Hans Brinker – “best hotel in the world” is the “worst hotel ever”
June 2nd, 2011 • 1 Comment
Looking for a hostel in Amsterdam? No need to read up about the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel on TripAdvisor – the hotel’s website will leave you in no doubt what to expect when you check-in:
Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam services and amenities include:
• A basement bar with limited light and no fresh air.
• A concrete courtyard where you can relax and enjoy whatever sunshine is able to pass the high buildings on either side on the extremely infrequent days when it’s actually sunny.
• An elevator that almost never breaks down between floors.
• A bar serving slightly watered down beer.
• Amusing witticisms and speculations about former guests’ sexual preferences scrawled on most surfaces.
• The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam Luxury Ambassadorial Suite (featuring the Hans Brinker’s one and only bath-tub).
• Doors that lock.
All of which goes to explain why a bed will cost you as little as £20 per night. As for Hans Brinker’s TripAdvisor rating, in case you’re still interested – it scores 58% overall, with reviews ranging in typical TripAdvisor style from “the best hotel in the world” to “this is the worst hotel ever”.
Tha Hans Brinker hostel is hillariously overly-honest about its facilities. I quite happily stayed there on a university trip a few years ago and my experience I have to say was good. I’m one to get homesick easily and I was pretty much determined to hate the trip but it was compulsory. However, it was impossible not to enjoy my stay there.
It’s a real artsy-fartsy kind of place where they have an ongoing joke about being ‘accidentally’ eco-friendly in that they are so lacking in resources- they sell lots of merchandise in the shop with those sorts of slogans.
There is a nightclub downstairs where the decoration consists of graffiti carved into the black foam-like walls. It also has stripper poles and mirrors. They have ‘happy hour’ at the bar every day where drinks are buy 1 get 2 free which is nice. I remember hanging out with a bunch of german students who were really cheery and friendly when I was there which was nice- a few of them were pretty hot. I think the Hans Brinker attracts a certain type of person which makes for a relaxing, chilled-out atmosphere.
To be honest, I had no problems when I stayed there but if you’re used to luxurious hotels it would certainly bother you. I think the way they market it prepares for you the worst so when you get there…it’s not actually anywhere near as bad as you expected. I also had no problems with hot water.