Visit Amsterdam

I am back with a new Amsterdam hotel review for you. This one was shared by Patrick from Madrid.“We made our reservation on-line after a thorough research on budget Amsterdam hotels. Our choice was Mercure Amsterdam Arthur Frommer, a 3-star Amsterdam hotel in a quiet street in the centre of Amsterdam (Noorderstraat 46). By the way, hotel’s on-line pictures turned out to be very realistic. We booked a double room for 5 nights for me, my wife and my 2-year-old son.

On arriving at Schiphol airport, we went to the tourist information desk and bought a return ticket for the shuttle bus, which took us right to Mercure Amsterdam Hotel.

We asked for a room at the back of the hotel and we were offered a quiet room facing the little street. Our room had a double bed, a LCD TV, a minibar, a safe, a closet, a desk and a lamp. There was no tea and coffee making facility in the room. Space was really limited for three of us keeping in mind that we were traveling with a baby. Bathroom was huge compared to the room size. Plenty of bathroom accessories were available there.

What we most liked in Mercure Amsterdam Arthur Frommer was the friendly and attentive staff. Hotel personnel were
helpful in providing city maps and calling taxis. Mercure Amsterdam Arthur Frommer is located close to the centre of Amsterdam and we could reach all the places we were intended to visit on foot, which was very important especially
considering that we were traveling with a small child.

All in all, my wife and I were satisfied with Mercure Amsterdam Arthur Frommer and I think, in case we are back in Amsterdam, this hotel will be our first choice.”

Here is another Amsterdam hotel review. This time it is Rokin hotel in the center of Amsterdam.“As I was traveling alone, I thought that budget Rokin hotel would be the best place to stay for me. Probably the best thing about this hotel is its location, less than a five minutes walk from Dam Square with its loads of stuff and with most local attractions within a half-hour walk. I advise you not to bother with the trams unless you are in the older age group: by the time you’ve found out which one goes where and then waited for it, you might as well walk, which is much healthier and more interesting.

I booked on-line and paid EUR 105 for a single room for one night. My room was basic but functional. There was a single bed with crisp white bed linen, TV private bathroom facilities, safe and telephone in the room. The room itself looked very small, but I think that doesn’t matter if use you hotel room just for sleeping. I am not sure how the room size would suit a couple, however.

The rate was including breakfast, which was actually quite good: cereals, bacon, scrambled egg, toast, fruit, cheese, tea, coffee, juice etc. All food was freshly cooked.

So, in conclusion, Rokin hotel Amsterdam is functional rather than flash or luxurious, but if you want a good, budget, well located, clean budget Amsterdam hotel with friendly helpful staff then this is the place for you.”

Here is a letter from a student who has recently traveled on a budget to Amsterdam and shares his experience about staying in Amsterdam’s Hotel Citadel.“It was on-the-spot decision to make a trip to Amsterdam that’s why I just had no time to take care of booking a budget hotel in Amsterdam in advance. As a result had no place to stay after my arrival to Amsterdam and I was left wandering the city late at night. I decided to stay in the first budget but not so cheap Amsterdam hotel along my way. 3-star Hotel Citadel Amsterdam, a typical budget downtown Amsterdam hotel, was in a five minute walk from the Central Station and, as I surprisingly found out next morning, the hotel was within easy walking distance of all Central Amsterdam has to offer – Dam Square, canals, shops, several museums and the Red Light district. There was a tram stop across the street, but tram noise didn’t bother me at all. I was greeted by a very helpful receptionist who offered me a room at a good rate including breakfast. I was very grateful for any room at this time of night, as I was very tired.

The room was functional and clean, the bed was comfortable and the shower worked and that was enough for me.
Breakfast was served downstairs and it was very good and enough to start the day off. There were about 10 tables available for breakfast with very fast service and friendly staff. The hotel guests seemed to be a mixture of tourists and business people.

If you are looking for a cheap, but centrally located place to stay in Amsterdam, Hotel Citadel would be the right choice.”

Here is a hotel review about Hotel de Filosoof in Amsterdam which I have recently received.“It was our first trip to Amsterdam that’s why we made a serious research on cheap Amsterdam hotels – we really believe that the RIGHT hotel is a very important element of the journey and that’s why we were quite interested in booking a good Amsterdam hotel with reasonable prices. We chose Hotel de Filosoof even though the hotel’s price seemed a little bit high for us (all hotels in Amsterdam didn’t seem to be any cheaper), but we still could afford it. According to the hotel information, pictures on their website and travelers’ reviews it was a city center Amsterdam hotel and I read the reviews that the rooms were decorated in different philosophical and cultural themes. We liked the idea and booked rooms in Hotel de Filosoof Amsterdam.

We have stayed at this hotel in September 2007 between the dates of 15th-19th. Hotel de Filosoof is in a ten-minute tram journey from the Central Station, the Filosoof is located in a quiet residential area near the Vondelpark. Location was nice, very close to a tram stop and only a few minutes walk from Van Gogh’s Museum and Rijksmuseum.

Our room was situated across the road from the main hotel building. It was really funky in decor, and we had everything we needed for a short stay in Amsterdam. Our room was tidied up every day, it was warm and quiet.

Breakfast was not included and costs EUR 15.00 per person. It was served in a cozy and quiet breakfast room. Breakfast was satisfactory, service was quick and the staff were helpful and friendly.

Our overall impression of Hotel de Filosoof was very positive. Probably, we would stay there again.”

I continue publishing letters from travelers to Amsterdam. Today it is a review about Apple Inn Hotel in Amsterdam received from Helen.“While reading reviews and travelers’ impressions of some hotel that we are planning to book on our stay in Paris, I remembered my own experience in Apple Inn Hotel Amsterdam two years ago. I spent a weekend there with my college friends on the cheap.

Apple Inn Hotel is a 2-star cheap Amsterdam hotel in a nice quiet location. It is very easy to reach the hotel from Central Station if you take a tram (it took us approximately 15 minutes). Amsterdam’s cultural spots were within walking distance from Apple Inn Hotel Amsterdam: Vondelpark, Concertgebouw, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum. I guess Apple Inn Hotel is ideally located for city exploration.

As I have already mentioned I traveled with two girlfriends and, in order to save some money, we decided to book a triple room. Now I realize that we should not all have shared one small room. I felt uncomfortable because our room was overcrowded. Of course, that wasn’t the hotel’s fault – that was our decision to live together and spend money on sightseeing rather than on hotel comfort. This time, when we are planning a trip to Paris, I am going to stay in my own room.

Our room in Apple Inn Hotel Amsterdam was equipped with everything necessary for a short stay: a private bathroom, a television, a hair drier and a telephone. Breakfast was included and consisted of cereals, cheese, ham, bread, coffee, tea and juice.

All in all, we were satisfied by our stay in Apple Inn Hotel Amsterdam. I can recommend it for those who travel on budget.”