Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam 5 stars

Our family enjoyed a fantastic week at the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam. I had booked this hotel through my credit card concierge. I was hesitant at first as I typically prefer to book hotels directly. My concerns were for naught as I found the communication with the hotel to be fabulous even though I hadn't booked directly. We had originally booked 5 nights in a connecting family room. Later we decided to extend for another 2 nights. While that room category was no longer available, the hotel staff went above and beyond to ensure we could stay in the same 2 rooms for the entire week. It was very much appreciated. The rooms were very spacious for Amsterdam accommodations. They were meticulously clean. There were plenty of outlets but USB outlets were lacking. The room felt plush and we had everything we needed in the room. We requested ice twice during the week and a bucket was delivered very promptly. Our rooms were canal facing and were very quiet after 10pm. We enjoyed that we could open a window to let fresh air in. The front desk staff were very friendly and accommodating. There was always plenty of staff available to answer our questions and provide area recommendations. The one area I felt the property fell short was with their dining and bar staff. The buffet breakfast each morning was always delicious but most days it was a challenge to the attention of servers for coffee, water, etc. It was apparent that the service was disorganized as often there were sections of tables without assigned servers. Other patrons were also frustrated. When we could capture someone's attention, service was curt and often the request was not fulfilled without a 2nd or 3rd ask (eg. cream for coffee, ordering toast, water refills, etc.). We suspect that training was underway and the staff was not experienced yet. It started off as amusing but then became frustrating after a few days. The service issue wasn't only with breakfast staff, we experienced several service issues with our afternoon drinks on the patio. One afternoon it took 45+ minutes to be served our drink order, which was incorrect. There were no apologies or even acknowledgement of the stretch of time or the errors. We were on vacation and took it in stride but I'm not sure other travellers would have been so tolerant. We didn't let these small issues blemish our stay. They were minor in the whole scope of things but for a hotel of that calibre, we were surprised. The location of the hotel was great for first time tourists of Amsterdam. While we were not fans of the Red Light District, we learned how to traverse the city without having to go through the heart of that section. Most of the sights and attractions we were interested in were a 10-15 minute walk. The Rokin tram and metro station was less than 5 minutes away as well. Centraal Stations was a 15 minute walk or a 5 minutes metro ride. Very convenient. There are tons of restaurants and cafes available in all directions. The hotel will be going through a major renovation in the fall of 2025. We look forward to returning to see the re-imagined hotel.

Solid good hotel, but some major points which really turned me off… Everyone is kind and helpful but there is too much attention except when you really need it and all the fake smiles and Hello/Bonjour/Goedenmorgens from everyone 20x per day really irritated me especially when you are waiting in like at the reception or waiting for coffee at breakfast. Check in was WAY TOO SLOW and complicated, to the point where I really don’t know if I would come back… Too many questions, too many ‘let me check this or that’, or ‘it’s 7 PM so maybe your room is ready but I’ll have to check so let me call the house staff’, alot of waiting just to get the key to a tiny room…. And i was checking in 4 other guests as well the next day just imagine. Breakfast is honestly terrible, especially for a sofitel… waffles are industrial packaged ones, scrambled eggs from a bottle, chaotic service with staff stomping shoes while whizzing around like bees being bossed at loudly by their manager while forgetting coffee or to restock plates, fruit, etc… it was embarrassing… in the end all I ate was untoasted bread and a banana to get out of there. Finally, the rooms are small, my mattress was not comfortable and sagging on one side, and overall interior design of the hotel is very dark and depressing. Besides that, yes, it is a quality place in a great neighborhood with quiet rooms and lots of staff. Would I stay there again given the price? Not if I had the choice..

We had stayed with you in the past and always enjoyed the hotel. We were expecting a nice stay, but the staff exceeded our expectations. Everyone we encountered was pleasant, cheerful and helpful. The property is lovely and well located and our room was pretty and comfortable. We highly recommend the hotel.

I have stayed at the Sofitel in Morocco and recently the Sofitel in Wellington, New Zealand. Both far superior to the one in Amsterdam. The bathroom design at the grand is terrible. There was a huge sink with no place to put your toothpaste, a hairbrush or anything else. The carpeting in our room was old. The menus at the restaurants were terrible. I went down very early 6:30 AM on the day of checkout to go over the bill like I always do and it had already been charged to my credit card. I actually wanted to put it on a different card and I also wanted to pay some of it in cash.

Great overall experience. The rooms are spacious with very high ceilings. Breakfast is super, with a vast buffet and a seperate menu where you can order anything you want. The staff was very welcoming and helpfull. Location is perfect, right in the city center.