroll, there was a TV crew waiting at the entrance and a queue across the driveway.
I asked the staff (left lower corner in the first picture) who the important person was and he just smiled and said he doesn’t know.
While I am sure he did, it was professional and respectful of privacy to not reveal the VIP’s identity.
Later that night, I googled on Intercontinental Amstel and celebrity news, and the results showed me George Clooney was there for the night!
Here’s a video posted by someone on his arrival to the hotel.
Unfortunately, I did not get to see him at all and when I asked the front desk staff on the next day, I was told he had left in the early morning.
So this was the conclusion of my (not really) close encounter with an international celebrity.
So have you ever shared a hotel with an international celebrity?
Please do share your experience in the comments, but meanwhile, happy and healthy travels to you!
