The Hilton International Rotterdam is located in the charming centre of the main business entertainment and shopping area, in other words in the heart of the city. It is situated close to the central station, so that all important malls and points are in walking distance which makes the hotel ideal for business- and leisure travellers.

During the Second World War, the centre of the city was totally destroyed. After that it was rebuilt again, got a new style and is known as the most progressive city in Holland.

The Hilton Rotterdam was built in 1963. Only the outside appearance features the 70s style though it got partly renovated in 2000. This underlines that it depends on the intrinsic value. Inside, the hotel proves to be rated as a five star hotel.
A lovely style creates a smooth, relaxing and pleasant atmosphere and makes the guest feel welcome.


However, as not the whole hotel has been renovated yet, old parts are mixed with new ones which results in some architectal discrepancies. Old, worn out elements don’t really fit in the overall set-up, and modern elements stay out. Apart from that, I got the feeling that things are slightly overdone and that too much is crowded on too little space.

In spite of that, a balance between agreeable luxus and necessary comfort was found which makes the hotel perfect for everybody.

You get expected common five star luxus but without stiff service. The staff is friendly and polite at every time and knows when guests don’t want to get disturbed. The service is not forced, quite légère, personal, open-hearted and cheerful, so not what you normally expect to get. This is a truly outstanding point which should get standard for every hotel in this category.

This Hilton also has two Executive Floors featuring newly renovated and decorated rooms. They offer extra-services and amenities, especially for the business-segment. In addition, guests staying at these floors have an exclusive access to a private Clubroom for check-in and check-out. Breakfast is complimentary as well as all-day drinks, snacks and business services.
I stayed in an Alcove Executive (for € 470.- per night), a big but organised room and was content and pleased with the service. The room gets a warm, cosy and comfortable atmosphere by extra lights, a chic carpet-floor and an interior styled with soft-colours. A lot of storage and personal space makes this beautiful Alcove to an excellent choice.

The room is equipped, among other things, with TV (charged movies, video games available), free coffee & tea making facilities, safe, trouser press and a minibar which get’s filled up on a daily basis. All the same, the prices are nearly over the top. I’m asking myself why luxus hotels don’t just cut down the prizes for the minibar as more people would consume drinks then and the hotel’s profit would be bigger in the return.


The different parts of the room aren’t separated and form one unit, except the bath and the entrée.
The bath is marbled and sufficient equipped but, compared to the room-size, too small. I appreciated the extra amenities and the attentive room-service. Even though, the bath was very cold, and despite of a stove, the floor remained freezy. That’s not clear to me as I expect a floor-heating, not only from a room of such a category but because there’s marble as well. It also seems that small parts got forgotten during the renovation-process which means that some lamps were old and uncovered.
The room has a very cosy, large seating-area which turned out to be quite soft and clean. The comfortable new bed offers, beside a perfect medium mattress, small reading spots. Although I noticed that the bed is too short. The extra-large working desk with internet access, another telephone and halogen-lamp is the dream for every business-traveller.

This Alcove has a large panorama-window which offers a wonderful view at the Town-Hall. The air conditioning is placed in front of the window and can be controled concerning the temperature, but not turned off. However, there’s the possibility to call the reception to get it switched off. But still, when the AC is off, it’s getting very cold and perhaps quite warm in the summer as the window has no thermal insulation.
The Alcove should be a quiet border room as it’s on the edge of the level, but the noise doesn’t come from the corner, it comes from the outside. Since the room faces the street, it can be quite loud, especially when the air conditioning joins the roaming.

The elegant Clubroom, as already mentioned, is left to executive guests who can avail themselves of a breakfast in the morning as well as of snacks or a cocktail in the afternoon, everything complimentary. The continental breakfast is in buffet form and offers, for example, not only fresh, spicy fruits but also cheese, ham, fresh bread or fancy cakes.
Even so, the clubroom was too cold air conditioned, the tables are ways too small, the christmas decoration looks cheap and kitschy beside the luxurious ambience, in my eyes. It wasn’t very clean at all, the sitting-area was old and moddy and the prices for some minutes private internet surfing are exaggerated. As soon as the staff was busy with organising a meeting, a lack of attention was discovered.
It seems that there are still things which can be made better.

However, the breakfast which tasted good can be enjoyed in a relaxed, soft atmosphere. The guest has a lot more privacy and gets a personalised service, but this depends on the staff member who serves you. Here I would like to point out the excellent service from “Emma”.

> Hilton's main restaurant; breakfast buffet	>Clubroom on the first floor

I expected high services from this hotel as it’s a Hilton and got satisfied. For me it stays one of the best addresses in Rotterdam. I would like to stress that I’ve never experienced such a friendly, charming staff who treated me and other guests very well. However, I missed this very special, certain touch of everything which makes a five-star hotel unique and an unforgettable experience. You pay for the branch-name “Hilton”, and that not too little, but you can expect the best then. It’s worth visiting the Hilton International Rotterdam as you won’t get disappointed.

Pictures and article by MW, December 2003