Clink Noord Amsterdam: Best hostel in the city?
Last Updated on May 26, 2024 by Lauren Allen
Heading to the Dutch capital and looking for a cool place to stay? Then Clink Noord Amsterdam might be the perfect choice! In this post, I will share my honest review after staying in the hostel for four nights last month. Expect to hear all about its location, comfort, facilities and much more.
Clink Noord Amsterdam: An HONEST review
Where is Clink Noord?
Unlike many of the popular hostels in Amsterdam, Clink Noord is located across the water from Centraal Station in Noord. It’s just a stone’s throw away from popular tourist attractions such as the A’Dam lookout and This Is Holland.
This is convenient if you’re looking to explore the Netherlands beyond Amsterdam as you can be at the train station in no time!
How to get to Clink Noord from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Public Transport
If you’re travelling on a budget, the best way to get to Clink Noord from the airport is to travel via public transport. To do this, catch the train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station. This journey costs €5.80 and takes around 25 minutes.
Once arriving at the train station, walk to the back of the train station and outside where you’ll find the ferry terminal. Jump on the ferry to Buiksloterweg and after just a few minutes, you’ll be in Noord. Once there, the hostel is just a short three (ish) minute walk away.
The ferries between Amsterdam Centraal and Buiksloterweg (thankfully) run 24 hours, so don’t fret if you want to party the night away in the city centre. During the day, they run every five minutes or so. However, keep in mind that they do get less frequent as it gets later and into the early hours of the morning.
Typically, the ferries run every 5 minutes or so until around midnight. After which they run every 10-15 minutes until the next morning. For more information about the ferry timetable, click here.
Top tip: The ferries are free of charge so don’t worry about buying tickets!
Taxi
If you’d prefer, you can also get a taxi (or Bolt) from the airport to Clink Noord. However, this will only save you around 20 minutes and set you back approximately €35 – €55 (depending on the time of day). This is considerably more than travelling via public transport, so weigh it up yourself to see if it’s personally worth it.
Checking into Clink Noord Amsterdam
The check-in process at the hostel is a little different than most hostels and hotels out there. For example, upon arrival at reception, you will be guided to the self-check-in tablets where you will input your information. Afterwards, you will receive your room number, bed number and a code via email that will get you into your room.
Personally, I wasn’t really a fan of this as I’d been up since 3am to fly to Amsterdam from Malta and I was tired. I also got error messages the first three times I input my information which just added to the frustration.
The plus side was that despite the kind of annoying check-in experience, I was able to get access to my room around 4 hours early.
What type of rooms can I book at Clink Noord in Amsterdam?
Typically, the rooms at Clink Noord are dorm-style rooms with 4-14 beds per room, and the more people there are per room, the cheaper the price! However, there are options if you’re travelling with a pal or group of friends.
If you don’t fancy sharing with strangers (it’s not for everyone), there are private rooms that sleep up to six people. This gives you additional privacy among your group. There are also single rooms for those that are travelling solo. However, you will pay more for the luxury of your own room or a private room in general.
Facilities at Clink Noord
Out of all the hostels I’ve stayed in over the years, Clink Noord has the most impressive amount of facilities. Here is a snapshot of what facilities are on offer at this popular hostel in Amsterdam:
General facilities:
- A shared kitchen: Where you can save some money and cook up a storm.
- Items: Hair dryers and irons are available to borrow free of charge.
- Luggage storage and lockers: To store your belongings free of charge.
- Laundry room: To wash your dirty clothes.
- Free wifi: Available throughout the hostel.
- Catalyst Cafe: An on-site cafe where you can purchase snacks or meals. They also serve alcohol here.
Entertaining facilities:
- A lounge and TV area.
- Entertainment such as comedy nights, live music, karaoke nights and events.
- Arcade games, board games, puzzles, pool table and table tennis.
- Lots of books.
- Yoga mornings.
- Movie nights.
- Bike hire.
- Walking tours.
Parties, bars and events at ClinkNoord Hostel
One of the coolest things about Clink Noord is how social the hostel is. For example, there are activities like yoga or meet-up opportunities for solo travellers. There is also a bar called Zinc Bar that serves a range of beers, wines and spirits meaning you don’t need to head out if you fancy a drink (or five) before heading to bed.
