In almost 20 years of traveling, this is only the second time we have felt compelled to write a review.
We have been coming to Amsterdam 2 to 3 times a year for the past 15 years. By now, we have stayed in almost every 4- and 5-star hotel in the city. The Pulitzer was one of the last ones we stayed at. The service, amenities, and general hotel operation was *maybe* equal to a 3-star hotel. Upon arrival, we had to look for a porter to help us with our bags, and after check-in we had to take our own bags to our room. Our stay was for three days, and twice, we had to have our keys reactivated. Both times, we had to wait 5 to 10 minutes to get it done, and when we mentioned the second time that this just happened yesterday, we got a blank stare, and were asked "how much longer are you staying?" Often, when leaving or entering the hotel, we were not greeted by the doorman who was either busy chatting with his collegues, or absent completely. The staff behind the front desk were either chatting (sometimes loudly) amongst themselves, or were absent, and/or slow to help. The towels in our bathroom were hard, old, and did not even maintain their shape; they were like the towels you stop using at home and start using for the dog (see photos attached). There was also a full mini-bar price list, but the mini-bar itself was empty. The only saving grace was the comfortable bed, and Joan (a desk manager) who expressed understanding. When we asked to talk to the manager of the hotel, it was obvious that the default position of the staff was "he is unavailable." In fact, due to Joan, the management was informed regarding our feedback, and we received an email from Caroline van Kessel, personal assistant to the general manager, apologizing at great length, and requesting a phone number to contact us. We replied with all our contact information, and almost a week later, have not been contacted. The staff at the hotel excused the conditions by explaining that they were undergoing renovations. Hotel renovation would not normally cause absent doormen, loud and unhelpful desk staff, and old towels. read more