Amsterdam - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 177

dramatically in winter, six rooms share two showers and two toi-
lets, Raadhuisstraat 37, tel. [phone], run by go-getters Philip
and Pieter).
$ Hotel Aspen, a few doors away and a good value for a bud-
get hotel, has eight tidy, stark, and well-maintained rooms (S-€40,
tiny D-€55-60, Db-€75-80, Tb-€95, Qb-€110, no breakfast,
Wi-Fi, Raadhuisstraat 31, tel. [phone], fax [phone],
www.hotelaspen.nl, [e-mail], run by Rudy and Esam).
HOSTElS
Amsterdam has a world of good, cheap hostels located throughout
the city. Most are designed for the party crowd, but here are a few
quieter options. They all offer dorm beds; Stayokay Vondelpark
also has some basic doubles.
In the Jordaan: $ The Shelter Jordan is a scruffy, friendly,
Christian-run, 100-bed place in a great neighborhood. While most
of Amsterdam's hostels are pretty wild, this place is drug-free and
alcohol-free, with boys on one floor and girls on another. These
are Amsterdam's best budget beds, in 4- to 20-bed dorms (€24/
bed with sheets and breakfast, €3 extra Fri-Sat, maximum age 35,
Internet access in lobby; near Anne Frank House at Bloemstraat
179; tel. [phone], www.shelter.nl, [e-mail]). The
Shelter serves hot meals, runs a snack bar in its big, relaxing
lounge, offers lockers, and leads nightly Bible studies.
In the Red Light District: $ The Shelter City is Shelter
Jordan's sister—similar, but definitely not preaching to the choir.
While its 180 beds are buried in the heart of the red lights, it feels
very well-run and perfectly safe (€24/bed with sheets and break-
fast in 4- to 20-bed dorms, maximum age 35, curfew, Barndesteeg
21, see map on page 91, tel. [phone], fax [phone], www
.shelter.nl, [e-mail]).
In Vondelpark: $ Stayokay Vondelpark (IY HF) , with 500
beds in 130 rooms, is one of Amsterdam's top hostels (€23-30/bed
in 4- to 20-bed dorms, D-€65-90, higher prices are for March-
Oct, members save €2.50, family rooms, lots of school groups, €2
lockers, right on Vondelpark at Zandpad 5, tel. [phone], fax
020/589-8955, www.stayokay.com). Though Stayokay Vondelpark
and Stayokay Stadsdoelen (listed next) are generally booked long
in advance, occasionally a few beds open up each day at 11:00.
Near Waterlooplein: $ Stayokay Stadsdoelen (IYHF) , smaller
and simpler than its Vondelpark sister (listed above), has only large
dorms and no private bathrooms, but is free of large school groups
(€23-30/bed with sheets and breakfast in 10-bed dorms, members
save €2.50, lockers, Kloveniersburgwal 97, see map on page 61, tel.
020/624-6832, fax [phone], www.stayokay.com).