The Hostelz.com Review
The Bulldog Hotel is pretty cool for Amsterdam because it's located right in the red light district on a canal but it has strict security so they keep the sketch factor outside the hostel. Plus there's a coffee shop in the hostel and you can smoke weed in the bar (not cigarettes).
The Location
From the train station exit towards the city center and cross the bridge over the canal. From here take the big street Damrak down to Damsquare. Cross the square and go down Damstreet until you reach the first canal. Turn left down the street before crossing the first canal. The Bulldog is on the left at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 220, the second door with a bulldog sign hanging over it, the first is the coffee shop.
It's important to note that this hostel is right in the red light district therefore the people nearby may be seedy, like dealers (don't buy hard drugs from the dealers outside on the street) and stoned tourists looking for paid sex, but otherwise the location is great. Everything in Amsterdam is pretty much within walking distance and this hostel is a stone's throw away from the main market square and it's on a canal. The only downside about the location is that the more popular going out area, Leidseplein, is quite the drunken stumble away.
Rooms and Bathrooms
In order to get into the hostel you have to show the little card they give you at check in and then for the rooms there is a keycard, so the hostel itself is pretty safe. The rooms aren't the most spacious but at least they aren't dirty, just untidy. The beds are seriously the most comfortable hostel beds we've ever slept in, and it's not because we were stoned. There are lockers for valuables and some rooms have ensuite facilities.
The bathrooms are not awful but they leave something to be desired. There is a tiny bathroom with a toilet and teeny tiny sink and another bathroom with a toilet, two sinks, and two showers. There are a few problems with this bathroom. The first is that the showers flooded the bathroom and the drains are up a slight step from the rest of the flooded floor and therefore the bathroom floor is always a wading pool despite there being a squeegee to mop it up. It's hard to mop the water up the step into the drain. The second major problem is that the two showers have no separate changing area, which makes sharing the bathrooms with a stranger quite awkward, and there's almost nowhere dry to leave your stuff except the two hooks across the bathroom on the back of the door.
Common Spaces
In the in house bar area aside from the bar there is a space with a big screen TV for playing video games and relaxing. In the lobby there are some tables for guests to enjoy outside food and beverage as none are allowed in the rooms. There is also a joint Bulldog coffee shop one door down the street where guests can enjoy Amsterdam's drug tourism. Breakfast is included in the price of the room and is pretty good in terms of what hostels normally have to offer, the only downside is this is Amsterdam and breakfast ends at 10 a.m. or so. For breakfast there are hot cross buns with the usual jam, butter, chocolate spread, yogurt and muesli, milk, orange juice, tea and coffee.
As much as this hostel has a really chill atmosphere, it's not the most social place. People mostly check in in groups and stick to their little units. It's important to note that the hostel doesn't permit large groups or stag type parties but it still seems as if everyone is there with a large group of friends. This place isn't really tailored to the single traveler. The hostel really isn't very loud -- the only noise problems are usually caused by the other people in your room.
Summary
Overall this hostel is pretty cool for a weekend away with a group of friends but it's a little too party in a party city to get much serious sightseeing done. You should also note that they have a strict no guests policy and a list of rules you must abide by or risk getting fined or kicked out.
The Location
From the train station exit towards the city center and cross the bridge over the canal. From here take the big street Damrak down to Damsquare. Cross the square and go down Damstreet until you reach the first canal. Turn left down the street before crossing the first canal. The Bulldog is on the left at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 220, the second door with a bulldog sign hanging over it, the first is the coffee shop.
It's important to note that this hostel is right in the red light district therefore the people nearby may be seedy, like dealers (don't buy hard drugs from the dealers outside on the street) and stoned tourists looking for paid sex, but otherwise the location is great. Everything in Amsterdam is pretty much within walking distance and this hostel is a stone's throw away from the main market square and it's on a canal. The only downside about the location is that the more popular going out area, Leidseplein, is quite the drunken stumble away.
Rooms and Bathrooms
In order to get into the hostel you have to show the little card they give you at check in and then for the rooms there is a keycard, so the hostel itself is pretty safe. The rooms aren't the most spacious but at least they aren't dirty, just untidy. The beds are seriously the most comfortable hostel beds we've ever slept in, and it's not because we were stoned. There are lockers for valuables and some rooms have ensuite facilities.
