On our way down to Maastricht, we stopped in Arnhem to check out the "Bridge too Far" that spans the Rhine and was the site of the great battle captured on the film by the same name. We booked the StayOkay Hostel from the states via the Internet and were not disappointed.

The hostel, which looks more like a lodge, has a rustic appearance as it is in the midst of a forest perched near the top of a hill, about 7 minutes drive from downtown Arnhem. Plenty of curbside parking on the street. Upon check-in, you recieve crisp clean sheets for the beds by a friendly staff. With backpackers in the courtyard downing pints and music going in the lobby, there is definitely a youth vibe here, but as late thirty-somethings with a child, we felt very much at home. We did arrive on a Sunday evening so the weekends might be a bit more rowdy.

THe room was immaculately clean and consisted of two bunkbeds. The furnishings were typical Dutch style--functional, modern, clean lines. Our bathroom was ensuite and also was very clean. As there were three of us, we had the quad all to ourselves. A Continental breakfast was in a large dining room and offered more choices than we needed.

The hostel is about a ten minute drive from the National Park, which is a must see. There you have free bicycle use to roam the park at your leisure. In town, you can walk up on the bridge and imagine the thoughts of the British paratroopers who landed there and captured the west end of the bridge only to be overrun by the Germans in late summer 1944 (?). 20 minutes away in Oosterbeck is the spectacularly well-maintained British cemetery where one can find a somber reminder of those Brits and Poles who gave their lives for freedom in Operation Market Garden.

The hostel was not cheap. We paid somewhere around 75 Euro for three but my 8 year old did receive a discount. There is a pleasant pub on premises, too. Overall, a pleasant place to stay.