Are you planning a trip to Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, but you only have one or two days and need a place to stay near the Schiphol airport? Do you want to know which hostels are closest to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)?
Amsterdam is one of the most well-known and visited capitals in Western Europe, but….
It’s not that big, which is great news for you! It is perfectly possible to stay in a hostel not far from the airport and within walking distance of the city’s main attractions.
Still, when compared to places like Warsaw or even Barcelona, Amsterdam is not known for its affordability. However, visiting here does not have to be prohibitively expensive, and I will show you how to make the most of your time and money in this article.
This guide contains useful information on the best hostels near Amsterdam Airport (AMS), but don’t forget to check out our other recommendations! So let’s get started.
Where Is Amsterdam Located
Amsterdam is located in the west of the Netherlands and is the national capital. The city is well known for its historic buildings, canals, and its world-renowned museums. There you can also find numerous restaurants and bars among the most prized in Europe.
The city has a rich history dating back to the 13th century, and nowadays, it has a population of about 820,000 people. Amsterdam is situated on the River Amstel (yes, now you know where the name of the famous beer brand comes from!) in the province of North Holland. Across from Amsterdam lies the province of Utrecht which is connected by a series of canals that form part of the Unesco World Heritage site Amsterdam canal ring.
In this region, you will also find Rotterdam (78km) and The Hague (65km). Major European cities nearby are Paris (543km), Brussels (204km), and Berlin (650km).
Two of the easiest ways to arrive in Amsterdam (if your country does not have flights directly to there) are via Barajas Airport in Madrid (a city that also has its own attractions) or the FRA Airport in Frankfurt, the German financial center that has some of the best hostels in Europe, and from these cities take a low-cost flight.
Where Is the I Amsterdam Sign
When you think of Amsterdam, what do you picture? Of course, you see the canals and the bikes and the beautiful architecture, but I’m sure that one of the first things you will remember is the I AMSTERDAM sign.
Even if it’s not your first time in Amsterdam, you have probably seen these photos on social media, and have felt the urge to take a photo with them yourself.
So where is this famous sign?
There are actually 3 I Amsterdam signs in total!
The first can be found at Schiphol Airport. As soon as you arrive in Amsterdam and get out of customs, turn right and walk straight ahead. You’ll see the sign right before you leave the airport area.
The second I Amsterdam sign can be found in Sloterplas Lake in West Amsterdam, close to the Rembrandt Park.
The third sign is next to the Eye Museum, with great views over Amsterdam’s harbor).
How Many Days Is Good to Visit Amsterdam
There is a lot to see in Amsterdam; therefore, it is good to plan your trip carefully. We recommend spending three or four days in the city. During this time, you can visit most of its tourist attractions. You should have enough time to explore its museums and art galleries as well as its botanical gardens.
Two days would be fine for a quick visit, but three or four days will let you really get into the swing of things. If you have any more than that, make sure you schedule some day trips to nearby cities like Haarlem, Delft, or even Brussels which is only two hours away by train.
Here are some of the main attractions that you should not miss visiting:
The Rijksmuseum
It houses Dutch paintings from artists such as Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. Besides paintings, it has thousands of drawings and prints from extraordinary artists, including those by Rembrandt van Rijn, an influential painter from Holland.
The Van Gogh Museum
It showcases more than 700 paintings, 500 drawings, and hundreds of letters written by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), a Dutch painter who is famous for his post-impressionist artwork. The museum also hosts special exhibitions on artists such as Edvard Munch and Claude Monet.
Keukenhof (or The Garden of Europe)
The Keukenhof is a park in the Netherlands and it is one of the most popular attractions for flower lovers. Located in Lisse, South Holland, the Keukenhof is open to visitors from mid-March to mid-May. It features more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths along with other spring flowers spread over more than 70 acres.
Visitors will find tulips in every color imaginable at Keukenhof. The garden also features a variety of creative displays based on a theme that changes each year. For example, a few years ago, the theme was “The Golden Age” which celebrated Dutch trade and exploration during the 17th century.
What to Visit After Amsterdam?
From Amsterdam, take a few days also to visit Brussels, since it is so close, as well as Bruges, a city known as Venice of the North. Other not-so-far cities that can be included on your route are Venice, in Italy, a place that does not need introductions; or you can take a low-cost flight and visit Budapest, the Hungarian capital.
Why Hotels in Amsterdam Are So Expensive
This is a very good question, as many visitors to Amsterdam find the prices of hotel accommodation rather high.
The reason is that hotels in Amsterdam are expensive because:
- The city is small in terms of area, so there is limited space. Remember that land is scarce enough in the Netherlands to the point that they reclaim territory from the sea.
