Hotel Manofa

Just don't. I know you want an affordable place, but don't put yourself through this. We got to the room and found hairs on the sheets. It seems they'd forgotten to change them, which I can't understand in a hotel. When we asked, they said they'd give us “whatever they have” and didn't even look surprised. At check-in, the man at reception kept us waiting about five minutes while he talked to another man. On our second day, a woman knocked and asked to see the bathroom. She didn't speak English and asked us to leave the room for ten minutes because there was a problem with the shower. We were only in the room for a couple of hours to sleep. I don't know what else might have happened if we'd spent more time there. Just no.

Our room happened to be spacious, but I don't think they're all that big, so it seems a bit pot luck. It's a good budget option for a few nights, right in central Amsterdam. Receptionists were friendly, and they were happy to store our luggage for free. There's no kettle or tea and coffee setup in the room, but you can get those for free at reception. It isn't accessible for people with mobility issues, as there are a lot of stairs.

My only complaint was the chilly room. No matter what I tried, the unit didn't seem to blow hot air. I was in a front-facing room, so there was street noise, but it was normal city noise and quieted down at night. The single room was small, as you'd expect for this kind of budget, but clean. The bed was unbelievably comfortable, and the bathroom had a lovely rainfall shower with nice hot water. There was daily cleaning, a TV with about 20 channels (ask the front desk for the remote), friendly staff, free lobby coffee, and a couple of vending machines. It's a perfect base for an Amsterdam trip, on a main street leading out from Centraal Station. The stairs are probably among the more manageable ones in Amsterdam for hauling luggage. I'd definitely stay again for a city-centre visit, within walking distance of most tourist spots.

Getting your bags to the second-floor lobby takes some effort. There's no elevator, and you reach the stairs beside a restaurant. On checkout, the staff were friendly and helpful, and even booked us a taxi to the airport. We spent three days and two nights at Hotel Manofa in a small but clean, comfy triple room facing the main street. We enjoyed the view of Damrak and the activity below, and there was enough room to open our large suitcases. Bathroom amenities were provided. The location is the highlight, just a short walk from Amsterdam Centraal Station and close to attractions, shops, and restaurants. Most places were walkable, which made exploring easy. A pleasant stay and a good choice for a simple, comfortable place in the heart of Amsterdam.