The bathrooms are not awful but they leave something to be desired. There is a tiny bathroom with a toilet and teeny tiny sink and another bathroom with a toilet, two sinks, and two showers. There are a few problems with this bathroom. The first is that the showers flooded the bathroom and the drains are up a slight step from the rest of the flooded floor and therefore the bathroom floor is always a wading pool despite there being a squeegee to mop it up. It's hard to mop the water up the step into the drain. The second major problem is that the two showers have no separate changing area, which makes sharing the bathrooms with a stranger quite awkward, and there's almost nowhere dry to leave your stuff except the two hooks across the bathroom on the back of the door.
Common Spaces
In the in house bar area aside from the bar there is a space with a big screen TV for playing video games and relaxing. In the lobby there are some tables for guests to enjoy outside food and beverage as none are allowed in the rooms. There is also a joint Bulldog coffee shop one door down the street where guests can enjoy Amsterdam's drug tourism. Breakfast is included in the price of the room and is pretty good in terms of what hostels normally have to offer, the only downside is this is Amsterdam and breakfast ends at 10 a.m. or so. For breakfast there are hot cross buns with the usual jam, butter, chocolate spread, yogurt and muesli, milk, orange juice, tea and coffee.
As much as this hostel has a really chill atmosphere, it's not the most social place. People mostly check in in groups and stick to their little units. It's important to note that the hostel doesn't permit large groups or stag type parties but it still seems as if everyone is there with a large group of friends. This place isn't really tailored to the single traveler. The hostel really isn't very loud -- the only noise problems are usually caused by the other people in your room.
Summary
Overall this hostel is pretty cool for a weekend away with a group of friends but it's a little too party in a party city to get much serious sightseeing done. You should also note that they have a strict no guests policy and a list of rules you must abide by or risk getting fined or kicked out.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
July 2009
Their Description
The Bulldog Hotel Details
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The Bulldog Hotel Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Excellent location, decent breakfast, good staff. You cannot beat the location, right in the heart of the red light district. Breakfast is included and adequate. There is an attached coffee shop with decent prices on their goods, fair for the district, but you can find better prices if you walk a bit further. Dutch fish sandwich cart right outside! Must have! 30 euro is quite steep for a hostel, but I figured because it was the location. The facilities are good enough. Bathrooms are clean enough, lockers in the room. Hard to find cheaper that is party friendly and at that location. — Yulgene , Canada (2012-05-14) I couldn't ask for more! I was here for the Queens day celebrations. As a single female traveler I felt so safe here and was really comfortable. Everything was clean and the staff were really helpful. I would stay here again for sure. The beds were really cozy. — Paula , USA (2007-07-27) the bulldog itself was good , clean , friendly . the place was easy to get to from centraal station and easy walking distance to the station , trams and everything else . the only downfall was that the smoke from people who smoked weed . but everything was excellent . — will (2006-11-27) What do you say about the Famous Bulldog. Always full especially at the weekends, book well in advance! Right in the middle of the red light district the fleshpots of Amsterdam are but a short walk away. Museums and the more cultural items are a bit further however, you will need to walk for at least twenty minutes to get to the Van Gogh Museum for example. The Bulldog itself is very large with a large bar often crowded with a diverse assortment of weedheads, tourists, and backpackers. The bar is big enoiugh that you don't get overwhelmed by weedyness like you do in some other hostels. There is no kitchen here and the menu is limited but there are loads of cheap eats in Amsterdam so unless your really picky you should be ok. Security is good although the cleanliness often leaves something to be desired, especialy some of the dorm showers which really should be cleaned two or three times a day. I had to clean the one in my dorm room before I felt I could use it. Also the reception staff can be a little surly and uncommunicative which is a shame. — Andy Hall (2006-10-04) the place is really good in terms of food-neatness-facilities etc. one bad thing is the people in there. perhaps, it was bad luck or whatever. most of the people out there are in their early 30s and 40s and are not into communicating too much. most of them come with a partner or something like that. location is also doubtful. it's grand during the day but at night there's a bunch of hookers and drug dealers messing around. — denisfile (2006-02-16) This place isn't quite sure what it should be... is it a hotel, or is it a hostel? It and the staff just can't decide. I found the staff at reception helpful