Hotels near The Bananenbar, Amsterdam

Located 10min walk from Ams central station and at the centre of the old town, it’s convenient to get to lots of the touristy spots like the dam plaza, red light district and commuting is easy. We were warmly welcomed by Rob from the hotel and he could share good recommendations of whereabouts of the city. Very grateful for the hospitality. The room itself is spacious and quiet even the hotel is located at the centre. Would recommend this to other travellers!

Overall experience was great, one of the late morning check-in male staff was really welcoming and even upgraded me to a higher floor with a fantastic view of the river. But since the checkin is 3pm, when I got back, another burlier guy got us our keys but was way too serious and sombre. It's fine but a smile would go a long way. One tiny irk was the lack of bedroom slippers in a carpeted room. I feel it should be basic. And this is the one time I didn't bring a just-in-case pair and i was caught out. Anyway, location is good, tram connection to the Centraal Station just across the street or a 10min walk.

Unfortunately, my experience with this hotel was quite disappointing . The first issue happened when I arrived for check-in. I was told at the counter that check-in was only available after 3pm, so I left my luggage with the hotel and informed the staff that I would return at night to check in. However, when I returned at night, the main entrance door was already closed for security reasons. I was completely blocked outside because no one had informed me that the main entrance would be locked after a certain time, and that guests could only enter through another door by tapping their room card. The problem was that I had not checked in yet, so I obviously did not have a room card. There was a machine outside to contact the front desk, but no one responded when I tried to use it. I had to figure out how to get into the building myself, which was extremely frustrating, especially after travelling and arriving at night. The second issue was when I checked out in the morning and wanted to store my luggage. I was then told that luggage storage would cost $5.30. I found this quite surprising, as I had not been informed about the charge beforehand. Since I had plans, I have no choice to paid for it .

Overall, this hotel is quite similar to hotels in Japan – clean, but definitely on the smaller side. The shower stall barely fits one person. However, the views and location are excellent; it's literally just 50 meters from the station's ticket gate, incredibly convenient. It's generally clean, and right across from Amsterdam's city center. The Wi-Fi is also very fast. The Ibis across the street was a bit cheaper and also very close, but I read online that there was a chance of being assigned to a basement room, so I opted for this one instead. The Red Light District is less than a kilometer away, and there's even a Uniqlo right in front. The downside, as shown in the pictures (if provided), is that the special single queen room has two connecting doors to the adjacent room, and they weren't locked upon check-in, which was a bit alarming. After I reported it to the front desk, they locked it. Good thing it was closed, as I heard the people next door trying to open it a few times that night, curious about the door.

The front desk staff were all very friendly, and the room was a pretty standard dorm. The shower had a bit of a drain smell if you showered for a long time, but it was okay. The bathroom, though, had a slight urine odor. The bed curtains were nice, but unfortunately, my perfume was stolen during my stay. You really need to hide your valuables well here.

The hostel is huge. It mainly hosts young people and school groups. Nevertheless, they manage to keep it clean! You can only pay by card for everything there! Towels cost extra. The front desk staff are friendly: they helped me check in and store my suitcase in the luggage room. They have a huge dining area where breakfast is served – it's good, and the coffee is excellent. You can eat your own food there at other times of the day. But! There's no microwave!!! There's a hot water dispenser, which was cold or empty exactly when I needed it most)) Bring shower sandals. In the quadruple room with a bathroom, water would flood the entire floor – that's just how the shower is designed there. The stained-glass windows on every floor are beautiful!!!!

We had a great three night stay at the Leonardo city hotel. Great location near the museum area and inner Amsterdam canals, yet really quiet too. Breakfast was great value, good selection of hot and cold breakfast, pastries, fruit and fruit salad etc. The breakfast room was very well decorated and stylish. Rooms were ok, each enjoying a big picture window, ensuite and comfy beds, Staff were very helpful and pleasant. All together a great stay.

This hotel is a convenient option for those who want to stay near Amsterdam but don't want to pay city prices. Getting there is very easy; it's just one Sprinter train stop outside the city center, and then an easy walk from the station to the hotel. The area around the hotel has plenty of amenities, with both a Spar and Jumbo supermarket nearby, making it very convenient to buy food, drinks, or essential items. However, one issue slightly dampened the overall experience: a scarf went missing in the hotel lobby and was not recovered, even after inquiring with the hotel. Therefore, I recommend keeping a close eye on your personal belongings in common areas. Overall, it's a hotel with convenient transport links, a good location, and plenty of shops nearby, but it's advisable to be more careful with your personal items and belongings.

The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful. The room was spacious, and the location was super convenient – just a 10-minute walk to the train station or tram stop. They even have a piano in the common area for guests to play!

There were some inconveniences, like the electricity not working at times and the shower door being incomplete, causing water to spill out. I was told there would be a hairdryer in the room, but there wasn't one. On the positive side, the staff were kind and helpful.