The Generator Amsterdam Hostel

The Generator Amsterdam Hostel



Waking
up in a hostel can be the stuff of nightmares. Throw

Amsterdam
in the mix, and it’s a whole different ball game.
From crusty sheets and college kids wandering the halls (tripping
from their first blunt) to the hemp-wearing traveller playing Bon
Iver on his ukelele, you get to a certain age where you just don’t
want to risk those types of encounters.

Waking up in The Generator Hostel, however,
is nothing of the sort. From my comfy, twin bed in my private room,
a curved wall made up of floor to ceiling windows looks out across
Oosterpark. In eye-line with autumnal treetops, the morning light
floods into an extremely spacious, minimalist room with pine-wood
floors. I have my own bathroom and shower (complete with body wash
and shampoo), a writing desk (where they left me Dutch waffles) and
it’s unbelievably quiet. I’d go so far as to say this is downright
dreamy.

Generator Hostels were founded with a new generation of
travellers in mind, who would rather spend their money discovering
the city than on an overpriced hotel room, but still expect a level
of design, comfort and quality. They have properties in
Paris
, London,
Dublin,
Copenhagen
and more. Their Amsterdam property is located inside Oosterpark in
the eastern part of the city. Set in what was once a zoological
university, the space has preserved some of the old structure
turning the lecture hall into a chill-out bar and the library space
for events, while they also have their own nightclub, bar, café on
site.

Can you tell it’s a hostel? Sure. Step outside your room and the
communal spaces are filled with young excited travellers (a man is
passed out on the next door table for the entire time I eat
breakfast) and they list bedside lamps as a room perk. But does it
matter? No. As long as you’re not heading here on serious business
or a romantic weekend away this is a cool, comfortable and
extremely reasonably priced stay in the city.

Wake up here, hop on your bike and cycle through the park to
spend the rest of your cash on
apple pie
and coffeeshops
Dreamy, we think you’ll agree.

Rooms

The hostel has 168 rooms that can accommodate up to 564 guests.
Rooms are either twins or quadruples, but all have en-suite
bathrooms which isn’t always the case with hostels. The hostel also
has a private luxury apartment for six, complete with a
self-catered kitchen. Our room was a private twin facing the park
with floor to ceiling windows overlooking a lake and surrounded by
trees.

What’s for breakfast?

Breakfast can be found at Nescio Café & Bar in the hostel
itself. It’s an international menu serving up eggs or smashed
avocado on toast. Arguably more important, they offer a full coffee
and tea bar.

How about lunch and dinner?

Nescio is open for lunch and dinner too. The menu offers simple
salads like an iceberg wedge or chicken caesar, as well as a range
of pizzas and sandwiches which may be roast chicken or a classic
reuben. A meal here is light, simple and convenient.

Is there a bar?

Yes, actually there are two. The old lecture hall has been
turned into a bar, with multiple levels and various places to
chill. They maintained the classroom seating, turning it into a
place for conversation and converted a mezzanine into a place for
relaxing. During the day, the building’s original windows allow
natural light; come night, velvet curtains help turn the space into
a late-night bar. In addition to the lecture hall, they have
created a secret bar in the boiler room in the basement. Both
definitely have a younger crowd, but that tends to be the case with
hostels.

Amenities

From the hostel, they offer bike hire, giving you an easy mode
of transport into the centre of the city. They also have laundry
facilities, 24-hour reception, luggage storage and travel shop.

Things you should know

The hostel is a little out of the way but only a quick drive or
cycle into the centre of the city.

Within a short walk you’ll find…

The hostel is right on Oosterpark, so you have the entire park
right at your fingertips. In autumn, the trees make for a
phenomenal display of autumns colours. The Tropenmuseum is a short
walk away, housing art pieces, photos and film with a focus on
non-Western culture. Other tourist attractions such as the Heineken
Experience are located a bit further away across the canal. The
experience is between a 20- or 30-minute walk away, and just past
that is the famous Rijksmuseum, the ‘I Amsterdam’ sign and the Van
Gogh museum.

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