Last Updated: 03/09/22 | March 9th, 2022
Amsterdam will always have a special place in my heart. I spent a month there on my first trip around the world in 2006. I made friends, wandered far and wide, and really got to know the city, its neighborhoods, and its people.
In fact, I fell in love with Amsterdam that trip, and I’ve been back to visit Amsterdam every year since.
It’s one of the most visited and backpacked cities in Europe, with so much to see and do.
The city’s popularity means filled with hundreds of hostels, hotels, and guesthouses.
With so many places showing up in your search results, how do you know which are the best hostels in Amsterdam? I mean, dozens are “top rated” on Hostelworld, right?
I’ve been visiting Amsterdam for a decade and have stayed in dozens upon dozens of places over the years. There are a lot of things to consider when selecting a hostel. The top four when picking the best hostel in Amsterdam are:
- Location – Amsterdam can take some time to get around. Pick a place that is central to the sites and nightlife you want to see. All the hostels listed here are in central locations.
- Price – In Amsterdam, you really get what you pay for, so if you go with a really cheap one, you’re probably going to get a hostel that is small, cramped, and doesn’t offer great service.
- Amenities – Every hostel in the city offers free Wi-Fi, and most have a free breakfast, but if you want more than that, be sure to do your research to find the hostel that best meets your needs!
- Staff – All the hostels listed here have amazing staff! They are super friendly and knowledgeable. Even if you don’t end up staying at one of the places listed below, be sure to look up reviews to ensure you end up somewhere where the staff is helpful and friendly! They can make or break a hostel!
To help you plan your trip, here is my list of the hostels in Amsterdam that I like the most. If you don’t want to read the longer list below, the following hostels are the best in each category:
Best Hostel for Budget Travelers: Euphemia Old City Canal Zone
Best Hostel for Families: StayOkay Vondelpark
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads: Clink Noord
Best Hostel for Partying: Durty Nellys Inn
Best Hostel for Solo Female Travelers: StayOkay Vondelpark or Clink Noord
Best Overall Hostel: The Flying Pig Downtown
Want the specifics of each hostel? Here’s my comprehensive list of the best hostels in Amsterdam:
Price Legend (per night)
- $ = Under 20 EUR
- $$ = 20-30 EUR
- $$$ = Over 30 EUR
1. Euphemia Old City Canal Zone
Located in a former monastery, this hostel sits on a beautiful canal and is close to most of the city’s attractions, particularly the museums. Its beds are comfy, and the rooms are kept clean. It also has bike rentals. If you’re looking for a chill hostel with a view, stay here. Note: Guests must be 40 years of age or younger.
Euphemia Old City Canal Zone at a glance:
- $$
- Laid-back lounge for hanging out and meeting people
- Convenient location near tons of attractions
- Guests must be under 40
Beds from 25 EUR, private rooms from 108 EUR.
2. Meininger Amsterdam Hostels
This European hostel chain has two Amsterdam locations. These hostels are fairly big and are not for the partying type. They are chill hostels meant for families, couples, groups, or anyone looking to escape the party scene. The beds are soft, and you’ll find lots of outlets to charge your electronics. Both hostels are clean, spacious, and comfortable, and offer a fairly decent breakfast. When I’m looking for a quiet time, I stay here.
Meininger Amsterdam Hostels at a glance:
- $$
- Laid-back and quiet atmosphere
- Bar on-site makes it easy to meet people
- Lots of outlets so you can keep your gear charged
Beds from 25 EUR, private rooms from 113 EUR.
3. Clink Noord
Located in North Amsterdam, this former laboratory from the 1920s has been converted into a stylish, clean space for backpackers. It’s a super awesome, fun, and social environment. It has a fantastic library, workspace, and atrium. There’s a café and on-site bar too. The beds are new, and the pillows are quite soft. Each bunk bed has an individual light and USB socket to charge your phone.
Stay here to get a sense of what Amsterdam outside the city center is like. It’s perfect for travelers who want to get off the beaten track in Amsterdam, and it’s truly one of the best hostels here. Fun fact: If you’re a musician, you can perform in the ZincBAR for a free one-night stay.
Clink Noord at a glance:
- $
- Cafe and bar on-site makes it easy to meet people
- Lots of common areas (including workspaces for digital nomads)
- Organizes lots of activities and hosts live events
Beds from 15 EUR, private rooms from 90 EUR.
4. Hostel Van Gogh
Located near the Van Gogh Museum (hence the name), this easily accessible hostel is clean with comfy beds. There’s free Wi-Fi, shampoo, and shower gel, and it offers an all-you-can-eat luxury continental breakfast buffet for only 5 EUR. It also has bike rentals. There’s an age restriction (18–40) for the mixed dorms. I like staying here because the dorms are single beds, there’s art on the walls, and it’s easy to visit all the major attractions from here. (Also, it’s away from the chaos of the Red Light District!)
Hostel Van Gogh at a glance:
- $$
- Convenient location near lots of attractions
- Super affordable buffet breakfast
- Lots of great perks and amenities (bike rentals, free shampoo/soap)
Private rooms from 88 EUR (dorms not currently offered due to COVID-19).
5. Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark
This hostel is part of the YHA association and is pretty standard for them. It’s sort of sterile. Everything is fairly clean and modern, and the beds are kinda comfy. Like Meininger, this hostel is best for couples, groups, families, and non-partying travelers. There’s a good continental breakfast and bike rentals. Also, it’s quiet and there’s no partying. If you’re a YHA member, you get 10% off when you check-in.
Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark at a glance:
- $$$
- Quiet and laid-back atmosphere
- 10% discount for YHA members
- Great choice for families
Beds from 32 EUR, private rooms from 89 EUR.
