The Hostelz.com Review
Bob’s Youth Hostel in Amsterdam is a lively hostel in a lively part of town -- definitely a place to go to get the true Amsterdam experience.
The Location
Bob’s Youth Hostel is in a great location! It is just a ten-minute walk with one turn on a major boulevard from the central train station and on the edge of all the nightlife that the Red Light District provides. The area also has plenty of cheap food and coffee shops around. There is a tram stop just outside the door that gives easy access to all parts of the city.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are two buildings for this hostel -- the main building with the common area and main desk and a building around the block. The building around the block is safely guarded with both a code to enter the dorm and a security guard at night. Note: There are very steep stairs leading up to the dorms in the second building. There are lockers in the dorms. There is a key deposit and the units are spacious enough for a big backpack as well as some other items.
The six-bedroom dorm we stayed in was clean with nice beds and comforters with one shower and sink attached to the room. The toilet, which is just outside in the hallway, is also clean and well-stocked with toilet paper. There are also sixteen-bed dorms for the same price that could be more shabby and loud.
Common Spaces
The main common area is filled (and spilling out onto the sidewalk) day and night with people playing cards, drinking (beer/wine is cheap and you could bring your own liquor), and (of course) smoking weed. It is a chill, but friendly environment with guests’ drawings along the walls and good music playing. There are two public computers with for-pay internet. The Wi-Fi was not working while we were there and by the way the staff talked about it, may not work very often.
Free breakfast is served until 11 a.m. (the latest we encountered) in this same building and includes toast and hard-boiled eggs (the smell of which in the not-so-ventilated area kept us away!). There is no public kitchen for guest use.
Summary
Overall, the vibe of this hostel is like that dive bar that you really want to be part of -- not glamorous, but a down-to-earth, fun crowd. Checkout is at 11 a.m. but the desk is closed overnight so if you need to catch an early train or plane, you must return the key before you go to sleep the night before. The staff is friendly and willing to recommend attractions/bars, give directions, or just chat, but they are slightly disorganized at times and we had to wait thirty minutes while they finished paperwork to check in the morning when we arrived.
The Location
Bob’s Youth Hostel is in a great location! It is just a ten-minute walk with one turn on a major boulevard from the central train station and on the edge of all the nightlife that the Red Light District provides. The area also has plenty of cheap food and coffee shops around. There is a tram stop just outside the door that gives easy access to all parts of the city.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are two buildings for this hostel -- the main building with the common area and main desk and a building around the block. The building around the block is safely guarded with both a code to enter the dorm and a security guard at night. Note: There are very steep stairs leading up to the dorms in the second building. There are lockers in the dorms. There is a key deposit and the units are spacious enough for a big backpack as well as some other items.
The six-bedroom dorm we stayed in was clean with nice beds and comforters with one shower and sink attached to the room. The toilet, which is just outside in the hallway, is also clean and well-stocked with toilet paper. There are also sixteen-bed dorms for the same price that could be more shabby and loud.
Common Spaces
The main common area is filled (and spilling out onto the sidewalk) day and night with people playing cards, drinking (beer/wine is cheap and you could bring your own liquor), and (of course) smoking weed. It is a chill, but friendly environment with guests’ drawings along the walls and good music playing. There are two public computers with for-pay internet. The Wi-Fi was not working while we were there and by the way the staff talked about it, may not work very often.
Free breakfast is served until 11 a.m. (the latest we encountered) in this same building and includes toast and hard-boiled eggs (the smell of which in the not-so-ventilated area kept us away!). There is no public kitchen for guest use.
Summary
Overall, the vibe of this hostel is like that dive bar that you really want to be part of -- not glamorous, but a down-to-earth, fun crowd. Checkout is at 11 a.m. but the desk is closed overnight so if you need to catch an early train or plane, you must return the key before you go to sleep the night before. The staff is friendly and willing to recommend attractions/bars, give directions, or just chat, but they are slightly disorganized at times and we had to wait thirty minutes while they finished paperwork to check in the morning when we arrived.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
July 2011
Their Description
Bob's Youth Hostel Details
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Bob's Youth Hostel Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
very, very bare bones, but what the hell? First thing's first: Got off the train at the main rail station and looked at my map. I was trying to find Bob's Hostel. Two very random and beautiful girls asked if they could help me with directions. A scam! I thought. Until I said I was looking for Bob's Hostel. They gave me exact directions (how often does that happen in the states)?
