Fact: Amsterdam is a city that can be explored on a budget. It’s possible to make the most of this famous European city in one single day without spending too much.
That was one of the many things planned when my parents were visiting me this summer. The idea was to use one stopover provided by KLM’s flight ( Sao Paulo – Amsterdam- Sao Paulo) to stay 20-something hours in the city.
As you may know, Amsterdam is full-on – 24/7. It’s always packed and it’s not the cheapest city as well. The last time I visited it, I stayed in an Airbnb flat at Spaarndammerbuurt.
But I have managed to find a cheap hotel in the city. Something that is not that easy in the middle of the summer in Europe.
What about spending a 125 euros room for three? That was what I got staying at the Bicycle Hotel. I have found this place by chance. But I am not going to lie. It was also one of the cheapest ones available at that time. It also has great reviews on Trip Advisor, so why not?
The Bicycle Hotel is 100% climate accommodation. What does it mean? They recycle bottles, there are solar panels on the roof, and it’s a cyclist-friendly place, of course.
This little gem is placed in a multicultural and vibrant neighbourhood in the south part of the city called DePijp.
It has fantastic bars, restaurants, and coffee shops around. Besides, it only takes approximately 15 minutes to reach the place from Amsterdam Central Station. It’s near the metro station and tram.
We have chosen the triple room because it was the only option available. The hotel is always packed. I knew it has a shower and a toilet on the floor. Not inside the room.
After a quick tour of the reception, breakfast area, and back garden, we had to our room.
And I thought it was quite funny how the owner introduced it to us: Amsterdam is known as being a flat city. So, we have plenty of stairs in the buildings to compensate for it.
It’s true. Most of the buildings in the city have no lift at all. You just go up on several steps hoping for the best. That explains why people in Amsterdam are so fit. 😉
Our room was on the last floor. Thank goodness we were allowed to dispatch my parents’ suitcases right to Brazil before stopping in Amsterdam.
It would be impossible to go up those narrow and steep stairs. Despite being a bit challenging to my parents, we knew what we would face, anyway.
The room itself is quite spacious and clean. We had three single beds that were quite comfortable, by the way.
There was a sink, a table, and a wardrobe as well to accommodate our bags. We also had a huge fan in the room, which helped to stand that hot July’s day in Amsterdam.
The toilet and shower room were placed right in front of our door. To be honest, I thought it would be just annoying to share a toilet with other guests. The last time I did something like this was in 2009 when I stayed in a hostel in Scotland.
But it was surprisingly quiet at the Bicycle Hotel. We didn’t have any trouble trying to use I during any time of the day or night. They were both clean and the shower was quite good as well.
The staff at this hotel is friendly and quite helpful. I wanted to use the coffee machine in the facilities but didn’t have cash, only a credit card, the receptionist kindly offered me it for free. A nice gesture considering it was late at night and no coffee shop was open anymore.
We missed breakfast, but I was quite happy to stay at this hotel. It would be a good option for young couples, and groups of friends for a short stay in Amsterdam. However, it also worked quite well for my parents.
Overall, the Bicycle Hotel has an exceptional concept and service. I would stay again in this hotel, and I would just change the room for one with a washroom on it.
And If my parents are with me again, I would try to book it on low levels too. I quite liked my experience. The neighbourhood is quite vibrant, and the hotel offers comfortable and quiet rooms on a budget.
