Not a place I'd stay again.... and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Hotel/Accommodation Reviews

On our most recent trip to Amsterdam, my friend made the reservations. It was very last-minute. The rooms we had normally went for 215 Euros per night for a double bed, but we managed to get a deal at 85 Euros per night. While that was great, and the rooms were mostly nice, we were not terribly impressed. My bathroom, for instance, had several black hairs laying around, even inside one of my towels. There is a bar at the hotel called The Pub. It is a tiny closet of a place, with hunting pictures on the walls and salsa music playing in the background. The bartender was extremely rude and never returned to our table after delivering our drinks. We weren't loud or obnoxious or anything either! Needless to say, it is not a hotel I plan on staying in again. I will admit, though, that the Novotel is mainly for business travelers, which we were not.

Unique Qualities: The hotel is about 4km from the historic district of Amsterdam, but it is also very near a metro station. There is a large parking lot and you're welcome to leave your car there (ended up costing 8 Euros for parking), but it is out in the open and not a guarded garage. That said, we experienced no vandalism either. One plus for this hotel is that it does allow pets.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$180 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 20-541-11-23
Address: Europa Blvd (Europaplein) AMS 1083 AD
Directions: From Utrecht take A10 in the direction of RAI. Take Exit 'S109 RAI. You come to a T-intersection with RAI in front of you. Take a left, cross over the autobahn, and the hotel will be in front of you.

I actually liked staying in this hotel. It was somewhat difficult to find, it didn't have guarded parking, and the stairs were narrow and steep, but I had that excitement of my first real trip since moving to Germany. I was traveling with three of my girlfriends and we were determined to take over the city. The staff was very friendly and breakfast...again, my first real European breakfast...was quite enjoyable. I also slept so soundly the night we stayed there. I was woken up once, and that was by snoring coming from within my own room. I'd definitely stay here again.

Unique Qualities: One recommendation...the Hotel Barbacan is about a 5 minute walk from the Opera House, which has 24-hour guarded parking. If you have to bring a vehicle into the city, park there and walk to your destination.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$40-80  » Currency Converter
Phone: +31 20 623 62 41
Address: Plantage Muidergracht 89, , Amsterdam, Noord-Holla
Website: http://www.barbacan.nl/index.htm
Other Contact: Fax: +31 20-627 20 41