Hotel City Garden Amsterdam

Noise, no fresh towels, a broken shower hose, all reported, two emails, no response. Dear Sir or Madam, I’m writing to complain about my stay in room 264 from December 21st to 23rd. Several things fell short of what I expected from your hotel. The neighboring room, occupied by an Italian tour group, was very noisy in both the mornings and evenings, making it hard to get a good night’s sleep. Our towels weren’t changed at all during the stay, even though that is usually part of the service. The towel-change indicator on the door was green. The shower hose was defective and flooded half the room when we showered. At around 9:20 pm on Sunday, we immediately showed the problem to a receptionist, who confirmed it and said maintenance would fix it. It was still unresolved when we left. I also find it unsatisfactory that the hotel manager’s email address or phone number wasn’t provided to me as a guest. I believe guests should have a direct contact option so problems can be dealt with promptly and transparently. I request a response to these points and appropriate compensation for the inconvenience. I sent two emails and got no response. Sincerely

The location is hard to beat for the money. You’re practically at the entrance to Vondelpark, and starting the day with coffee and a walk there was lovely. Tram stops are a couple of blocks away. The reception desk was staffed whenever we passed through, people were helpful, and there’s a free coffee machine you can use as much as you like. Our shower stayed warm with good pressure, and the room was clean and looked after. I had no issues with bedbugs or rodents. I was worried by the reviews before arriving, but came away pleasantly surprised. The building is aging and the stay is very much you get what you pay for, though I felt I got a lot for the price. The room and bathroom seemed fine in size to me. The toilet setup was another story: at 6ft 5, I couldn’t sit facing forward and had to turn sideways, which was uncomfortable. Tall guests should know. Fixing it would probably mean remodeling the bathroom. We were in the basement. It felt private, and the window looking onto the back garden let in some fresh air, though the room got very stuffy and humid at times. The weather was mild during our week, so I imagine summer could be rough. We weren’t allowed out into the garden, even after I asked staff. Being able to step through that door for a morning coffee, cigarette, or a place to sit and eat breakfast would have added a lot. It’s no five star resort and leaves things to be desired, but I’d probably return to Hotel City Garden.

During my seven nights at Hotel City Garden in Amsterdam, I was bitten repeatedly and eventually found bed bugs on the bed, pillow, blankets, and mattress. I woke up in the middle of the night uncomfortable and saw them there. I had already raised the issue with staff several times over multiple nights, asked for the whole bed setup to be inspected and cleaned, and showed them my bites. I didn’t feel they were compassionate or took me seriously. I have photos of the bugs and the bites. When I contacted staff again, they offered either a refund for only the nights remaining if I left to find somewhere else, or a different room. In the middle of the night, those didn’t feel like fair options for a problem at the hotel. I’d paid for seven nights expecting a clean, safe place to sleep. I asked the person presented as the manager, Eric Zhao, for compensation. He said I had to email because they don’t issue refunds or credit on the spot. I emailed the hotel reservations team and Win Hotel’s corporate departments. The hotel replied asking for my banking information to provide compensation. I refused to share sensitive details and asked for the money to go back to the credit card I used to book. I’m now working with my bank to get the refund. I wouldn’t stay at Hotel City Garden in Amsterdam: bed bugs and terrible customer service.

The bedding was clean and comfortable, and the rooms were average in size. Getting in and out of the corner shower was awkward because of its sliding doors, especially for a larger person. We stayed Friday and Saturday, and the hallway was loud from 11 pm until 3 am, with noisy guests and doors slamming. There was no management intervention, and there weren’t phones in the rooms. The front desk managers spoke English but didn’t know the area very well. Breakfast was the usual local dishes and British or American favorites. The best thing about the hotel is its location.