Europe – Paved With Good Intentions, And Cobblestones

David J. Danto

Travel thoughts in my own, personal opinion

eMail: ddanto@IMCCA.org Follow Industry News: @NJDavidD on

Europe – Paved With Good Intentions, And Cobblestones - May 2025

Last week, I shared the frustrations of navigating Copenhagen’s airport as an American traveling nowadays, and the miserable KLM experience that followed – a low point in an otherwise fascinating European trip. But enough about air travel politics. This week, let’s talk about what happened on the ground. Literally.

Europe, it turns out, is obsessed with cobblestones. They’re quaint. They’re historic. They’re picturesque. And they’re absolutely everywhere. Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Brussels – all proudly paved in ankle-breaking, wheel-catching, suitcase-derailing cobblestones. Great for ambiance. Less great when you're dragging luggage or, in my case, face-planting while dragging luggage on the way to a taxi. A few scrapes and bruises – no serious harm – but let’s just say I got a little too up-close and personal with the local charm.

Hotel-wise, we stayed at three properties: the NH Collection in Copenhagen, the DoubleTree by Hilton in Amsterdam, and the Hilton Grand Place in Brussels. Each offered its own surprises – some delightful, some… puzzling.

With no loyalty track record at NH, I had no strong expectations – and that was about right. The room was modern and perfectly comfortable, but nothing memorable. Friendly staff, clean design, but it didn’t try to be anything it wasn’t.

Amsterdam was another story entirely. The DoubleTree near Centraal Station exceeded all expectations. They upgraded us to a corner suite with one-and-a-half baths and a separate bedroom – all without asking. From the moment we arrived, we were treated like royalty, recognized as lifetime Diamond members, welcomed with local chocolates, and genuinely cared for. One of the air conditioners was a little lazy that first night, but it was up and humming by the next day. This was a hotel that clearly knew how to treat its loyal guests.

Instead of flying from Amsterdam to Brussels we opted to travel by Eurostar, booking their highest-tier seats specifically so we could bring all our luggage without stress. Unfortunately, the experience felt like a throwback to the 1970s – and not in a nostalgic way. Our front cabin had just four seats (two facing two across a table) and no designated luggage space. By the time we boarded, every available bin was already full. And worse? You have to climb stairs to get on the train. With rolling bags, it was difficult – but we also watched a wheelchair user be forced to get out of their chair and physically struggle, climbing up into the car. How is it that a modern, international rail system lacks basic ramp access or platform-level coaches?

The included cold lunch in this premium class was best described as “almost food” – technically edible, if you didn’t mind playing digestive roulette. Thank goodness we still had some stroopwafels tucked away.

Arriving in Brussels, we checked into the Hilton Grand Place – a hotel that could easily play a starring role in a Netflix period drama. High ceilings, massive chandeliers, and elegant marble bathrooms brought a touch of old-world grandeur. But sadly, the service didn’t match the scenery. The front desk was chronically understaffed (if there was a person there at all), there was no concierge, and our Diamond status was practically invisible. No acknowledgement, no welcome gift like Amsterdam, zip. We asked for a room upgrade when we checked in and were given a slightly bigger room that had a carpet clearly older than I was. Everything about this property felt like a swing and a miss. Gorgeous bathroom but a tiny shower in an otherwise huge space. Only two electrical outlets in the main room – we had to string extension cords everywhere to get our devices to charge on the night tables. Even the outside of the property had graffiti all over it, which said to me they knew how run-down it looks but didn’t care.

And here’s a first: at one point during our stay, the hotel ran out of facial tissues and the housekeeper filled the empty tissue box with cocktail napkins. Not joking.

On a positive note, both Hilton properties had breakfast buffets worthy of royalty – Amsterdam’s edged out Brussels slightly, but both put typical U.S. hotel offerings to shame. Breakfast meats, warm pastries, proper eggs – actual food, not shrink-wrapped sadness.

On a weirdly negative note, both Hilton properties now have umbrella rental stands – something very odd to see monetized, especially when umbrellas for guests used to be free. Who knows what they’ll start charging for next.

Despite the quirks, it was wonderful to explore such historic cities, catch the tail end of the tulip festival in Amsterdam, and soak up the charm of Europe’s grand architecture and winding streets. I just wish ice for our soft drinks was as prevalent as all the cobblestones.

This article was written by David Danto and contains solely his own, personal opinions.

All image and links provided above as reference under prevailing fair use statutes.

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