What if I’ve forgotten something?
Like many hostels, Clink Noord sells a variety of travel essentials and toiletries such as:
- Shampoo
- Shower gel
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Pack locks
They also have towels available to rent for €3.50 which if I’m being honest, I found quite annoying considering I was paying over €50 a night to stay in a dorm room. Although granted, I was staying in April which is one of the busiest times to visit Amsterdam.
The rooms and comfort
During my stay, I opted for the four-bed dorm and in terms of hostel rooms, it was decent enough. The room was very clean, the bed was comfy and there was a lamp and a plug socket at each bed. While I personally would prefer more than one plug, there are more near the mirror in the room if you need to charge more than one device.
There were two separate bathrooms – One that had a toilet and a sink, the other had a shower and a sink. They were clean bathrooms. However, there was no shower mat and due to the type of shower “doors” in the hostel, the water went all over the floor in the room. This made getting changed kinda awkward.
I also got unlucky with a locker that wouldn’t lock properly. However, nobody else in the room seemed to have any issues.
Lastly, I did get cold in the room at night which is likely due to the fact it’s such an old and large building. However, it was nothing an extra blanket couldn’t solve.
FAQs about staying at Clinknoord Hostel Amsterdam
What are the best things about Clink Amsterdam Noord?
It’s a very social hostel which is great if you’re looking to meet like-minded travel lovers while on the road. There is also a lot of things to keep you occupied in the hostel if you get a little bored.
What time is check-in and check-out?
Unfortunately, check-in is a late one at 4pm, but you might get lucky when it comes to checking in early if your room is already ready. Check-out is by 10am.
Is there parking at Clink Noord Hostel in Amsterdam?
No, there is no designated parking for hostel guests. However, A’Dam Tower has a car park and you can reserve a slot here (but it isn’t cheap).
Is breakfast included?
Sadly not and it costs €8.90 per day. Although it’s a buffet-style breakfast and it has good reviews, this felt a bit too steep for breakfast in a hostel. Especially considering many hostels offer free breakfasts.
If you do opt to pay for the buffet breakfast, it runs daily from 7am until 10.30am and you can find the following food and drinks on offer:
- Tea and coffee
- Juice
- Cereals
- Meat
- Cake
- Egg
- Toast
- Spreads
- Beans
How much does it cost to stay at the hostel?
Prices vary depending on the time of year and as I’ve stated already, the prices often skyrocket in Spring. This is due to supply and demand as the tulip season runs from March to May and brings tourists from all over the world to Amsterdam.
However, if you are visiting outside of peak times, you can book a bed in a dorm for around €30 (give or take).
A quick note: Prices are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, check out the different options upon booking to find the best deal.
Are there any downsides to Clink Noord Amsterdam?
Yes – Personally, I found paying for a towel and the steep cost of breakfast to be a downside of the hostel. I also wasn’t a fan of the digital check-in system when I had only had 3 hours of sleep the night before. However, these are all personal preferences and no hostel is perfect.
The overall experience of staying at Clink Noord
Overall, I would stay at Clink Noord again despite the downsides. I loved that it has such a social vibe and was located almost directly across the water from Central Station. Lastly, I slept really well in the bed once I had some extra blankets which isn’t always the case when I stay in hostels!
How to book at stay at this popular hostel in Amsterdam
As a frequent traveller, I use booking.com to book almost all of my hostels and hotels when I travel. To book your stay at Clink Nord Amsterdam, click here.
Alternatively, you can book direct through Clinks website or make a booking over the phone at +31 20 214 9730.
Top tips for visiting Amsterdam
After recently visiting the city for the third time, let me tell you that there is a lot to see and do in Amsterdam. From world-renowned art galleries to hipster neighbourhoods and much more, you should aim to spend at least three days in the city on any trip to the Dutch capital.
If you are yet to see what all the fuss is about, but you’re planning on visiting soon, check out my other posts for everything you need to know about planning your ideal trip to Amsterdam! Alternatively, check out this guide to the best places to stay in the Dutch capital.
Have you stayed at Clink Noord in Amsterdam? How did you find it?
