Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark: My Swankiest Hostel Stay

Share now or save for later

Perched in the middle of Amsterdam’s popular Vondelpark in the cosmopolitan Oud-West district just outside Amsterdam-Centrum, Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark is one of Europe’s biggest and most modern hostels. Every year, over 75,000 guests from all over the world come to stay in this 536-bed, four-star hostel.

Affiliated with both YHA and Hostelling International, Stayokay operates in 22 locations throughout the Netherlands and Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark is one of three hostels in the capital.

While you might rule out a hostel stay for fear of being couped up in a shared dorm with a bunch of strangers, Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark is different from most hostels. Here, you can choose from a range of private 2-bed, 4-bed and 6-bed rooms as well as larger shared dorms (including mixed and single-sex dorms), each of which have an en-suite bathroom.

What’s more, if you’re travelling with kids, you can opt for a family room kitted out with children’s beds and/or cribs. So, unless you’re travelling on a particularly low budget, only staying for one night (private rooms require a minimum stay of two nights) or enjoy the potential for meeting new people while staying in shared dorms, there’s really no need to share your personal space with anybody. If you haven’t stayed in a hostel before, read up on how to pick a good hostel and check out this hostel packing list before you pack for your trip.

Rooms available at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark

Arriving in my room at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark after a swift check-in (available from 2pm – 11pm) I have to do a double-take. I knew I was staying in one of the 105 recently renovated ‘Comfort’ rooms, currently priced from just £68/ €76  approx. per night for two adults (+€6.50 per person for breakfast) for February 2019 via HotelsCombined.co.uk, but I didn’t expect it to be quite this lavish.

The Comfort Rooms are located in a new block of the hostel, set in a former 19th century college overlooking Vondelpark. The charm and character of the building position it in stark contrast to the bright, airy atmosphere of the other buildings comprising this contemporary hostel.

With polished wooden flooring, a funky floor-to-ceiling wall mural, twin beds made up in clean bed linen, fluffy white towels, en-suite bathroom, complimentary toiletries, locker (padlock not supplied), plenty of power points and windows overlooking an ornate wooden balcony (unfortunately unaccessible to guests) this is far from your bog standard hostel dorm.

I’m beginning to think this is the best hostel I’ve ever stayed in and then I spot the enormous Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bar sitting on my bedside table, and my thoughts are confirmed.

Socialising at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark

As I’m travelling alone at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark, I’m keen to make friends with fellow travellers, so I head to the bar for a drink. It’s not often I stay in a hostel with an on-site bar and the drinks selection is both extensive and reasonably priced.

You’re not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to cocktails, but all the usual suspects are accounted for and at just €5.50 each, cocktails in Amsterdam don’t come much cheaper than this. The mojito is a little too tame for my liking, but Sex on the Beach soon puts the smile back on my face.

There’s never a dull moment here, as the team at Stayokay coordinate a variety of activities for guests to participate in every month; from pub quizzes and beer pong, to movie marathons and pizza nights.

Dining at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark

Unlike your typical hostel, Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark features a kitchen serving light meals and snacks. The contemporary decor from the bedroom extends into the restaurant in the form of exotic flowers and plants painted all over the walls, in addition to a collection of living plants in another dining space, covered by a glass roof to encourage natural light to flood the room.

Breakfast takes the form of an unlimited buffet of assorted breads, meats, cheeses, cereal, yoghurt, fruit juices, tea and coffee, served from 7.30am until 10am. This is charged at a cost of €6.50 per person.

If you’re feeling peckish throughout the rest of the day, simply place your order at the bar, take a seat and your food will be brought to your table. The kitchen is open from 12pm until 9pm serving sandwiches, salads, pancakes, pizzas, burgers, fries, soup, light bites and sweet treats, with prices ranging from €3.50 to €7.

A generous heap of Dutch bitterballen (€3.50) could easily feed two as a small snack, although upon tasting one of these classic Dutch veal-stuffed croquettes, I’m glad I’m not sharing.

Meanwhile, the hot jungle sandwich consists of melted mozzarella, cream cheese, thickly sliced ham and tomato wedged between a fresh, crispy white baguette €4.50). All in all, a hearty lunch that leaves me feeling energised for an afternoon of exploring Vondelpark and Oud-West.

Exploring Vondelpark & Oud-West

You’ll never be short of things to do while staying at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark, as the hostel is conveniently located close to the city centre and all the major canals, cafes, restaurants and bars.

When exploring the local area, be mindful of trams and cyclists when crossing the road. If you’ve been to Amsterdam before, you’ll know that there are just as many bikes on the road as there are cars. So, when you’re crossing the road, check to ensure you’re not walking out in front of a bike and similarly, keep an eye out for the tram lines too.

Visit Vondelpark

Boasting 120 acres of lush greenery and an idyllic lake, Vondelpark is the biggest and most popular park in Amsterdam, awarded national heritage status in 1996.

Attractions within the park include numerous cafes; restaurants and bars; the grand 19th century Gothic church, Vondelkerk (Vondel Church); bicycle hire and, for the more adventurous, in-line skate hire.

