Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht: A Great Stay But Now Pricey

We enjoyed our stay at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht, with excellent beds and a fantastic breakfast, but it’s costly now as a Category 7.

Entrance to the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht

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Booking the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht

The Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht moved up to a Category 7 hotel in the Hyatt portfolio in March 2025. Prior to that date, it was a Category 6 hotel, which reflects how I booked it. I paid a total of 63,000 Hyatt points for our three nights here (21,000 points/night). However, that room doesn’t fit a family of four, and to stay here I would need one more room.

One benefit of earning Globalist status is having a personal concierge. This means I can send in an email request and it’ll get accomplished without me needing to stay on the phone. Hyatt has a lesser-known “Family Rate” option that gives you the ability to pay for a second room at up to 50% off. In my experience, the room rate is 50% off but you’re still responsible for taxes/fees on that room, hence the “up to” wording.

To the extent possible, they will try to put you in connecting rooms. In my case, the concierge worked with the hotel to proactively upgrade my room to one that connects (One King Garden View Deluxe). Sometimes it’s nice having someone on the inside help advocate for you.

And before you ask, yes, despite the party being broken up into two rooms, we received Globalist free breakfast for all four of us.

Earning Hyatt points

Full disclosure: in this section are refer-a-friend links where I may earn some points for referring. There is no requirement to use the below referral links to apply but note your offer may differ when going directly to the card issuer.

Chase has a couple of cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points that can transfer to Hyatt at a 1:1 rate:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card (refer-a-friend link) has a limited-time offer of 100,000 points for spending $5,000 in the first three months. It has a $95 annual fee.
There is currently a limited-time offer (refer-a-friend link) on the Chase Ink Business Unlimited that gives an excellent 100,000 points for spending $8,000 in the first three months. There is no annual fee.

The Hyatt personal credit card (not an affiliate link) offers a 30,000 point bonus when spending $3,000 in three months. On top of that, you get 2X earnings during the first six months until you reach $15,000 in spend. At most, this is a 45,000 card for spending $15,000–and most certainly not the 60,000 bonus it claims disingenuously claims. But, on the bright side, if that $15,000 spend happens within the same calendar year, you’ll also get six elite night credits and a Category 1-4 free night certificate.

The small business version of the Hyatt credit card (refer-a-friend link) offers a 60,000 point bonus when spending $5,000 in three months. The main appeal here is the easier path towards earning elite status (5 elite night credit for every $10,000 in spend per calendar year), but it also gives up to $100 back on Hyatt purchases.

First impressions of the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht

Prior to arrival, I reached out to the Andaz to let them know of our early-morning arrival. I didn’t expect them to hold a room for me to check in early, but it’s still worth trying anyways. The worst response you can get is “no”. They responded that they put it down in their notes but we would have to see what happens on arrival.

We arrived at the hotel right around 8AM to find a very energetic employee who helped get us squared away. She was arguably the most friendly person we met this whole trip, and we got into plenty of conversations about the kids, where we’re from, where she’s from, etc. She asked if we wanted a drink while we waited, but given the hour, we just needed some water.

In the end, she couldn’t check us into a room at that hour, but promised a call back when it’s ready. (Indeed, I received a call around noon.)

We left our luggage, took a quick look at the interior of the hotel as we used the restroom, and then spent some time enjoying the city.

Amsterdam truly is a cute city with all the canals and one-way streets. Immediately outside the hotel is no exception.

This was Amsterdam’s first snow of the season and we happened to be there for it in late November. Char is quite happy to be holding a small snowball.

There are two buildings at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht

When we got back to the hotel around noon, we received our room keys. However, the staff left us know that we would be in the far building, which requires walking outside through the courtyard. Alternatively, you can go downstairs and pass by the spa if you wish to not step outside (in case of rain or snow).

We went downstairs and you’re immediately transported to a very red room. There’s certainly a lot of style at this hotel. That’s especially true when you notice the statues of the shirtless men doing… something?

The path by the spa has some items on display, so it’s not a bad walk by any means.

The room

Our rooms for this stay were up on the top floor in the far building (432 and 433). These rooms are immediately across the hall from the elevator entrance. Luckily, we heard no noise from the elevator while in the room during our stay.

And, uhh, another one of those shirtless man statues is outside the room. I can’t tell you how many times it spooked us to step outside and feel like someone is right there out of the corner of our eyes.

Bedroom (king room)

The king-sized bed is pretty comfortable. Both Jenn and I agreed that the bed offered a lot of support and promoted good sleep. That was a must after how little sleep we got on our flight here.

I didn’t quite understand the half-fish / half-spoon artwork on the wall behind the bed, but when you see the XXX symbol, it means you’re in Amsterdam.

Right next to the bed is a nice table and chair. The kids used the chairs when reading books or doodling, so it’s a nice addition to have.

Across from the bed is a flat-screen TV and a lengthy desk. There are also some books for decoration that you could also read and a pair of clogs on the wall. The Dutch wooden shoes are pretty cute but they seem a little out of place by themselves.

The desk is fully functional with optical mice, which I greatly appreciate. There’s also a coffee machine here if you need it.

Inside the drawer is where you’ll find the mini-bar. With Andaz hotels, all snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are free and restocked daily. When you’re touring the city all day, it helps to bring along some sustenance.

The view outside the room is of the other Andaz building across the way.

Look down and you’ll see the courtyard that separates them (and the gym below the glass).

Bedroom #2 (twin beds)

The second room for the kids had a very similar layout, so I won’t get into too much detail here. The main difference is the single king bed is replaced by two twin beds.

Also, since all the luggage was in our room to start, the closet over here was easier to photograph. It was certainly big enough for our needs on this three-night stay.

