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Experience with Intercontinental Amstel in Amsterdam?
We are booked for the Holland and Belgium in the Spring river cruise next April. The website shows InterContinental Amstel as Tauck's pre-cruise hotel. Currently, it's waitlisted- perhaps as Tauck negotiates with this hotel or others.
- How is the hotel?
- Is it worth what is likely to be a very premium price?
- Location looks like it is a little distance from other areas of interest, is that a problem?
- Where does Tauck usually dock their riverboats? How hard is it to get there on our own? The current itinerary shows at least some time docked in Huizen, is that where they'll start?
In short, should we book our own hotel?
Thanks for any insights.
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Is this your first Tauck tour and when did you book? You might be eligible for the Gift of Time (free pre or post stay.
if you book another hotel, Tauck will probably take you there from the airport but not to the Tauck hotel for the start of the tour.
Tauck choose fancy hotels which are often not in the most central or convenient place for site seeing on your own. We have found it annoying on some of their tours. If this is not your first tour with Tauck, you get a one night prestay or post stay at the the hotels they use. ….But only if rooms are available, so booking early is important.
I haven’t stayed at that hotel but have stayed at other InterContinental hotels, the one in Paris being my favorite. They are very nice.
I am familiar with the location since it is not far from the Sofitel Legend where we stayed on a different Tauck tour. It’s a great location in my opinion and close to some of my favorite areas, the Nine Little Streets especially.
Tauck doesn’t choose docking locations; they are assigned to them. I remember our last docking was an easy walk from the Sofitel.
Hope this helps.
we stayed there about 10 years ago and loved it. There is a nice bar area overlooking the river. Terrific breakfasts.
Good location. About a mile or so to the museum plaza.
We stayed at the InterContinental Amstel in April of this year. It was the designated Tauck hotel for those wishing to arrive early for the cruise. The hotel was lovely. Both the restaurants and bar look out on the canal. While not extremely close to major museums, ubers were easy to use from the hotel to all major attractions. The hotel neighborhood was very walkable and offered nice parks and restaurants nearby. I cannot respond to its location with regard to boarding the river boat. There were many Tauck guests staying at the InterContinental and a bus transported us to the boat.
The hotel is near the museum district so if you wanted to see the Van Gogh museum it's close. Also the Albert Cuyp street market which can be fun. The tram system in Amsterdam is excellent and easy to use with no tickets needed. Contactless payment like a credit card to tap on the off the tram. It's a nice way to see the city too.
As to the ship's location, they used to always be near the central train station/cruise terminal area but that has been changing in recent years as Amsterdam is trying to cut down on the cruise traffic. There is a website you can use to find where your ship will be docked. https://river.cruiseportamsterdam.com/ You need the date the ship actually arrives in Amsterdam or leaves. Arrival can be a little tricky as it may arrive a couple of days prior to your tour but the departure date will be in your itinerary. Right now it only goes up thru the end of Dec but closer to your cruise it will be available.
This is the first Tauck tour that we've booked although we did take one Bridges with wife's family 20+ years ago, so we were already in the system.
Thanks to all for the insights, please keep them coming.