An Honest Review: Why Stay At The CityHub in Amsterdam

So you’ve made the decision to visit Amsterdam! That was the easy part, now you have to find a place to stay. There are so many hostel and hotel options in the city, it’s hard to know exactly where to stay in Amsterdam. 

We really enjoyed staying at the CityHub in Amsterdam for our three days visiting the city. For the price, you can’t get better amenities or location in Amsterdam. It’s a bit unconventional, sleeping in a pod won’t be for everyone, but it was a really fun experience for us!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Welcome To The CityHub: An Amsterdam Pod Hotel

The Cityhub in Amsterdam is a pod hotel… what’s that you may ask? Well, it’s a hotel and a hostel combined. You have a private sleeping quarters but a shared bathroom. Your pod includes a small area to stand with some cubbies for your belongings and a bed.

So, there’s no TV (although there are bluetooth speakers, and fun disco lights), and the bathroom is separate.

All in all, for a short stay, this is all you really need in a hotel!

The Real Perk Of City Hub Amsterdam: An Unbeatable Location

For some, the location of the Cityhub in Amsterdam might be a bit far because you’re not staying in the hustle and bustle of the city centre. I’ll tell you right now, if that’s what you’re looking for, then this isn’t the place for you…

The City hub Amsterdam just outside the city centre, but for us, it was the perfect location. All the main attractions were still easily accessible with one tram, or if you really wanted to, you could even walk.

Walking Distance To Main Attractions & Accessible Trams

So, you’re not directly in the city centre, but you’re not exactly far either. You’re a 30-minute walk to the heart of downtown and a 20-minute walk to Vondelpark.

But, walking isn’t your only option. About a block from the CityHub in Amsterdam are 2 main tramlines that will take you to the centre in 15 minutes (the 13 and 17). They run quite often and late into the night, and we never waited more than 10 minutes for a tram.

I recommend looking into buying a public transport multi-day pass if you’re there for more than one day or even an I Amsterdam City Card. It makes getting around the city pretty quick and brainless.

Best Hostel in Amsterdam: Food & Shopping Right Next Door

Even though the CityHub is a bit outside the bustle of the city, it’s not in a deserted suburb either. In fact, it’s next door to de Hallan, a giant mall with local shops and a food market.

The food market was the real perk. It’s filled with locals every night, live music, and whatever food your heart desires.

I swear, there was every cuisine imaginable there. I recommend trying the Dutch delicacy bitterballen, essentially a fried meatball. 

CityHub In Amsterdam: Affordable Prices

One of the main reasons we chose to stay at the CityHub in Amsterdam was because of the insanely affordable prices compared to everything else we were seeing. 

If you’ve already looked into accommodations in Amsterdam, you know it isn’t exactly a cheap place to stay. Even typical hostels were expensive, especially since we needed to book two beds.

When booking a hotel, there are a few compromises that I won’t make, like cleanliness, location, and privacy (which is why I’m not a fan of hostels). At the CityHub Amsterdam pod hotel, the compromise is the size of the sleeping space. 

Honestly, as long as my sleeping quarters are clean and private, I don’t really care how big it is. I’m not planning on spending that much time there anyway.

The CityHub Amsterdam costs about €50-€70 per night and fits two people per pod.

Hotel-Like Amenities (& Some Even Better)

When travelling around Europe, you never know what kind of amenities you’re going to get. If I’m staying at a hostel, I never expect anything. I mean, most hostels will even make you pay for a towel! At hotels, I tend to expect a bit more, like shampoo and soap to be included. 

I had no idea what to expect from this Amsterdam capsule hotel.

So I’m happy to report that the amenities provided were even better than some hotels that I’ve stayed at!

Providing not only shampoo and soap but also towels, bathrobes, a hairdryer and a straightener to use. Everything also felt really clean, you could tell a lot of effort is put in to make you feel comfortable.