Bathroom (similar design in both rooms)

Let’s talk about the bathrooms, which are rather exhibitionist in nature. That seems to be the trend with all Andaz hotels where they expect people like being looked at while they shower. You’ll want to remember that if you’re coming here with friends (without benefits).

First off, the bathroom has no division from the rest of the room. That means if you need to use the restroom in the middle of the night, everyone else in the room will easily hear you using the sink. Thankfully, the toilet is in its own separate, enclosed room.

OK, perhaps it’s not fair to say there is no separation. You could move a curtain along a track to close it off but it won’t stop the noise. And it also won’t prevent you from banging into the vanity.

The bathroom mirror is fixed in place and not facing the sink though it is double-sided. That perhaps works well for someone styling their hair. But if I need to shave, it’s not that convenient. I have to slide my body back and forth between the sink and the mirror frequently. If only you could rotate this mirror, all my vanity problems would be solved.

The shower is behind this ultra-reflective glass. Think of this as a one-way mirror.

Just step inside and you’ll see out pretty clearly. The kids had a little too much fun with this.

As for the shower itself, it gets plenty hot, but I don’t like that the controls are hidden in the back. No one wants to be doused with cold water when turning on the shower.

And they need to do some cleaning with these shower heads. Water was spraying all over the place due to hard water build-up.

Toiletries are by Liza Witte, which were good. No complaints here.

Welcome gift at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht

Waiting for us in each room was a small gift and a welcome note.

The hand-written note was a nice touch. Even if the message likely is the same for everyone, it’s nice that someone at least took the time to write it.

Inside the tin were stroopwafels. These tasted fresher than what United serves onboard their flights.

Breakfast at The Garden Room

Thanks to my Hyatt Globalist status, we received complimentary breakfast for two adults and two children. This restaurant is called Renvy during dinner hours, but The Garden Room at breakfast. When we were there, breakfast didn’t start until 7AM daily and ended at 10AM. There may be some seasonality to the opening times because their website doesn’t list the hours.

In any event, we tended to show up early each day. (Yes, it’s still pitch black at 7AM in late November.) The dining room isn’t large, but it never seemed so crowded that there was a wait. They also pump in fake bird sounds into the dining area for ambience.

Coincidence or not, this was our table all three mornings we were here. It was the closest four-person table to the food.

We’ve heard some confusion on what Hyatt Globalists can get each morning. That’s because the Andaz management changed, and for a time breakfast only included the buffet after previously allowing a dish from the menu on top of the buffet. Our first morning, our server made no mention of ordering off the menu and never provided us a menu. However, each of the other mornings, we received a menu and asked if we would like to order an egg dish.

Thus, it appears Hyatt Globalists get something between the Garden and Andaz Breakfast options. I believe the choices do not include the “Chef’s Special Choice” items along the right.

The buffet

Let’s start by discussing the buffet, which is presented in the kitchen. The style reminds us of another Andaz–the Andaz Maui–where a similar experience waits. That said, we preferred the food (and crowding levels) here at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht.

Don’t accidentally step into the kitchen where the chefs need space to cook.

Let’s walk through the options and I’ll let the pictures mostly speak for themselves. Personally, I always went with the beans and cooked tomato for breakfast. Yum. Meanwhile, Jenn was a big fan of the mushrooms here. And deliciously, the bacon is extra crispy despite being on the buffet warmers.

Dishes off the menu

On top of the buffet, we ordered a few dishes off the menu during our last two mornings. It might be simple to make eggs, but they put a little effort into the appearance by adding in a light salad, much to our children’s chagrin. Still, the breakfast dishes were excellent

At the end of the breakfast service, there was nothing to sign with Hyatt Globalist status. I tend to prefer that as there’s no confusion over tipping.

Spa and fitness center

Along the underground hallway, you can stop into the spa and fitness center. We didn’t get any services at the spa on this trip given our fairly packed schedule.

But venture further into the area and you’ll find the (very small) fitness center. I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of it since there were others inside whenever I stopped by. There was some natural lighting with the window overhead but there are no views from inside. With limited machines, it almost felt like the room was an afterthought and not part of the original design.

Daily Genever Hour

If you happen to be staying at the hotel and are here from 5PM to 6PM, you can stop by the bar for a complimentary Genever tasting. Genever (or Jenever) is a Dutch gin. It’s nice that Andaz hotels tend to have a social hour with complimentary alcohol, but the timing always interfered with what we were up to. While I would have liked to spend time at the bar, making sure the kids are well-fed and entertained ultimately motivates us more.

Some of the seating at the bar looked quite comfortable though, and it would have been nice to try it out.

Outdoor courtyard

If you wanted to take a stroll through the courtyard, you certainly could. This is the faster way to get between the main building and the back building, but you’ll be outside with the elements if you choose this path. At night, the walkway is well-illuminated.

Aside from a winding path through some overgrown bushes and random sinks, there’s not much to the courtyard.

There’s a rather large mural on the wall with a depiction of Alice in Wonderland with Dutch influences in the background.

And lest you’ve forgotten, there are a total of three of these statues inside.

Recommendation: Yes, but it’s expensive now

When the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht was a Category 6 hotel, the pricing felt correct. That means free nights are between 21,000 and 29,000 Hyatt points. It was easily a slam dunk at those prices, with a great night’s sleep and an excellent breakfast at the hotel. Service is also quite good, and we can overlook the flaws in the bathroom design.

But now that the Andaz Amsterdam is Category 7, it costs between 25,000 and 35,000 Hyatt points per night. And that’s a bit harder to justify, especially with the good Hyatt Regency Amsterdam (which we’ve also stayed at) also in town and at a Category 5 currently.

If price wasn’t an issue, we would certainly offer a stronger recommendation to stay here, but that’s not how the real world works. We’d consider returning here but only if the price is right.

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experiencing the world via gastronomy with our children