Best accommodation in Netherlands

Inevitably accommodation is one of the major expenses of a trip to the Netherlands – indeed, if you’re after a degree of comfort and style, it’s going to be the costliest item by far. There are, however, budget alternatives, principally private rooms (broadly bed and breakfast arranged via the local tourist office), campsites and a scattering of HI-registered hostels. During the summer and over holiday periods vacant rooms can be scarce, so it’s wise to book ahead. In Amsterdam, room shortages are commonplace throughout the year, so advance booking is always required; hotel prices are about thirty percent higher here than in the rest of the country.

Hotels

You can book ahead easily by calling the hotel direct – English is almost always spoken. Within the Netherlands, you can also make same-night bookings in person through any tourist office for a nominal fee. Alternatively, three useful booking websites are w weekendcompany.nl (in Dutch & German only); w weekendjeweg.nl (Dutch only); and the Netherlands’ Board of Tourism’s w holland.com.

Private rooms

Vrienden op de Fiets

Hostels

Dorm beds cost €25–40 per person per night including breakfast, €50 for a bed in a double room, depending on the season and the hostel’s facilities; there are no age restrictions. Both city and country locations can get very full between June and September, when you should book in advance. Most Stayokay hostels accept online bookings. Meals are often available – about €13 for a filling dinner – but there are no self-catering facilities. If you’re planning on spending several nights in hostels, it makes sense to join your home HI organization before you leave in order to avoid paying surcharges, though you can join at the first Dutch hostel you stay at instead.

In addition to Stayokay hostels, the larger cities – particularly Amsterdam – have a number of private hostels offering dormitory accommodation and almost invariably double- and triple-bedded rooms too. Prices are broadly similar, but standards vary enormously; we’ve given detailed reviews, where appropriate, in the Guide.

Camping and trekkers’ huts

If you don’t mind having basic facilities, look out also for minicampings, which are generally signed off the main roads. These are often family-run – you may end up pitched next to a family’s house – and are informal, inexpensive and friendly. Details of registered minicampings can be found in the accommodation section of the provincial guides sold at every tourist office. Some campsites also offer trekkers’ huts (trekkershutten) – frugally furnished wooden affairs that can house a maximum of four people for about €30 a night. You can get details of the national network, with good information in English and a list of sites in each-province, from the Stichting Trekkershutten Nederland (w trekkershutten.nl).