Amsterdam Vlog – March 2018

ClinkNOORD – HOSTEL REVIEW

When I first decided to go to Amsterdam for VidCon Europe 2018, I initially booked a hotel. It was cute, had a library in it and looked like a great place to get some interesting video footage.

But as life and situations often do, things changed and I decided to do something a bit different. I wanted to rent a houseboat and travel with a group of friends, but when the departure date was approaching, the friends that I had hoped would join me couldn’t make the trip this time around. By then, all the houseboats were rented out for the period when I was going.

So I sat down and started browsing the web for an interesting, but also an affordable place to stay. There were some interesting apartments on Airbnb for sure, but I started to think back on my two recent trips to London and how much I enjoyed staying at St. Christopher’s Inn. And then the search for interesting hostels in Amsterdam begun. The one that popped up most frequently with high praise and rating was ClinkNOORD.

I clicked my way into their website and as soon as I started to look through the pictures, I knew that this was the perfect place for me to stay!

It’s a big hostel situated in the Noord district. It sits on the bank of the river IJ, and is just a few minutes boat ride away from the Amsterdam Centraal Station. Oh, and the ferry runs 24/7 and it’s free!

With colorful open spaces and lots of social events going on, I knew that this was my best bet for a social and unique experience while I was traveling alone.

As soon as I got there I was welcomed by a charming receptionist that gave me all the information that I needed to get situated. I got there a few hours before check-in, but they welcomed me to either store my luggage in the luggage room or to use a padlock (you can buy one from them (€6), or bring your own) and lock my things in one of the many storage lockers that they have in the reception area. I locked up my valuables and headed into the city to explore.

Later that day, I got back to the hostel and could find my bunk. I was sleeping in a 14 bed shared facility. I met my bunkmate, a wonderful 68-year-old woman from Canada, and instantly bonded with her. There were lots of stories to be shared throughout the time I was there.

Every bed has its own locker, so you can easily store your valuables while you’re out and about. There’s also a reading light, power outlet and 2 USB charger ports over each bed so you can charge your gadgets. The beds were comfortable. The showers and restrooms were right outside of the room, and it was clean and inviting throughout my whole stay. You can rent towels from the hostel for €3.

They have a kitchen that you can use if you want to make your own food, or you can order food from the café or bar. They have a good range of vegan options for both breakfast/lunch and dinner. I had the falafel sandwich for lunch and it was delicious!

I think what makes ClinkNOORD so special is all of the activities.  Cider pong, quiz, solo traveler meet up, yoga, secret concerts, beer tasting, free guided tours of the city and more. There’s always something to do, and if you just want to be social, then you can head to their bar (Zinc Bar) and use the 2 for 1 voucher that they hand you when you check in. Buy a new friend a drink and chat away!

All in all, I had an absolutely fantastic time! ClinkNOORd is hands down the best hostel I’ve been to so far! I highly recommend it, and I can’t wait to go back!

You tempted to try ClinkNOORD out? Click on the Hotels.com logo below to read more!

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