Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam – South

The Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam - South is easy to pick out from the street: It's square shaped with reflective windows. Inside, the modern decor continues with a minimalist lobby whose main features are individual white club chairs and a black and white staircase. The hotel's sole meeting room is richly decorated with earth colors and substantial looking conference tables, with black and white photographs of the neighborhood adorning the walls.

This Holiday Inn Express is located in the Zuideramstel neighborhood outside of Amsterdam. The area is largely Jewish with kosher restaurants and shops within walking distance, but not much else. There is a tram stop near the hotel's front doors which takes passengers to the center of Amsterdam in about 20 minutes, providing a semi-convenient way to explore the rest of the city.

The rooms of this Holiday Inn Express are nicer than what one would usually find at a three-pearl property. Rooms and bathrooms are so clean they look hardly used. Rooms have simple, contemporary furnishings and Eames-style desk chairs. Each is decorated in white with vivid pops of blue and comes standard with an electronic kettle and free instant coffee and tea. Flat-screens TVs and free Wi-Fi are nice perks. Bathrooms are done in black and white with walk-in showers and shampoo and soap dispensers mounted to the walls. The windows face the street and a parking lot.

The hotel's unstaffed business center is actually just a small area in the lobby dedicated to two computers and a printer for guests to use. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. The restaurant serves a free continental breakfast, with kosher items on request. However, guests must look elsewhere for lunch and dinner options, as only breakfast is offered here. A small bar serves basic cocktails and beer. Bike rentals are available for an extra fee.