Hotel Oosterpark

The location near Oosterpark was nice, but I wouldn’t recommend this place. At €60/night, it was very poor value. The room was drafty, and in the middle of winter they only provided summer blankets, so I slept with the heater on all night. The shared facilities were dirty. The downstairs toilet had no light, and there was a leek in the roof. The building and rooms are run down, and the corridors smell of smoke. They list 24 hour reception under their faculties, but I still had to wait outside for 30 minutes at night before anyone let me in.

The room is basic, but affordable, and the staff were friendly. They even offered me free coffee when I checked out. The main entrance is locked, so you have to use the buzzer, which could be a problem at night.

If all you need is somewhere to crash at night, this place is as good as any at a somewhat competitive price. I saw dorm rooms going for the same price, so I felt lucky to find a hotel. Just don’t expect much beyond a bed, a clean room, friendly staff and easy check-in. We had no bugs. The room was on the ground floor, which was a pleasant surprise, and there wasn’t too much street noise away from the city centre. It’s very basic and dismayingly charmless, with a utilitarian feel. The room was ugly and cramped, as was the bathroom, where the shower left the floor wet. There’s a tiled sink area right beside the beds. A fridge, microwave and tables are available in the common room, but don’t expect other amenities. One of the bulbs over the bed was burnt out or not working, leaving us with either full bright fluorescent light or one too-dim light. The location isn’t central, though transit is simple. Several trams pass, but you’ll probably need to transfer, sometimes after a long wait. There’s a lovely park nearby. The price is high for what you get, but it is Amsterdam. If you’re imagining a romantic getaway, you’ll have to use your imagination.

It’s cramped, but when you’re out in the city centre all day, that’s okay. The bathroom in our room was basically a shower, sink and toilet squeezed into a little boxroom. After anyone showered, everything was wet. Still, for the price, whatever. It may be the cheapest hostel in Amsterdam, but everything was clean and the host was very friendly. Nice location too, about five minutes from the tram, with a coffeeshop right across the street.