visiting AMSTERDAM FREE with miles and POINTS
We visited Amsterdam as a stop on our ten-day trip to Europei in 2022 and again a year later as part of a Rugby World Cup trip. To recap, we spent three nights free in London on points (click here to see where we stayed) before heading to Belgium. We paid cash for a two-night stay in Bruges, then we used IHG points to stay one night free in Brussels. We traveled between Brussels and Amsterdam on the high speed Thalys train which we purchased tickets for a day in advance.
In Amsterdam, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Amsterdam.
LOCATION
The Hyatt Regency Amsterdam is located on the outer canal ring of City Center in Amsterdam, just a five-minute Metro ride from Centraal Station or 20 minutes on the Tram.
The Hyatt Regency Amsterdam is located on the outer canal rings in central Amsterdam
GETTING THERE
Take the Metro: You can hop on the Metro from within Centraal Station and take the M51, M53 or M54 towards Weesperplein. In just three stops you’ll be within a block of the Hyatt Regency.
Take the Tram: Directly in front of Centraal Station you can board the 14 Tram to Alexanderplein. Exit and you’ll be just a seven-minute walk away.
You can purchase a GVB day or multi-day ticket that gives you unlimited rides on the tram, bus or metro. You can buy tickets at the blue kiosks as you arrive at Amsterdam Centraal Station. This was super easy, and it allowed us to switch between the Metro and the Tram as we explored the city.
The hotel is five minutes from Centraal Station on the Metro
THE ROOM
We booked a standard room with two twin beds. I emailed the hotel several days prior to arrival requesting an upgrade to a room with a view (using this email upgrade template). We arrived around 10:30 a.m. and the upgraded room was not available, so we decided not to wait and took a room that they did have available which was a King Room. The room faced a busy street with really no view, but that was ok, we enjoyed watching the cyclists go by.
The room was large compared to many European rooms we have stayed in. The king bed was very comfortable. There was a generous closet at the entry with a coffee station and minifridge.
The bathroom was large with a huge walk-in shower with a rainfall shower head. This is the only bathroom in Europe that I’ve stayed in that had a plug-in for our curling iron. Most bathroom plugins are only for shavers in Europe. So, bonus points for that!
RESTAURANTS
There are two dining options at the Hyatt Regency Amsterdam. Mama Makan Restaurant and the Mama Makan Bar and Terrace. My room booking did not include breakfast and we did not experience the hotel restaurant or the lounge as I do not have Hyatt status and the prices were beyond our budget. Had I been traveling with my husband; I think the bar would have been a great place to grab a drink at the end of the evening.
HOW I BOOKED
I booked a standard twin room for 18k Hyatt points a night. Although the Hyatt Regency is a Category 4 hotel, Hyatt has moved to dynamic pricing, so we paid 18k points/night rather than 15k points a night. The cash rate for the nights of our stay was $439 a night. That’s a savings of $1317. I transferred 54k Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points to my Hyatt account to book three nights.
Occasionally, I’ll find suites that are bookable with points at Hyatt. While none were available during our stay, I have found both King and Twin Suites with Lounge Access available for just 21K Hyatt points a night for a different date at this property.
HOW TO EARN HYATT POINTS
The best way to earn Hyatt points is not from the Hyatt co-branded credit cards. Cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points actually have higher sign up bonuses and are a much better and fast way to earn points that transfer to Hyatt to point.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The standard sign up bonus is 60,000 points. That’s enough for four nights at the Hyatt Regency when you stay off-peak
Chase Ink Business Credit Cards: Don’t be afraid to apply for a business credit card. Most people are eligible to be approved as most side hustles qualify.
World of Hyatt Credit Card: (click Category>hotel): While this card has a standard welcome bonus of just 30,000 points (which is enough for 2 free nights at the standard rate), the anniversary free night award that can be used at any Category 4 Hyatt makes this card worth having.
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: (click: Category>hotel) This card has a 60,000 welcome bonus which is enough for 3-4 free nights.
Although this hotel is not located in the heart of the historic canal rings, the location of the Metro and tram made up for it. There are several restaurants across the street as well as a grocery store that we visited daily to stock up on quick meals and snacks for the room (the grocery store is cash only but does have an ATM machine right when you walk in).
The Amsterdam Zoo was just a ten minute walk which was nice. Some people may be turned off by the location, and it’s true that nothing beats staying right in the heart of things. For families, finding rooms in the city center that are affordable is very difficult. The next best thing for us is finding a great hotel, near the city center within a short walk to the Metro. This hotel checked all those things off. We will definitely be back.
OTHER HOTEL OPTIONS IN AMSTERDAM
We have visited Amsterdam six times in the past few years. Here are a few of our favorite properties bookable with points:
Kimpton De Witt: Just a five-minute walk from Centraal Station. Award nights range from 50k - 85k points a night. Rooms are spacious, great breakfast and steps to everything. There are two credit cards that earn IHG points.
Holiday Inn Express City Hall - In a great location, award nights start at just 33k IHG points. Free breakfast included.
Holiday Inn Express North Riverside - with award nights starting at just 23k IHG points a night, the location across the river may be worth it for families needing to book two rooms a night. Free breakfast included.
Renaiisance Amsterdam Hotel - Dan and I stayed here in 2023. Very close to Centraal Station, fantastic breakfast, steps to everything. Award nights range from 40k-75k Marriott points a night which makes this a great option for those with the free night awards.
Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht - located in the heart of the canal ring district. Award nights start at just 25k Hyatt points a night.
You can read about our favorite things to do in Amsterdam here.
Happy Travels!
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