Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht [In-Depth Hyatt Hotel Review]

Eccentric, whimsical, and bold: That’s how I would describe Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht, and I loved every bit of it.

After 4 incredible nights at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, it was time to move on to Amsterdam. My husband and I stayed 3 nights at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht, which had a completely different vibe than the Park Hyatt.

This hotel is designed from top to bottom with a vibrant, eye-catching style. From the blue and white color palette and the tulip-shaped chairs to the XXX motifs (which are actually 3 vertical St. Andrew’s crosses found on the city’s coat of arms, not a nod to the red light district) and the stroopwafels in the lobby, there was no denying we were in Amsterdam.

Booking Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht

I knew I wanted to stay at a Hyatt property in Amsterdam since I have World of Hyatt Globalist status. When I booked my stay, only 2 Hyatt options were bookable with points: the Category 6 Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht and the Category 5 Hyatt Regency Amsterdam.

The Hyatt Regency Amsterdam cost less but wasn’t as centrally located. I ended up choosing the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht because of its location and because it just seemed like a more interesting property (it absolutely was).

I paid 58,000 World of Hyatt points plus a Category 1-7 free night certificate (in place of a 29,000-point night) for 3 nights. The cash cost of my stay in May 2024 would have been $2,246. That means I got a value of 2.58 cents per point — well above the 1.5 cents we value World of Hyatt points at.

I originally applied a Suite Upgrade Award to this stay but ended up swapping it out to use a Category 1-7 free night certificate that was expiring soon. The Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht is only a Category 6 hotel, so I didn’t get maximum value from it. However, using it for a 29,000-point room that I already booked was better than trying to squeeze in a 1-night stay at a Category 7 just to use the certificate.

Hot Tip:

You can’t use more than 1 Hyatt award or certificate on a single stay. That’s why I had to remove my Suite Upgrade Award to be able to apply a Category 1-7 free night certificate to my reservation.

Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht Location

The Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht is centrally located on the Prinsengracht canal. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Amsterdam Airport Schipol (AMS) and an 11-minute drive to the main train station, Amsterdam Centraal.

If you prefer getting around on foot, like me, you’ll be happy to know everything is walkable. The train station is a 25-minute walk from the hotel, and you can walk to most of Amsterdam’s main attractions, including the Anne Frank House (12 minutes), the Van Gogh Museum (20 minutes), and the Rijksmuseum (14 minutes).

Checking In

We arrived around 7:30 p.m. after taking the train from Paris, with a stop in Brussels. The person at reception thanked me for being a Globalist member and told me where breakfast would be each morning.

There was no mention of a late checkout or a room upgrade. (However, I later discovered I was upgraded to a room with a better view.)

After we checked in, I noticed a small cart with Dutch treats like mini stroopwafels and coffee-flavored candy. These were free for guests to take, so I stopped by this cart every time I entered or left the hotel.

1 Queen Bed With Canal View Room

After a long day of travel and exploring Brussels, I was happy to arrive at our room. I’d originally booked the base-level 1 King Bed Atrium View room but was upgraded to a 1 Queen Bed Canal View.

I was thrilled to get a room with a canal view, so even though we didn’t get a suite, I was really happy with the room.

The floor-to-ceiling windows let in a lot of light and offered lovely canal views.

Every inch of my room was decorated in a fun and quirky style that wouldn’t let me forget where I was. The first thing I noticed was the mural behind the bed of a fish and spoon (“sewn” together with the Amsterdam XXX symbol.)

The queen-sized bed had the most interesting “side table” on one side of the bed — a plate! At first I thought this plate was left by housekeeping, but it was actually part of the decor.

There was a desk opposite the bed that held the TV, in-room coffee, and minibar.

The shelves were stacked with Amsterdam-themed books, a nod to the building’s origins as a library, and, of course, a pair of clogs hung on the wall.

The minibar was under the desk in a refrigerated space. It contained still and sparkling water, Coke and Coke Zero, apple juice, and Heineken beer. All were complimentary and replenished daily.

There was an espresso machine and an electric kettle.

Bathroom

One of the most unique things about my room at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht was that the bathroom wasn’t separated from the bedroom. Of course, the toilet and shower were private, but the vanity and sink were out in the open.

It was a unique design choice that made the room feel bigger than it actually was.

The vanity area had a beautiful blue and white sink and a large vertical mirror.

Behind the mirrored doors was a steam shower, which I rarely see in hotels. While stepping out of the shower into your bedroom was unusual, it didn’t bother me (although it could be uncomfortable depending on who you were traveling with).

It had a rainfall shower head and a shower wand with plenty of hot water.

Liza Witte, a brand that makes products in small batches in Amsterdam, crafted the shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel exclusively for the hotel.

The toilet was just to the left of the front door. While this area is usually an afterthought as far as design goes, it got just as much attention as the rest of the room at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht. The bold wallpaper featured Dutch-inspired motifs and quotes.

The closet was next to the toilet.

There wasn’t much space for hanging clothes, but there was room to lay out a suitcase. Strangely, it was plain compared to the rest of the room.

The closet contained the safe, an iron and ironing board, bathrobes, and slippers that featured the Amsterdam symbol.

Food and Beverage

Andaz Breakfast

Breakfast was served each morning in the garden room.