But the best amenity offered by far was pocket Wifi. Pocket Wifi is a portable Wifi box that you carry with you to get free wifi throughout the city. This saved our butts in Amsterdam because we weren’t able to access the data plan that we bought.

There’s also have a free app you should download for your stay. It lets you control certain pod features (like changing the lights) but it also gives you access to CityHub 24 hour reception. You can ask (over messenger) for recommendations on what to do, where to eat …etc. Even while you’re out of the hotel!

But Let’s Be Real: What’s it Like Sleeping At An Amsterdam Pod Hotel?

Sleeping in a pod was a fun experience! I wouldn’t recommend staying there for much more than a few nights though. You might end up feeling a bit cramped, and there isn’t a lot of space to store your belongings.

The pods are in an ‘L’ shape so they fit together into a square with a bunk either on top or bottom. You have space to stand at the entrance to the pod, with shelves to store luggage. The shelves also double as your steps if you’re in the top bunk.

The standing space isn’t too big, but it’s perfect for one person. If you’re two people in the pod, you might have to take turns getting ready in the morning and at night.

The bed itself is a large king-size with more than enough headspace to sit up (it was better than most places we’d stayed in during our trip!). There’s a window next to the bed so you’re still able to get some natural light and don’t feel claustrophobic.

They also added some features to make your time in the pod more fun. Like Bluetooth speakers and fun coloured lights!  But sometimes I felt that others abused these speakers by playing their music a bit too loud.

Privacy Issue in Bottom & Top Bunks At The CityHub In Amsterdam

You can choose to be on the top or bottom bunk when you check-in at the CityHub in Amsterdam. It doesn’t matter which one you choose, since they both have the standing space and bed. It really depends on your personal preference.

We stayed in a top bunk and noticed that the window was placed awkwardly at most people’s eye level. If you want some natural light in your pod, people can look right in as they walk by. I noticed there was a similar problem if you keep the blinds open on the bottom bunk. People can look right in.

All you have to do to avoid this is slant the blinds so no one can see in, but you’re still able to get light in. I won’t lie, when the blinds were completely closed, I did feel like I was in a bit of a box.

Only Downside: Shared Bathrooms

Not much you can do about this one, you can’t exactly fit a toilet or shower in a pod. 

And honestly, as long as I have my own sleeping quarters, I really didn’t mind the shared bathrooms. All they need to be is clean, and these always were!

Unexpected Bonus: Daily Market

Part of what made this the best hostel in Amsterdam was the expected daily market that was literally right outside the CityHub. We loved it so much! 

It was so convenient to pick up a fresh snack every morning. Or sometimes we’d make our way back to the hotel in the afternoon and pick up some lunch.

Other CityHub Caspule Hotels In The Netherlands

This Amsterdam capsule hostel has opened up other hubs in the Netheralands and Europe to stay at! 

If you’re planning on touring the Netherlands, you can stay at the CityHub Rotterdam. 

If you’re on a Euro trip and stopping in Copenhagen, there’s a CityHub to stay in there as well.

Where To Stay In Amsterdam That Isn’t In A Pod?

If the CityHub in Amsterdam isn’t for you, don’t worry, there’s no shortage of hotels in Amsterdam.

Best Location: Live like a local at a canal house at Mokum Suites. Each room is designed with you in mind, and you can’t get a better location than this in Amsterdam. Dam Square is only a 15 minute walk away and the nearest tram line is 250 metres, taking you anywhere you need to go! See room rates and availability.

Luxury Hotel: Live in luxury in Amsterdam at Hotel V Nesplein – a boutique hotel where no two rooms are the same. See room rates and availability.

Affordable Boutique Hotel: For a more affordable hotel option, stay closer to Vondelpark in Amsterdam at the De Ware Jacob Boutique Hotel. Every room is different and even offer family rooms to stay in! See room rates and availability.

Find other hotels to stay at in Amsterdam, click here.

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Bottom Line: The CityHub Is The Best Hostel in Amsterdam

Last update on 2024-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API