Strolling around Vondelpark in the sunshine with another solo traveller from the hostel, we stumble across the alluring restaurant and bar, Vondelpark3 peeking through the trees. 

After finding a shady spot on the patio, we sip on cloudy lemonade and Prosecco while admiring the picturesque views over the lake.

During the summer, however, you may prefer to pack a picnic hamper and a blanket so you can settle down on the grass and dine al fresco in Vondelpark.

Visit the 24-hour reception desk at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark and ask about hiring a bike to explore the park; it costs around €11 for 24 hours, with a refundable €25 deposit. You can also ask about the various activities and tours bookable directly via Stayokay.

Marvel at the museums

Just a five-minute walk away from Vondelpark, the Museumplein at the Musueumkwartier is home to the highly regarded Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum.

Nearby, you’ll also find the concert hall, Concertgebouw.

Wine and dine 

If you’re looking to find the best places to eat and drink in Oud-West, make a beeline for the Leidseplein, otherwise known as the Leiden Square. Take your pick from a seemingly endless selection of bars, clubs and cafes and experience the vibrant Amsterdam city nightlife for yourself.

Just off from the Leidseplein on Leidsestraat and Lange Leidsedwarstraat, we manage to find a string of restaurants serving meals priced at just €5, spanning all kinds of cuisines. After weighing up our choices, we eventually settle upon a little Italian place called Porto Carrara, located on Lange Leidsedwarstraat.

The menu features an extensive selection of pizzas, pastas and risottos priced at €5, in addition to a full a la carte menu with prices more in line with other local restaurants.

The signature Speciale pizza (€5) sees a sprinkling of salami, ham, artichokes, mushrooms, peppers and cheese on a tomato sauce-smeared light, crispy base.

Opposite me at the table, my friend tucks into a creamy carbonara risotto (€5) which looks a little too watery for my liking.

Something to be wary of when dining at Amsterdam’s budget restaurants is the hidden costs of extras like fresh bread and drinking water. When we ask for tap water at Porto Carrara, we’re served opened bottles of water priced at €2.50 each – the same as the cost for a soft drink. When we query this with our waiter, he explains that they can’t make any money by listing tap water on the menu. We think this is very misleading and had we been aware of this policy when we’d specifically ordered tap water, we would’ve preferred to opt for a soft drink instead. However, the meal is so cheap overall that we don’t want to make a fuss by complaining.

Sail away on a canal cruise

You can’t visit Amsterdam without taking a canal cruise. There are a few different routes you can choose to take depending on the kind of sight-seeing you’re interested in, but I opted for the Old City canal cruise with BoatAmsterdam.com, priced at just €17.50 for a 70-minute tour with an experienced guide, and complimentary soft drinks and alcohol.

Choose from a number of pick-up and drop-off points throughout the city. While staying at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark, my nearest pick-up point was at Amstel 51D, just outside Amsterdam-Centrum.

If you’re keen to explore other parts of the Netherlands during your stay, consider taking an Amsterdam river cruise with the likes of Titan Travel. 

Visit the Food Hallen

I’m disappointed that I don’t have time to visit the Food Hallen while staying at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark, but it’s a great excuse to come back! Based within the De Hallen complex in Oud-West, this eclectic food market features around 20 local independent vendors dishing up artisanal street food. I bet the aromas wafting around the place alone would be enough to make me drool!

Parting thoughts

When it’s time to leave Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark, there’s no need to queue to check-out; simply drop your key card in the red post box on your way out. If you’ve got a few hours to kill before you head off (the latest check-out time is 10.30am), consider taking advantage of the luggage storage facility (a fee may be applicable).

This is no doubt the swankiest hostel stay I’ve had to-date, if you can really refer to the room I stayed in as that. It was more like a hotel room than the typical hostels I stay in.

While I don’t get to see the shared dorms for myself, the other guests I speak to at the hostel tell me that their rooms are clean and comfortable. There is clearly a difference between staying in a private double room and sleeping in single bunk beds in a shared room or dorm, but it’s great to find a hostel offering a range of rooms to suit different travellers’ needs and budgets. As I stayed in a Comfort Room, my room had a number of benefits that may not be available if you choose to stay in a shared room like complimentary towels, toiletries, a ready-made bed (normally you’d have to make your own bed) and chocolate.

Room rates and how to book

There are a variety of rooms available at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark to suit different travellers’ needs and budgets. To give you some idea of the cost, an 8-bed shared dorm is priced from £18 (approx. €20) per person per night for a stay in February 2019, while a Comfort Room like the one I stayed in will set you back from £68 (approx. €76) per night based on two adults sharing. These rates exclude breakfast, which costs around £6 per person.

 Click here to book your stay at Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark.

Getting to Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark from Amsterdam Centraal

The easiest way to reach Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark from Amsterdam-Centrum is by tram. Catch one of the regular trams departing from the Leidseplein, and you’ll be at Amsterdam Centraal within around 20 minutes. You can also catch the bus, but the journey will take slightly longer.

Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark | Zandpad 5 | Oud-West | 1054 GA Amsterdam | +31 (0)20 589 89 96

Share now or save for later