I happened to stay at the annex. 8 people to the room. In my experience it was a bunch of English kids eating magic mushrooms and one spanish guy who was quite cool. The shower was decent enough, though you have to contend with up to 8 people wanting to take showers all at once.
Breakfast is a hardboiled egg, a piece of toast and tea or coffee. This place is very bare bones. Lots of pot smoking in the common/breakfast room.
Location is great. 5 minutes, tops, from main train station. Three blocks over from the Red Light District but you wouldn't really know it. There is a street-car stop right in front of the main entrance.
Over all, it is in a very central location and only costs something like 18 euros a night (2006). Which, if you're only looking for a semi-clean place to rest your head, is just fine. — Devon , United States of America (2007-12-04) Listen guy's to those who are traveling to Amsterdam and will rest in a youth hostel i advice you guy's sleep in the street or inside bar-toilettes or inside garbage backet's BUT DONT GO TO BOB"S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!the worst hostel i stayed in Amsterdam.I only stayed for 1 night and at 7 at the morning the other day we were gone from there. Characteristically the place was Dirty, we slept there with 21euros with 7 more people (dorm) and with 25 euros the other day we find a great place for only me and my friend in the room(private).Another thing that i want to share with u is that the night that we "slept"there (ofcourse we were all the night awake) people keep coming inside the room and there weren't from the same room there wereunknown people.I remember one guy came inside the room and with a flashlight pointed my face....for a couple of seconds he was starring at me, i was with closed eyes pretanting i was asleep.he left and then he came back again with the same behaviour i was very angry and i almost jump from my bed and make this sh*thole up and down....but anyway it was only for one night...Check others hostel's in the same street i cant say more walk down the street ull find better places.
have fun in amsterdam its a fantstic place...... — nick - The worst Hostel in Amsterdam. , Greece (2007-05-03) If I could, I would give this sh*thole no stars at all. To everybody who is traveling to Amsterdam, stay away! The staff is very rude and impolite. Especially that little man who is working till late. Some of them dont even speak English. I arrived there at 8 in the morning, dead tired, and there was this guy at the reception who wouldnt understand a word. They say the price includes breakfast, but, what do you know, coffee is not included! You have to pay extra. Not much, but it is not nice. The cleaners wake you up every morning at 10:30 and they force you out of the bed, because they want to change sheets, and they wont even allow you in the bathroom! You have to get out! Even if you have paid a week up front and you tell them "No, I want you to let me sleep." Oh, I forgot, they dont speak English as well. Overall, the sheets are clean, but the blankets not so. The dormitories are for fifteen or sixteen persons. So, if you can avoid this hostel, do avoid it. I am sure most of the other hostels in Amsterdam are a lot better. So, sorry Bob, but your hostel sucks. — Evolve , Germany (2007-04-23) We booked a six-person room one month in advance and arrived promptly at our stated time as requested by the hostel. However, we were told the rooms were not ready upon our arrival. The staff told us to pay up first, go out and have fun, and that the rooms will be ready by the time we returned. If we don't pay up then, our booking will be canceled. So we had no choice to pay up first before seeing the room. By the time we returned at 10 p.m., we were being told that our room had been given away and we were allocated into a ten-person room. The staff at the hostel refused to offer a reasonable explanation for their actions, nor compensate for their incompetence. They told us we should not feel surprised that this sort of situation happens at their hostel. They told us we should expect such service by choosing to stay at a youth hostel and they say we can take it or leave it. They even told us to go to Hilton hotel if we had such high expectations. We were very angry with their unreasonable and rude attitude. I must say we do not expect much for the price we pay. All we were requesting is a six-person room as agreed in our booking and they could not even deliver such basic requirements. We have satisfied all their terms and conditions by arriving on time and paying up front, therefore I believe it is fair for me to say they disrespect their customers and the law of contract. If we had to share with other people, we could have chosen from other hostels. They maybe located at the heart of the