Amsterdam is quite an expensive destination when it comes to accommodation (mostly hotels located inside the city). There is of course the most affordable option of hostels, with prices ranging at 50€ to 100€ per night. But, hostels are not our thing, so looking to reduce our accommodation budget we decided to stay in the BEST WESTERN Zaan Inn, which is located in the town of Zaandam (Amsterdam’s suburb).
Best Western Zaan Inn:
It is a large and modern hotel with easy access to the city center. The train station is just 3 minutes away and the trains’ frequency to and from the city center is very high*. The rooms are spacious and bright with big windows, wooden floors, large cozy beds and free wifi. Also, the staff is very polite, helpful and willing to inform you of the transportation options and of all the hidden places worth seeing in Amsterdam.
One of the hotel’s downsides is the feeling of insecurity, due to the lack of lighting in the broader, half-empty area. Furthermore, the fact that the sheets were never changed, both times we stayed there, did not leave the best of impressions on us.
The price (breakfast not included) for each night was around 79€.
The BEST WESTERN Zaan Inn is a decent choice, for anyone that can afford up to 100€ per night, as it combines a quality stay in a modern environment with parking and a charming view of the trains. Recommended (R)
*Aside from frequency, there are three more advantages, the first one being the distance, as it is only 12 minutes away from the city center. The second one is that it is open until 02.00 and, finally, it has a very low cost, as the price of a round-trip ticket is only 5€.
Accommodation Score (Average): 8
Cleanliness: 7.5
Staff Kindness-Service: 9
Quality of Life and Area Safety: 6
Value for Money: 9
Room Quality: 8.5
Location: 8
Benefits: 8
Breakfast: –
Scores, opinions and reviews about accommodations are completely subjective, but fully capture everything we saw and experienced without any preconception, affinity or distaste. Also, prices may vary depending on time period and demand.