Euphemia Hotel

Housed in a cute building with big windows and some plants out front, the Euphemia has a quaint, small hotel feel from the outside. Interiors, however, are more hostel-like than bed-and-breakfast, with a basic wooden front desk, carpeted hallways, dim lighting, and few frills overall. The pleasant lobby lounge has been updated more recently than the rest of the property, and features polished wooden floors, charming Amsterdam-inspired decorations on walls, and long, padded benches in blue hues. The crowd at the Euphemia is young (guests over 40 years old are not allowed on-site), but the location in a quieter part of town seems to draw more independent travelers on a budget than partiers, which allows for quiet nights. 

The lobby lounge offers breakfast for a fee, but we didn’t see any guests there in the morning, and the hotel was quiet throughout the day, with just a guest or two popping into the lounge in the afternoon for a quick pit stop or a coffee from the machine. Travelers seeking a livelier atmosphere may prefer the Flying Pig Downtown, which is in the same price range as the Euphemia and has a hopping bar with music. Stayokay Hostel Amsterdam Vondelpark is a cheaper, more contemporary property near museums, but the many fees (for towels, lockers, and luggage storage) can add up. Those with a bit more cash to spare may want to compare rates at Hotel Nadia, which offers free breakfast and cozy rooms with solid amenities.

The hotel is located on a small cobblestone street on the southern edge of the Canal Ring. This part of the neighborhood is quiet and much less tourist-friendly than the areas closer to the Old Center, but there are many restaurants, bars, and cafes around, and trendy De Pijp neighborhood is right across the canal from the hotel. This location is convenient for visiting the main attractions on foot -- it is a five-minute walk from both the Heineken Experience and Rijksmuseum, 10 minutes from the Flower Market, and less than 20 from Dam Square. Several trams and buses stop just down the block from the hotel, allowing for easy access to other tourist attractions farther away, including the Anne Frank House and artsy Jordaan neighborhood. Centraal Station can be reached by tram in about 15 minutes, while it takes about 40 minutes to get to the airport by car. 

The hotel has a total of 27 rooms, including several private rooms and a number of dormitories for up to 10 people. Rooms are clean but basic and old, with worn navy carpets, just a few pieces of mismatched furniture (sometimes chairs double as nightstands, and nightstands as desks), and office-like ceilings. Dorms have several sets of double bunk beds, a small cafeteria-style table with a chair, and lockers big enough to fit a carry-on suitcase and a purse or a larger backpack. Sheets are provided in all rooms, but towels are only free for guests staying in private rooms. The only amenity available in rooms is free Wi-Fi (it was fast and reliable in our ground-floor room), as rooms lack basics such as TVs and mini-fridges. Air-conditioning is not available anywhere in the hotel, but dorms come with fans. 

All rooms (except three of the dormitories) have private, en-suite bathrooms. They’re clean, albeit lackluster, with old yellow and gray tiles, linoleum floors, wet room-style showers with plastic curtains, and just a small bar of soap. Water pressure was good during our visit. Hairdryers are not provided and counter space is limited. Travelers visiting the city in the winter may want to know that bathrooms lack heating, and ours was extremely cold in the morning.

There are no female-only dormitories, but ladies traveling in a group can book entire dormitories. 

The hotel’s only common space is the lounge, a pleasant space with a handful of tables and big windows located adjacent to the lobby. There is a coffee machine, a large TV, and a few books on a shelf, but we saw few guests hanging out there during the day. There are no restaurant, communal kitchen, or bar at the Euphemia, but guests can order breakfast from a menu with four basic options for a fee. There are also two vending machines by the entrance, and guests are allowed to bring their own food and eat it in the lounge. Luggage can be stored free of charge after checkout.