- The city center is beautiful and historic, so often people prefer to stay somewhere nearby.
- Besides tourists, there are many business travelers who want to stay near the center
- It’s a popular destination for weekend getaways because it’s close to other large cities like Brussels, Paris, or London.
- There are few budget hotel chains in the Netherlands (the Dutch are more interested in design than low-cost)
- VAT (value aggregated tax) is high for hotels in the Netherlands: 21%! Hotels there pay one of the highest VAT rates in Europe.
Knowing all the reasons that make hotels in Amsterdam a rather expensive choice, I will not delay any further and give you the best 3 options for budget accommodations in the Dutch capital!
The 3 Best Hostels Near Amsterdam Airport
Hostel Van Gogh
This new youth accommodation is one of the nicest in Amsterdam Centre, located very close to the Vondel Park.
If you want to visit the museums while in Amsterdam, Hostel Van Gogh is in an excellent position, close to the Van Gogh Museum (guess where the name of the hostel came from?) and the Rijksmuseum. It’s also in a terrific location for leisure, with Vondelpark and the nightlife of Leidseplein all within walking distance. It is recommended for travelers who appreciate peacefulness and cleanliness but don’t want to pay hotel prices.
Hostel Van Gogh is located in the best part of Amsterdam’s Museum District, the most vibrant national center for art, fashion, and culture, with three major world-famous museums right on your doorstep: the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Stedelijk Art Museum.
They provide high-quality amenities, as well as modern rooms in a centrally air-conditioned building, and all rooms, feature LCD televisions as well as a modern bathroom with a hairdryer. The hostel offers free bed linen, shampoo and shower gel, baggage storage, a lift, and an all-you-can-eat continental breakfast buffet for 10 euros.
Cocomama Hostel
With the quality and comfort of a hotel and the atmosphere (and pricing) of a hostel, Cocomama combines the best of both worlds in an extremely convenient location in Amsterdam,
The accommodations are all styled after Holland and vary from private doubles to 6-bed dormitories (and everything in between). In some of the dorms, you may share a bathroom, but the sumptuous beds and feather duvets are everywhere.
Even more significantly, you are not alone at MAMA. Travel stories are exchanged, as are dinner table conversations. It’s a location where you may meet new people and hang out with other foreign travelers in the private garden or common area, or prepare supper in the fully equipped kitchen (perfect to keep costs down). And if that isn’t enough, the staff organizes a plethora of events such as movie evenings, cocktail nights, game nights, and local meals!
Euphemia Old City Canal Zone
Euphemia Old City Canal Zone, formerly an old monastery, is a laid-back hostel with an excellent central position in Amsterdam. For a few Euros, you may start your day with an à la carte breakfast. There’s also a vending machine where you can obtain food and hot drinks all day. Our lounge is available from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., so stop by to meet other travelers, watch TV, or use our free Wi-Fi. If you want to explore the city on two wheels, we’d be pleased to arrange a bike rental for you. Outside the hostel, there is bike parking.
They provide a variety of dorm sizes and individual rooms, all of which are mixed, male and female. They are spread across four floors with no lift (be aware if you are carrying heavy luggage!). The majority of the rooms have private bathrooms. Their shared dorms have a maximum-age policy of 40 years old.
They are near Amsterdam’s key attractions, such as the Heineken brewery and the museum district. Even though they are close to some of the city’s greatest nightlife spots, they are also located on a quiet side street, so noise should not disturb your sleep. To get to the hostel from the airport, take the train to Amsterdam Central Station, then take Metro # 52 to the Wijzelgracht stop. The Fokke Simonszstraat is on the street’s left side. Alternatively, Bus 397 from the airport will take you to the Rijksmuseum, from whence you may walk for 10 minutes.
Does Amsterdam Have Electric Scooters
Yes, from 2020 onwards Amsterdam has services providing electric scooters. But if you want to make the most of your trip, a suggestion is to go on a self-guided e-chopper trip from Amsterdam, escape the noise and bustle of the city behind and glide through rural Holland. Avoid rushed sightseeing and restricted schedules by exploring port communities like Monnickendam, Marken, or Volendam at your own speed with this tour.
Enjoyed this article about the best hostels near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol? We also wrote posts about hostels near airports in different locations, take a look:
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Levi Borba is the founder of the Expatriate Consultancy, creator of the channel Small Business Hacks and the channel The Expat, and a best-selling author. Some of the links in the article may be affiliate links, which means the author receives a commission on any purchases made by readers.