Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam - North Riverside by IHG

The staff's kindness and upbeat attitude made the biggest impression. They kept in touch with me over WhatsApp, checking on the room check-in and whether we were comfortable. My daughter was the one checking in, and they welcomed her warmly. The front desk even upgraded the room, though she was the one checking in. The hotel was excellent in its interior, location, cleanliness, bed comfort and room size, and the staff were very hospitable. Breakfast had great variety and quality. Management and staff clearly put care into their work and follow up on the results. I salute them for their effort and wish them continued success. My experience was 10 out of 10, outstanding compared with my previous stays at Holiday Inn Express in other cities.

We slept really well, and the parking package was a nice plus. Staff don't speak Dutch, which was a downside. The breakfast scrambled eggs were the powdered kind. You can catch a ferry to the center, but after a day in town the walk between the hotel and ferry feels long.

The staff at the bar were welcoming and accommodating, and the luggage storage was clean and efficient. Breakfast was solid, though soy milk wasn't refilled either of the times I went, and some items took a while to be replenished. The staff were professional and went the extra mile when my room card had a problem. Someone came with me to check that it worked. Rooms are clean, but for short stays room cleaning is only available on request. The stains on the rugs and floors seemed to have been left by careless tourists, so I don't blame the hotel group. There's no mini fridge in the room. They should have a guest-only fridge where people can leave items in named, dated bags. During peak breakfast hours the elevators get completely jammed. Taking the stairs can leave you at a door that only opens to the outside, with a warning that an alarm will sound. Also, walking past the kitchen entrance, I noticed a detergent smell like wet dog or worse. They might want to change brands. I'd definitely stay here again, though management could review and address a few things I've mentioned.

The only real downsides were at breakfast: no bacon, and the juice and water dispenser worked so slowly it could take up to five presses to fill a glass. Aside from that, I had a very nice stay and would strongly recommend it. At check-in, one male receptionist kept up some small talk while his colleague finished with other guests, which made the wait pass unnoticed. His colleague was just as brilliant when checking me into the room.