WOW Amsterdam Hostel Interview

Exclusive interview with the brand new WOW Amsterdam manager

Amsterdam is a liberal, cultured city and one of the world's greatest tourist destinations. In such a dynamic and arty place even their hostels are something special. We decided to visit one of the freshest and most exciting new venues, WOW Hostel. It's really something special and consists of a hostel, restaurant, art studio, exhibition space and even an urban farm!

To get a better understanding of this superb new hostel we interviewed one of their managers Astrid, who revealed to us what can you expect from a stay at WOW Hostel.

1. Your hostel is a cultured art residence for travellers and is distinctive from most other hostels. What was the inspiration behind opening WOW Amsterdam?
   
   We officially opened in July 2014 as part of a social enterprise project run by Bureau Broedplaatsen Amsterdam. WOW Amsterdam is not only a hostel, because it offers temporary housing to young creatives from local Amsterdam Art Institutions. It also provides new workplaces for artists and exhibition spaces throughout the year. Our staff are a fun loving bunch! They are a fresh mix of young and senior staff members who have great experience of the hospitality industry.
   
   
   
   
2. Can you tell us the most bizarre and funny episode from your time in the hostel?
   
   A little while ago we had a curious booking from the ‘Andalusian Orchestra’ and they certainly enjoyed practising in our lobby! So much noise, but the music was fantastic and our guests loved them.
   
   
3. Do you get any special requests from your guests? Are they predominately backpackers or is the type of hostel traveller changing?
   
   It’s a surprise to have guests booking out the hostel for over a month or sometimes even longer. Our guests come from all the world and I still think the ‘budget backpacker’ still exists, just the concept of a traveller is changing over time. During the summer you get the Inter Rail crowd booking out dorms, but we have a range of visitors staying here and these include students groups, families and mature travellers.
   
   
   
   
4. Why do you think travellers generally prefer a hostel environment compared to say a hotel or B&B?
   
   You can make friends with like-minded travellers when you book a hostel. In a hotel that simply doesn’t happen – everybody knows this. Also, hostels are increasingly adopting the best features of hotels like continental breakfasts and in the evening we serve a ‘dish of the day’ in our international restaurant. We rent out bikes – not many hotels do that! Another feature is that we have free Wi-Fi in the entire hostel not just in the lobby. Guests can get more extra services and facilities than ever before.
   
   
5. Do you organise special events and nights out for your guests?
   
   We organise regular cultural events like exhibitions and fashion nights, which form the best part of staying at WOW Amsterdam. Guests can see exclusive art exhibitions by local artists and fashion designers. We have a rich calendar of events that changes every month. We have our finger on the pulse at WOW Amsterdam.
   
   
   
   
6. What is the best time to visit Amsterdam and surroundings?
   
   For the peak flower season and warm spring temperatures, April is the best time of the year to visit the city. Gay Pride takes place on the first weekend in August and is obviously a great time to see the city. Over the Christmas period, Amsterdam is extremely pretty and travellers should check out the Amsterdam Light Festival if they can. We’re lucky to live in such a creative and international city and one where you can guarantee there will be events on every day of the year.
   
   
7. How many days are needed to get the best out of Amsterdam?
   
   I think you need at least three days, but to explore Amsterdam properly I would recommend up to five days to see the less visited sites.
   
   
8. Do you have any tips for travellers on a budget arriving in Amsterdam? Where can you save money on food and could you recommend any popular cheap eateries?
   
   WOW Amsterdam is located in a multi-cultural neighbourhood in the Bos an Lommerplein, which is a five-minute walk from the hostel. Here you will find a daily market with a lovely range of shops and restaurants. The area has everything a budget traveller needs from supermarkets, cafes and cheap stores. In the hostel, we have discount cards for several attractions in the city too.
   
   

We hope that Astrid's interview inspired you to visit Amsterdam. If so, choose your room on the booking form below and get travelling!