Stay Report: Ibis Styles Amsterdam Amstel (February 2017)

Stay Report: Ibis Styles Amsterdam Amstel
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I was going to meet my friend in Amsterdam, but I was arriving at night and they weren't arriving until the next morning so I needed to find a hotel near the Marriott.  Hotels are generally expensive in Amsterdam so I was looking for one that was not that expensive but still pretty decent.  I decided to try the Ibis Styles Amsterdam Amstel.  The hotel is located in Amstel area which is south of the city center and is located near a tram stop and near restaurants and services.  The hotel’s outside fits nicely with the neighborhood décor – it does not look like a hotel from the outside.  You walk up a couple of steps and enter into the lobby.  The hotel fits into the ‘Amsterdam’ décor so it is very narrow.  Given the limited space, the lobby was not that big.

Check-in was pretty quick and I was given an overview of the hotel, as well as additional perks being a LeClub member.  All Ibis Styles include free breakfast, and this was served in the basement level.  Free wifi was also included.  Additional perks included a free drink and 10% off my meal at the bar in the hotel located across the canal from the hotel.  The hotel did not seem to have a bar, so it had partnered with the hotel across the canal to allow its patrons to use their bar.  This was a very nice gesture, but as I was only here for the night I did not take advantage of it.

The layout of the hotel was very unique.   To get to the elevators, there was a door next to the check-in desk that led to the 1^st floor rooms.  You walked passed those rooms into a square pattern to get to the elevator.  The elevators are next to the stairs, which divide the house in the middle.  The interesting thing about the elevators is that there is no connection between the two sides except through the elevator.

The elevator itself is extremely tiny and narrow, and barely fit me and my stuff.  I was told my room was on the 4^th floor, and that I would take the elevator to the 3^rd floor and then walk up steps to get to my room.  When I got to the 3^rd floor I realized that the 4^th floor was basically the attic and the steps to get up there were extremely small, narrow, and winding.  It was very difficult to get both myself and my stuff up the stairs.

As the room was the entire attic, it was big.  It had three single beds, all right next to each other, so I am assuming it was a family room.  As you opened the door, on left hand side was a nook where the desk was.  Straight ahead were the three single beds.  Two of the single beds were pushed next to each other and the third bed was next to them.   On both sides of the combined single beds were nightstands and each bed had a tiny lamp above it.   The beds themselves were not very comfortable as the padding was light and the comforter small.  It was decent for one night, but would not be comfortable for a longer stay.

To the right of the entrance was the bathroom.  The bathroom contained a sink, a toilet, and a stand-up shower.  The shower was very tiny and compact and was difficult to move around without hitting the shower.  Towels were provided along with bathroom amenities, including soap, shampoo, and shower gel.  I had brought my own toiletries so was not able to try the ones provided.  Right next to the bathroom was another nook which housed the closet and a mirror.  It was very dark on that side and it seemed like wasted space.

Amenities of the hotel which I tried included the free wifi and the free breakfast.  The nice thing about Accorhotels is the free and fast wifi.  You can connect as many devices as you want, and the speed is fast enough to stream videos.   The free breakfast was also very convenient as it provided enough food for a decent meal.  Overall, it was an average stay at the Ibis Styles.  It was my second time staying at the Ibis Styles, and the first experience was much better.  The room layout and location was not customer friendly, but the additional services – including the free wifi, the free breakfast, and the free welcome drink – were nice touches.