Pros: excellent dinner selections, attentive staff, great ambience, upscale vibe
Cons: busy Sunday morning, limited bourbon selection
I stayed at the Hilton Rotterdam for two weeks and frequented their restaurant daily for breakfast, cocktail hour, and on a few occasions dinner. While hotel restaurants in the US don't usually make the grade, this is Europe and you can expect a better experience.
Getting to the point, the service is solid and the staff attentive. They can get overwhelmed on Sunday morning (thus the star deduction), but that's to be expected. Generally, the evening is a dressier affair with mostly business people and couples out for a special dinner.
The dinner offerings are consistently good and I have learned to trust the chef's preparations and pairings over the last two weeks. Although, if you like certain dishes certain ways, that won't be a problem. The bar staff is also top notch. It would be nice if the bourbon selections were better, but that seems to escape almost every bar in Europe due to the availability of top shelf scotch right in their back yard. I understand.
Something I was not aware of, most hotel staff have university degrees in hospitality and it shows. Every detail and nuance of service is taken care of, attentive, but not overbearing. The perfect balance.
A restaurant can never hope to be all things to all people, but this place understands the 50+ yr history of the hotel's solid service to European business travelers as well as locals with a special occasion to celebrate. read more