and informative. The bar staff obviously weren't paid enough to care. The downstairs makes it feel like a 5-star hotel, but once you are upstairs, it is a different story. The rooms although large were basic and there were not enough toilets when 12 people are trying to check out by 11 a.m. after a heavy night out. The roof terrace was a nice touch as you were not to smoke in the rooms (bit of a pisser considering you are in the smoking capital of the world!) I had €60 stolen, but that was more my fault than the hostel, as I got too stoned and just flung my clothes onto the floor before dozing off. The cleaners were rude and loud, but then I did stay in bed till 1:00 (didn't go to bed till 4:00) and I half suspected them of the theft. The cafe next door (also Bulldog) sells most of the main produce of Amsterdam and is good value and quality, apart from one member of staff who seem ruder than the average person. The breakfast was the second best I had in Amsterdam and the food was priced well. Overall I think 4 stars is a fair reflection, although I wish I could chose 3.50. It is much better than most hostels, yet tries too hard to be a hotel, which sort of loses the hostel-hopping fun that can be had in Amsterdam. — Michael Moss, England (2005-06-01) This hotel was great!!! The two things that were horrible were the women called TERMINA (she worked at the bar there) and the food! — Anonymous (2005-04-11) Amazing! I just got back from Amsterdam. I stayed in one of the apartments during my stay, and it was great! The staff are really friendly and if there is a group of you the apartments work out cheap-ish! Much better than staying in some dingy hostel, eh! It's a really cool place to chill and the food ain't half bad. I would definitely recommend this as a great place to stay! — Hayley (2005-04-08) This place is really a story of two sides. On one hand, you have staff who are either rude during the day or completely stoned at night, and the impersonal attitude of a hotel that reluctantly reduced itself to convert to a hostel. The Internet is ridiculously expensive and doesn't work half the time; the rooms have one bathroom for about ten people each; the place itself is a bit overpriced at 22 euros per night. On the other hand, you do get some of the best hostel breakfasts anywhere — bread, cheese, ham, salami, cereal, tea and coffee, all the good Dutch stuff. Basically, this is one of the few hostels that would probably be better off if it was run by Aussies or Kiwis or such rather than the Dutch, who in general tend to have only rudimentary understanding of polite and helpful customer service. (My observation from my many months' experience in Holland.) — Eugene (2005-03-29) This place is 100 percent perfect...it's definitely worth the few extra euros. It's a hotel with the feel of a hostel (though much cleaner and with more services than the usual hostel). I would recommend the Bulldog to anyone. — Erin C. (2005-03-01) My stay at this hostel was just perfect!! Everybody who works there is fabulous, the environment is very nice, and the other people who stayed there when we did were totally amazing!! It's the BEST hotel I've ever been to! Don't doubt it, just go there!! And the location is great!!! Okay, so it's really close to the red light district, but it not like the women come out of their windows and go after you. I LOVED IT!! I'LL BE BACK!!! — Cecilie Røttereng (2005-03-01) The food here was actually the best I had at a hostel in Western Europe, next to a hostel in Switzerland. They served an array of meats and cheeses to make sandwiches on very soft bread, yogurt, granola cereal, coffee, tea, and juice. I was actually very surprised. The hostel was extremely clean, also the second best in Western Europe on my trip, and there was a nice lounge downstairs, with very helpful staff. The bar staff were the only ones who were problematic. They think a cell phone call is more important than helping a customer. Good luck finding a nicer hostel than this one in Amsterdam; I doubt that it's possible. Also, the location rips [is great]! — Ryan B. in Florida (2005-01-12) This place is great! I've been to Amsterdam three times within the last year and twice I stayed here. I love it. I've met some great people here! But the best this thing is the coffee shop next door. Try the Crystal (bud) it'll blow your mind! Or try the temple (hash) for a really relaxing high. The only thing that gets me is that the staff don't really mix with the customers and the kitchen is closed most of the time. But apart from that it's perfect. I am planning another trip there in April and will definitely be staying there again. STAY HERE! — James (UK) (2005-01-06) This place was horrible. The beds stunk of urine, the staff were rude and ignorant, and the bar only had one type of beer and it closed at 10 p.m. There is a coffee shop next door, which is the biggest dive I've ever seen in my whole life. And as for meeting interesting people – yeah, if you like train spotters and teachers! Also, the food was DISGUSTING. I wouldn't stay here again if you paid me a million pounds. — Jenny Summer, London, England (2004-11-19) Of all the places we traveled this summer, the Bulldog is at the top of my list. We met so many people and the location was great. I can't wait to come back! — Claire from Louisiana, USA (2004-11-17)