Valkenburgerstraat 124, Amsterdam, Netherlands | (888) 710-7049
Close to attractions, dining options, and public transport
Trendy hostel with trendy decor and eco-friendly practices
Private rooms with towels; some with iPod docks
Shared dorm rooms with bunk beds and lockers
Trendy communal kitchen and lounge
Honesty bar and cheap dinners available occasionally
Fooseball, library, record player, and board games
Free Wi-Fi throughout
On-site and off-site group events
Discounts at attached cafe
Bike rentals available
No on-site breakfast
Limited reception hours and storage lockers
Cabin rooms are noisy and have no windows
Towels not included (except in private double rooms)
Ecomama Hotel is a two-pearl, boutique hostel located among the canals of central Amsterdam. Stylish decor is a mix of trendy and rustic, and the property focuses on green practices and reusable materials. Guest rooms are clean and range from private doubles to shared dorms with or without en-suite bathrooms. Linens and free Wi-Fi are included, but there’s no air-conditioning nor breakfast service -- though guests can use a public kitchen and honesty bar, plus there's a cafe attached to the building. Cheap meals are offered throughout the week, and the hostel organizes various events. For a hostel with free breakfast as well as an on-site restaurant and lounge, check out the Bulldog Hotel, though the party atmosphere might not suit all.
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Scene
Environmentally-friendly hostel with a quirky and rustic design
Ecomama Hotel is an eco-friendly hostel that opened in 2014, and is popular with young budget travelers who value its use of fair trade materials, natural stone heating, environmentally-friendly water system, and waste recycling. For each guest that stays a night, the hostel makes a donation to a non-profit that provides education to disadvantaged children in a South American country. Inside, the decor is a mix of quirky, trendy, and “green.” Brick and stone walls are paired with cement floors, while exposed pipes throughout give it a bit of an industrial touch. The front desk is made of vintage books, while walls are decorated with antique suitcases and funky artwork. A large, living room-like communal area is the main public space, furnished with a long wooden table, a large teepee with lights, comfy couches, and a number of other seating areas. Items like board games encourage guests to hang out and get to know one another. The vibe is young, friendly, and socially conscious.
Location
Central location within walking distance of attractions, canals, dining options, and public transportation
Ecomama Hotel is set away from the road in a neighborhood with residential apartments and office buildings. There are canals nearby, as well as cafes, restaurants, and shops. It’s walking distance to attractions like the Artis Zoo (10 minutes) and the Waterlooplein flea market (five minutes). The Royal Palace takes 15 minutes to reach on foot, while the Anne Frank House is a 25-minute walk away (or 16 minutes via public transportation). Some places like the Van Gogh Museum and VondelPark may be a bit far to reach on foot for some, however, a bus stop is three minutes away, while a trolley and a metro stop are about a five-minute walk -- giving access to the Museum Quarter and the park in about 25 to 30 minutes. Amsterdam's central train station is about a 15-minute walk or eight minutes by public transit, while Schipol Airport is about a 20-minute drive or a half-hour by public transportation.
Rooms
Dorm-style rooms with bunk beds and lockers; private rooms with towels included and extra features
Guest rooms at Ecomama Hotel have a rustic, trendy style that's similar to the decor in public spaces. Rooms will often have exposed pipes, stone walls, tiled floors, and rustic materials like basic wooden or iron pieces that make up the beds. The rooms are individually designed and have quirky details like wall decal reminders to save energy, lamps made from recycled materials, or even coat hooks made from imbedded corkscrews. Room categories include private rooms with en-suite bathrooms with hand soap and showers, and dorm-style rooms with lockers and shared bathrooms. Bed linens and free Wi-Fi are included in all rooms, while towels can be rented or purchased -- but they're included in double rooms. Family rooms have sofa beds for kids. Superior Rooms offer special perks like iPod docks, hairdryers, and coffee- and tea-making facilities, while the Ladies-Only Dorm Room has free nail polish, feminine products, magazines, hairdryers, and straighteners. Take note that all dorms are mixed, except for the Ladies-Only Dorm. The hostel also offers Shabby Cabins -- additions built into the communal area, which means there are no windows and noise from the lounge can be an issue.
Features
Communal kitchen and lounge, occassional cheap dinners, various events, free Wi-Fi, and bike rentals
For a budget property, Ecomama Hotel offers a fair number of extras, especially those that encourage camaraderie. There’s a communal kitchen with all the fixings -- refrigerator, stove, microwave, and cookware -- as well as an honesty bar with drinks, ice cream, and other snacks for a small fee. Though this hostel doesn’t offer breakfast (the biggest drawback) or have a restaurant on-site, it does offer cheap communal dinners throughout the week that guests can sign up for. Travelers are offered some discounts to the attached cafe as well, which serves food and coffee drinks. Guests can also hang out in the spacious, trendy lounge, complete with a teepee canopy and comfy couches. It hosts movie nights and other events, while off-site events like walking tours or pub crawls are also offered throughout the week. A foosball table, small library, record players (with records), and board games are available to travelers in the main lounge. There’s free Wi-Fi throughout. Limited luggage storage is available, and bikes can be rented.