city, but so do other hostels. For the price we were paying and the service we were getting, I do not see any reason to stay with them. I would not recommend Bob's Youth Hostel to anybody. — english_backpacker , England, UK (2007-04-01) Bad. dirty. This is the worst place I ever join. Dirty room, always cold. Staff wakes up you in the morning, open the windows, makes noise and shows nonexistent problems. Some guys of the staff repeat always the same thing "I'm losing my money." The hall (if I can call it "hall") is full of brainless people, always smoking, unable to understand and to say something with sense. There's one connected personal computer (IBM --1970 I suppose) for all the people. There's also a dawn people that try to steal your key deposit saying that the reception is closed and that you have to "lock" (I think he want to say "look") the cartel with reception's hours (small and covered by any kind of decals). Breakfast is the worst in the world -- two pieces of bread with marmalade, acid milk, and egg. All the people in the hostel are drugged and says no words, except "eeeeeehhhhhh." If you want to stay bad and drugged, choose this hostel (that we call "Bob's wurstel"). — Ryo (2007-01-03) It was really sh*tty for the price. The common room was small and barren, the bathrooms were grimy, and the bedrooms were very cold and rather sh*tty too. A sh*tty hostel for 10 euro is one thing, but for only a couple more you can be staying at one of Amsterdam's really cool places. It's just grimy. — Steven (2006-10-17) bobs was a good time, not the best place but not the worst. didnt find it to be a hipster place. this was more low key, but still was a smashing time. — Dan V. (2006-10-03) So does Bob still have a problem with mice? Stayed here three years ago. I love animals but not when I'm tryin to sleep. The staff weren't very helpful. I wouldn't recommend this place. There's plenty other cool spots in the Dam. — Barry (2006-10-02) Bobs hostel was a good laugh met some class people, one of which was a hot american girl but Im not sure these are included all the time at bobs. also met a mouse at the end of my friend's bed. cant say I was that bothered though. The place seemed clean enough and the people are really nice even if they do initially give your bed away to a brazilian. watch out for the shower the thing gets too hot to touch and you could die or run out naked and blind only to find lots of people watching once you do regain your sight! — john (2006-08-06) Just spent my weekend in Amsterdam, staying at Bob's Youth Hostel. I did not know what to expect before I got there but I was really surprised. I did not have reservations but the very nice staff got me a bed anyhow. I slept in a dorm room with ten beds, sheets were clean, and there is lockers in the room which made me feel more comfortable. Even though Amsterdam is a party place and people got back to the hostel really late, it was very quiet at night. Beer is cheap at the bar, breakfast is ok and meeting people from all over the world makes it worth it to stay at Bob's Youth Hostel. — Christoph (2006-07-03) What can I say? It had a good location not far from the local attractions. It was a great place to stay at. I have stayed at many hostels around the world and this place is well chilled. This place is recommended -- good people and very helpful staff. All I can say is I will be staying there again. — giles productions (2006-05-06) I found I met some of the most interesting poeple right in my very own living room away from home at Bob's Youth Hostel. It's a great place to chill, relax, and have a few beers before you start your day. Great atmosphere and great staff. I'll always remember Amsterdam because of Bob's because it's where all my crazy drunk days started and ended. I'd stay here any day. — Chris Carrigan, Great place to chill and share a cone (2006-05-03) Abs great atmosphere for anyone who likes to smoke and chill. I dont know what I would have doen without that bar downstairs. Plus you meet some awesome people. — Ashley (2006-02-13) I had a great time at Bob's. We called the lounge the opium den, and even me, an asthmatic, spent some time there. Staff are friendly, and the environment is laid-back and chill. Rooms are clean and bright, showers good, lockers wonderful, etc. They only provide you with a bottom sheet and a blanket — so I used my sarong before I put on the blanket. The breakfasts are quite good, especially for such a cheap hostel. Crazy but good! I highly recommend it! — Cherie (2005-10-09) I haven't been there in awhile. It's a great place. You should leave your judgements elsewhere. A place to sleep is a place to sleep. I always look forward to that. Miss Kortmann used to work there... does anyone remember her? If so e-mail shadesheavy@hotmail.com. — Neil (2005-08-31)