Chose this "hotel" as it seemed the most central of the many Amsterdam hostels pretending to be a hotel when you search online. It's not a hotel in any way, shape or form.
On the plus side, it was very central and Amsterdam itself is stunningly beautiful. Reviewers moaning about the steep stairs and the fact that some of the staff didn't speak English, should maybe go and stay in an English-speaking country. There was a working colour TV with several channels on in my room (203).
Negatives:
Room was not very clean - toothpaste and other stains on sink and decor in general was unkempt.
My window was in fact actually a glass pane leading on to a housekeeping cupboard, so I could not look outside or air my room at all. The housekeeping cupboard must have led to a skylight as natural light came in, but also a lot of draught, which made the room cold at times. There was no heater to warm the room/dry your things on when it rained.
Despite the signs warning guests that they would be fined for smoking in the rooms, I could smell normal cigarettes and cannabis being smoked regularly from other rooms in the corridor, along with loud music and drunken yelling. This made it difficult to sleep, especially as the housekeeping cupboard that adjoined my room was only locked with a small cheap padlock and I was constantly afraid of someone breaking in as a drunken prank.
I would definitely not recommend this hotel for female solo travellers and made sure I noted down the names of as many decent looking hotels as possible while I was there so I never have to stay here again!
- Dam Hotel Amsterdam
