Hotel Not Hotel Review: A quirky and affordable hotel in Amsterdam

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Last Updated on February 12, 2019

I love a quirky hotel. On my last night living in Amsterdam, I stayed at Hotel Not Hotel. This review of the hotel is not sponsored and I paid for my stay myself. I hope this review helps you judge if Hotel not Hotel is for you…or not.

Hotel Not Hotel is a concept hotel in de Baarsjes, a quiet residential neighborhood in Amsterdam West to base yourself out of. This hotel is definitely one of the most quirky hotels that I’ve stayed at in a long-time.

The concept behind this boutique hotel (on a budget) is that each room has its own identity, so depending on availability (and your budget), you can stay inside of a bookshelf, within a former Amsterdam tram, within a ‘wooden church’, within your own miniature house, or on top of the rest of the rooms. Each room was custom designed by Collaboration-O, a group of designers from Eindhoven. Choose carefully!

I stayed within a bookshelf, which was a dream come true for this bookworm who had to not scream out of excitement when the bookshelf opened into a cozy little room. I found the room a bit claustrophobic given our two suitcases, but that was my own fault. The bed itself was super comfy and clean, especially after a week of sleeping on the floor of my empty apartment.

The weird…

The idea is that Hotel Not Hotel gives you a clean (and comfy) bed to sleep in, maybe a shower, Wi-Fi, towels, and sheets. It’s budget as you might not have your own bathroom. In some cases, you don’t get your own shower either. (For a bit extra, you can get your own bathroom.) Instead, you’ll share (clean) toilets with the rest of the guests. The toilets were immaculate and I was mostly okay with the arrangement.

My room was immensely confusing as we had our own private shower, which was lovely. However, we had go down the stairs in order to use the toilets. I found this set-up a bit strange, but for the price (I paid 100 euros), I was happy to have my own private space of any sort.

The woman who checked us in kindly offered to give us advice on what to do in Amsterdam although as residents of Amsterdam, we didn’t require much help.

The amenities

The hotel has a really cozy bar with some fantastic cocktails. Along with a friend, we spent the entire time sipping on the G&Ts until the bar closed. The bartender was friendly and generous with us. Even my Dutch friend was impressed with the design as well as the delicious drinks. We didn’t manage to eat any of the food, but you’re close to the Foodhallen if you’re seeking a nice supper.

You can sit in the “central” area or within the bar, which makes for a nice communal space. We didn’t meet anyone as everyone kept to themselves. I’d imagine it would be a nice place for a group meeting. Breakfast wasn’t included, but you can find plenty of good coffee (and breakfast) nearby.

Overall review of Hotel Not Hotel

Overall, the experience was good although a bit quirky. I’m not sure that I’d recommend this hotel for anyone looking for a conventional hotel or who requires having a 100% private space. However, if you’re visiting Amsterdam on a budget, I’d consider this hotel balling on a budget with a killer location. Hotel not Hotel has great value for money for the Amsterdam visitor looking for something a bit unusual without spending hundreds.

Would you stay at Hotel Not Hotel?

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