Roaming Numeral

Having saved $300 by flying home out of Amsterdam rather than Cologne, I found myself in the unfortunate position of learning exactly how pricey Amsterdam hotels are.

That’s what I get for trying to be clever!

Although a little distant from city center, Volkshotel was relatively inexpensive and the convenient metro station located immediately outside more than made up for its positioning.

Upon entering the building, the lobby calls back to the Volkshotel’s roots as a newspaper headquarters with it’s industrial-feeling slate floors and an open ceiling. It was immediately obvious that this was not only a hotel but a social hub for remote workers and travelers. There were tons of seating options and a little cafe serving coffee and light snacks as needed.

In an effort to reduce waste, the cafe even offered discounted pastries at a reduced price at night- something I took advantage of after long days of exploring!

The social aspect of the hotel made it feel almost more like an upgraded hostel, and guests were encouraged to work and relax in the area the hotel referred to as Werkplaats.

My room was ready upon check in, so I took my key card and headed straight to my “XS” room. The room held the same industrial feel of the rest of the hotel with concrete flooring and for an “extra small” room there was a ton of wide open space.

The standout feature was the the huge window that made up almost an entire wall of the room. The huge bed was very comfortable as well, and there were plenty of outlets to charge all of my electronics.

It is worth noting, however, that this room had what I like to call a “sexy shower”; that is- a shower that has a glass window exposing the occupants to the rest of the room. This one at least had a wide stripe through the middle so there was a little privacy, but it’s something to consider when traveling with others!

I also found it a little odd to have the sink located in the room itself rather that within the bathroom, but I adjusted quickly enough.

A huge draw for this hotel is its abundance of amenities. In addition to its popular lobby-turned-workplace, there was an honest to god sauna located on the top floor. Guests were welcome to check out the rooftop hot tub or even book a massage!

The floor below is home to Canvas- a trendy restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks with an excellent view of the city. On Fridays and Saturdays it turns into a nightclub with live music performed by guest DJs!

I took advantage of my weekend stay and popped in for an hour or two. I loved the vibe, and the commute to my bed literally could not have been better!

Volkshotel’s basement also turned into a club on the weekend, but unlike Canvas, Doka required a cover fee, so I didn’t check it out on my visit.

In addition to these standing interests, Volkshotel also makes an effort to involve its guests in as many activities as possible. Upon check in, guests are not only handed a hotel-specific newspaper (that seems to be written by the staff and locals), but a brochure with all of their currently activities listed. These can range from yoga classes to life drawing sessions, to a hairdresser that comes around. Even Doka offers a music production course!

Given the sheer number of entertainment option, leaving the hotel is almost unnecessary!

Although I found its location to be inconvenient, this cool and quirky hotel was a true pleasure to stay at and I definitely recommend giving it a look for your next visit to Amsterdam!

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