I stayed in this hotel as part of my Contiki tour in summer 2007- it was actually my first hotel that I'd stayed in with Contiki, apart from the Royal National in London, which doesn't really count as the tour hadn't officially begun yet. So I didn't really know what to expect from hotels that Contiki pick, about whether you should expect good value or good quality, and had nothing to really compare it to.
Once I was there I knew straightaway it was a typical budget hotel, more like a hostel- something that budget tour groups or young people on a budget would pick for convenience, nothing more. It was a real backpackers place, sometimes even like a dosshouse, with crowds of young people hanging around the corridors, or in the tiny lobby, just passing time or being rowdy. There weren't many places to really go in the hotel itself, apart from the already mentioned corridors, and the tiny dining room out the back, and I would've thought it would have more space. Basic was the word that immediately screamed out at me.
The rooms themselves were plain, dark and again, very basic- nothing actually unpleasant, but nothing special either. There were three beds in the room that me and another girl had been paired up by our tour group to share, and even though three beds were too much when there were only two of us, it was better than the other way around, with there not being enough beds! It was a real typical budget hostel room, and obviously in need of repair and maintenance- the toilet seat was broken while I stayed there, and also the door handle. ANd on the second night, we came back from a night out to find that a pipe above us must have broken, and had leaked all over the other girl's bed. She didn't panic too much, as none of her things had been on it, and as there were three beds she just slept in the other one. But that kind of thing shouldn't have happened in the first place, with proper service and maintenance of the rooms.
The bathroom was acceptable, and clean, although the water pressure in the shower was very strong, but maybe that was just my room. The dinner we had with the group on the first night, in the little dining hall at the back, was just alright- a real budget, buffet type of meal, with just bits and pieces of different kinds of food. It wasn't a great meal, but there were no horror stories either.
I had no real encounters with the staff either way, apart from one time when I had a few questions for the man behind the desk, about where certain things were in the hotel or the town, and even though he was serious, he was polite and helpful, and I couldn't fault him. I can't remember whether the faults in the room were reported or not, but whether the hotel staff knew about them, or even did anything about them, was unclear. They didn't seem to check the rooms regularly, or to be worried about leaking pipes or broken door handles or door seats, but there were no actual incidents with them, I can't remember anyone being rude or anything. They all seemed to keep to themselves but to be very polite- in my experience, anyway.
The part of town we were staying in was very busy but had nothing interesting- it was just tiny little shops and busy streets, nothing touristy at all. But it was just a short journey into the good part of town, with regular trams passing by just outside the hotel- although I was waiting quite a long time on my second morning (in the rain!) and then somehow managed to get on the wrong tram, or to miss Central Station, but that's not the hotel's fault. Having a regular tram service, and a stop just outside, means staying a little way outside town isn't too much of an inconvenience.
I also think that people planning a stay in this hotel should know that it is a typical youth hostel, a real young person's place, and especially that Contiki also uses this hotel (at least they did when I went!) and that obviously because of that it WILL be very noisy, with rowdy young people hanging around. So just be aware of that when you're booking it- it's not the kind of place you go to if you want peace and quiet!
Overall, I had no unpleasant experiences in the Niewu Slotania, had nothing to complain about, but going by its shabbiness and lack of maintenance, and the crowds of young people hanging around, I would choose a different place to stay if returning to Amsterdam, and would not recommend it for young families, solo travellers, or a romantic break.
PS I stayed here in July 2007, but when clicking the options, nothing was available before 2010, so I had to pick a different date to get the review submitted
Room Tip: When encountering problems with the rooms, like I did, to complain to the staff, and to say it much...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