6. The Flying Pig Downtown
This is one of my favorite hostels in the world, and I almost always stay here when I’m in town. It’s popular with travelers looking to chill and smoke, and the bar area gets very busy at night. It may not be the cheapest hostel in the city, but the showers are good, and the pillows and beds are super comfy. There are charging points by each of the beds too. Because of its famous reputation, it’s almost always full, so it’s easy to make friends. Stay at the downtown location if you want more space and a bigger bar.
The Flying Pig Downtown at a glance:
- $$
- Great place to meet people
- Super fun and social atmosphere
- Bar on-site
Beds from 28 EUR.
—-> Click here to book your stay at The Flying Pig Downtown!
There’s also an uptown location near Vondelpark that is a bit quieter and more relaxed, but it’s a lot smaller.
7. Durty Nellys Inn
Located in the center of Amsterdam by the Red Light District, this is your classic, cozy, tiny, fun backpacker hostel. The beds are decent for a stay, and each comes with its own reading light and power outlet. The hostel creates a great community, and it’s really easy to meet other travelers here. The staff is super knowledgeable, and there’s a hearty breakfast too. Hostel guests also get a discount in the pub located downstairs. Given its location, it’s a party hostel.
Durty Nellys Inn at a glance:
- $$
- Great place to meet other travelers
- Bar on-site for hanging out and having fun
- Organizes lots of activities
Beds from 32 EUR.
8. Hans Brinker Hostel Amsterdam
Hans Brinker has been around nearly 50 years, and it hasn’t changed much since I started visiting. It’s near all of Amsterdam’s best nightlife and only five minutes from the Museumplein. There’s a hip underground bar and a cheap restaurant on-site. The rooms are pretty basic, but there’s free breakfast. It’s one of the most old-school, popular hostels in the city. It’s a bit of an institution.
Hans Brinker Hostel Amsterdam at a glance:
- $
- Convenient location near lots of bars and clubs
- Bar and restaurant on-site
- Free breakfast
Beds from 26 EUR, private rooms for 113 EUR.
9. The Bulldog Hotel
While I thought the lack of a common area detracted from the overall social atmosphere of this hostel, it does have a pub that offers cheap and filling food and drinks. The dorm rooms are clean and modern, and each has its own shower. It’s located right in the heart of the Red Light District, so it’s a bit wild on the weekends! It’s one of the best hostels in the city!
The Bulldog Hotel at a glance:
- $$
- Pub with cheap food and drinks
- Party atmosphere
- Easy to meet people and have fun
Beds from 22 EUR, private rooms from 98 EUR.
10. Shelter City Hostel
I don’t stay at this place often, and I only include it on the list because not everyone wants to party. This is an alcohol-free, party-free, and drug-free hostel with separate rooms for men and women. The rooms are comfy, the showers well kept, and most of the guests here are pretty quiet. There’s also free breakfast.
Shelter City Hostel at a glance:
- $$
- Great place to escape the party
- Female-only dorms for extra privacy and security
- Alcohol-free space so you can get a decent sleep
Beds from 25 EUR.
11. St. Christopher’s at The Winston
This old converted hotel near the Red Light District is one of the all-around best hostels in Amsterdam. It has a beer garden and smoking area, and offers discounts on food and drink in the bar downstairs, which is also popular with locals because of its cheap happy hour. The hallways have cool art, and the beds are comfy. This is a great, great place to meet other travelers. Be sure to get a room on the inner courtyard to avoid the late-night street noise.
St. Christopher’s at The Winston at a glance:
- $$$
- Cheap food and drinks
- Great place to meet people
- Fun and lively vibe
Beds from 35 EUR, private rooms from 103 EUR.
12. CityHub Amsterdam
This cool new offering has communal areas and shared bathrooms like a hostel, but private rooms like a hotel. The rooms look like space-age hubs (or capsules) from the outside. Inside you’ll find very little space but comfy beds and a quiet environment. It’s a modern, keyless experience. You’ll get a wristband that’ll let you do everything, including purchase beer. The bathrooms are excellent, with awesome showers, and luxury toiletries, including flatirons and curling irons. It’s one of the best new hostels in Amsterdam.
CityHub Amsterdam at a glance:
- $$$
- Tons of modern amenities (like a hotel)
- Bar/Lounge on-site for hanging out and meeting people
- Lots of privacy
Rooms from 103 EUR.
13. Ecomama
Ecomama is a new, eco-friendly hostel located right at the end of the Red Light District and around the corner from Waterlooplein. Everything here is environmentally sustainable, from the use of fair-trade materials to natural stone heating and waste recycling. The rooms are beautiful, with art on the walls, lots of light, and uber comfy mattresses. The common room has a lot of space to hang out in, there’s a spacious kitchen, and the whole building is filled with a lot of natural light. It’s very much the poshest hostel on the list!
Ecomama at a glance:
- $
- Boutique, eco-friendly atmosphere
- Convenient location near the Red Light District
- Lots of common space so it’s easy to meet people
Dorm beds from 19 EUR per night. Private rooms start around 115 EUR per night.
This list of the tried-and-true best hostels in Amsterdam should make planning your trip to Amsterdam a breeze. If you want a great place to stay during your visit, you won’t go wrong with any of these hostels!
Get the In-Depth Budget Guide to Amsterdam!
Check out my comprehensive guide to Amsterdam written for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need for your trip. You’ll find suggested itineraries tips budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, and my favorite non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, transportation tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.
Book Your Trip to Amsterdam: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
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Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Amsterdam for even more planning tips!