This room looked out over the meditation garden and had a, you guessed it, garden theme. It even had some of the most unique table decorations I have ever seen — live tulip bulbs.

The breakfast area was very busy on our first morning. Most of the buffet was empty or less than half full of food, and the staff seemed to be struggling to keep up with the number of guests.

As a Globalist member, the Andaz Breakfast was complimentary. It included the buffet, a menu item from the eggs and specialties menu, a choice from the vegan menu, plus coffee, tea, and juice.

I ordered eggs with goat cheese on the first morning, which were tasty.

We arrived much earlier the following day, so it was less crowded, and the buffet spread looked good.

There were a few hot items, including scrambled eggs, sausage, and mushrooms.

Cold cereals and additional baked goods were available.

I appreciated that there were local items, like this decadent Dutch morning pudding.

There was fresh sliced fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and yogurt, too.

There were condiments like individual jam jars and individual packets of Nutella as well as whole fruit.

Local Treats

One of the things I loved about the breakfast buffet at Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht was the selection of local grab-and-go treats.

The first thing that caught my eye was one of my favorites, stroopwafels. While mini stroopwafels were available in the lobby, full-sized ones were on the breakfast buffet.

Next to the stroopwafels was a treat called beschuit met muisjes. This is basically crispy bread topped with butter and sprinkles.

Next was ontbijtkoek, a Dutch spice cake made with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.

Hot Tip:

Hyatt Globalist members get the Andaz Breakfast complimentary each morning during their stay. This consists of the breakfast buffet as well as a choice of menu items, coffee, tea, and juices.

Barstro Prins & Aap

On our last night, we opted for an easy dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, Barstro Prins & Aap, which had canal views. This was a fun space, decorated like the rest of the hotel — Amsterdam-focused, bold, and whimsical.

This space used to be the Bluespoon restaurant, but it reopened as Barstro Prins & Aap after renovations in March 2024.

Not surprisingly, the menus at Barstro Prins & Aap featured locally inspired dishes. The cocktail menu was even presented as a box set of books, giving a nod to the building’s origins as a library.

I tried a mocktail called the Sustain Ruby, a delicious, bitter-cherry-flavored, nonalcoholic concoction that was garnished with the most adorable baby beetroot leaf.

For dinner, we ordered thick-cut fries with truffle mayonnaise and spring onions and the Dutch cheese board, which was served with hazelnut bread and grissini. Everything was super delicious.

Barstro Prins & Aap was open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Hot Tip:

I charged my dinner to the room and paid with The World of Hyatt Credit Card to earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays — 4 bonus points per dollar spent on qualifying purchases at Hyatt hotels and up to 5 base points per dollar as a World of Hyatt member.

Amenities

Spa and Fitness

The spa and fitness center were below the lobby. I just headed down the very red stairs.

The fitness center (which was tucked away inside the spa, so it was a bit hard to find) was small, but the ceiling was full of skylights, which made the space feel much bigger than it was. It contained a few pieces of cardio equipment, a weight machine, and free weights.

The Essence Spa at Andaz offered massages and facials. Guests could also use the sauna. However, this trip was quick, so I didn’t have the opportunity to try it out.

Meditation Garden

The outdoor courtyard at Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht was called the meditation garden.

Of course, it was artsy and full of character — including more of these Andaz statues.

It was a nice spot to escape the city’s hustle and bustle.

Canal Cruise

Guests can book a trip on the exclusive Leemstar Canal Cruise. This cruise takes you around the canals, sharing Dutch history along the way. Local snacks and drinks are served onboard. Reservations are required.

Pet Friendly

Andaz is a pet-friendly Hyatt brand, and dogs are welcome at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht for a €45 (~$49) pet fee.

The VID (Very Important Dog) program provides your furry traveling companion a dog bed, blanket, 2 dog bowls, and a bottle of mineral water.

Service

The service at Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht was wonderful. However, it wasn’t perfect.

When I arrived in the evening to check in, the front desk staff was friendly and welcoming. The manager even came out to greet me (presumably because I am a Globalist member). Later that evening, I asked the front desk where I could get bottled water (one of the benefits of Hyatt elite status). The woman I spoke with told me everything in the minibar was complimentary and apologized that it wasn’t explained to me when I checked in.

On the first morning we ate breakfast at the restaurant, the staff seemed to be struggling with keeping the buffet stocked. On the second morning, we had quite a long wait to get our breakfast entrees. We started noticing other guests who’d ordered well after us getting served, so we finally asked. Our waitress double-checked and realized she’d forgotten to put in our orders.

She was very apologetic and offered to put in our orders but told us it could take 10 to 15 minutes. We were leaving for the airport that morning and didn’t have much time, so we just stuck with the buffet. When I was checking out after breakfast, I was handed a gift bag as an apology for the missed breakfast orders.

There was a handwritten note, an Andaz rubber duck, and a box of gourmet chocolates. Mistakes can happen, but it’s the way they are handled that really matters, and I thought this was such a nice gesture.

Final Thoughts

I absolutely loved Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht.

The bold, whimsical design of the property, excellent location, and helpful staff combined for a wonderful (but much too short) stay. I am already planning a return visit to Amsterdam next year, and I will book this property again without hesitation.