Hotel Vondel Amsterdam Review

Affordable Luxury Hotel near Amsterdam Museumplein

Hotel Vondel Amsterdam (Catalonia Vondel Amsterdam) is an upscale boutique hotel located near the Vondel Park and Amsterdam Museumplein. This hotel not only checked off all my criteria but also was my favorite accommodation out of all the hotels I stayed in during my one-month Europe trip. If you are looking for a luxury hotel in Amsterdam that won’t break the bank, read this honest review. Also, I will share 9 unique and unusual hotels in Amsterdam you should consider and compare before booking your accommodation.  

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Hotel Vondel (Catalonia Vondel Amsterdam)

Star Ratings: 4 Stars

Room Type: Double Room

Wi-Fi: Complimentary

Parking: Street Parking

Meals: Breakfast at an additional fee.

Amenities: Double bed, air conditioning, sitting area, mini-bar, safe, electric kettle, etc.

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Location: Near Vondel Park & Museumplein

Whenever I search for hotels, location is the first thing I look at. I strive to find a balance between convenience and comfort. It saves so much energy, time and money to be in the central location in any metropolis. At the same, I also don’t want to be right in the middle of touristy places to deal with noise and traffic.

That said, Vondel Hotel Amsterdam hits the spot. It is located right off the canal rings in a quiet and peaceful area of the city while it is only 5 minutes away from the Vondel Park and less than 10 minutes away from Rijksmuseum on foot.

The location could not be any better for my Amsterdam itinerary as I planned to visit museums in the morning. I enjoyed my peaceful stroll in the neighborhood with the Amsterdamers on bicycles passing me by on their morning commute. And the Vondel Park was a stone throw away to soak the sunshine in the afternoon.

The hotel is close to two tram stops – Leidseplein and Overtoom. I bought a GVB Transport Pass to take advantage of unlimited public transport ride and took trams to Dam Square (7 min ride) and De Pijp (10 min ride). 

Also, I appreciated the proximity to many supermarkets like Albert Heijn, cafes and bakeries in the neighborhood.

Spacious Room, Comfortable Bed

Before heading to Europe, I expected the rooms would be tiny in the European hotels, which turned out to be true in most cases. So when I opened the door of my room at the Hotel Vondel, I jumped out of joy to see how spacious it was. After being cramped in a tiny space for a while in Europe, I appreciated the space!

The room consists of one double bed, one side table, one closet with a safe inside, one desk and chair set and a comfortable sitting area with a small coffee table and two chairs set. The spacious room fits all of the furniture and still had space to spread open two large suitcases. The closet provided enough storage space. A separate working station was a nice touch because I put all my electronics and laptop there. And the sitting area was useful to rest and eat snacks.

The highlight of this room was the bed. Generally speaking, I loved beds in all Dutch hotels because they were long enough to fit two tall adults without their feet dangling at the end. (All tall people will know. It does happen more often than you think, especially in Asia.) But the bed in this hotel was not only long but also exceptionally comfortable. 

The suite I stayed was on the underground floor. While it was not super bright, the window was above the ground casting enough natural light into the room. It didn’t matter much to me, though, because I closed the curtain except in the morning.

Oh, did I mention the A/C in the room? I didn’t need to leave the window open because I was running A/C all the time. While Amsterdam was not boiling hot outside at night in July, it did get stuffy inside the room without the A/C (the American side of me speaking here). I slept so comfortably in the cold aired room at Hotel Vondel.

Pro Tips: Speaking of the A/C, I noticed that it is not a standard feature in European hotels. In Paris, I slept in sweat even with two windows left open in July. When I traveled Florence in June, the A/C in the room broke on the first day. Although I paid a premium for it, the hotel was fully booked and couldn’t change my room. I was uncomfortable sleeping in the streamy room. All to say, if you usually sleep at night with the A/C on in summer, you would be better off to have that option.

Spacious, Clean Bathroom

The bathroom is often a deal breaker (or maker) when I select hotels. I’m okay with a small bathroom; however, I cannot do a dirty, dark bathroom, no matter how cheap the hotel is or how short my stay is.

The bathroom at Hotel Vondel was, of course, clean. The shower, bathtub and toilet bowl were all sparkly clean. The movable glass door on the tub was a nice touch to keep the water away from the floor. 

But that’s not it. I appreciated a high sink. When the sink is too low, not only does it get my clothes wet unnecessarily but also hurts my back. Again, it’s a tall people’s problem I often experience in hotels in Japan.

Additionally, I loved the provided toiletry. The hard water in Europe seemed to do some severe damage to my hair. I noticed my hair was getting too dry and hard in Europe. I couldn’t use any poor-quality shampoos provided at hotels (except the Nuxe shampoo at this Brussels hotel) during my tour de Europe. Shampoo here at Hotel Vondel was a good quality that I had no problem using daily. Note: I used my conditioner as the hotel did not provide it.

Restaurant & Bar

The Vondel Hotel in Amsterdam has a restaurant and a bar on the ground floor. During the warm month, guests have an option to take breakfast in the outdoor garden area. The JOOST restaurant serves Dutch food and other western cuisines for lunch and dinner. The hotel bar serves coffee, beer and other alcoholic beverages.

I liked their latte; however, other than that, I can’t comment much on the food. My package didn’t come with breakfast. And I was out for dinner, so I didn’t get to eat at the hotel restaurant.

Final Thoughts

I highly recommend Hotel Vondel Amsterdam for anyone visiting Amsterdam. This hotel will be the perfect place to relax your tired body at night while still being close to the action during the day. All the amenities, such as spacious air-conditioned room and clean bathroom with fine toiletry, are nothing over the top yet comfortable making you feel right at home. 

↡↡ Read what others say about the Hotel Vondel Amsterdam and compare rates ↡↡

↡↡ Want More Amsterdam Hotel Options to Compare ↡↡

Haven’t planned your Amsterdam travel details yet? Check out my other Amsterdam articles:

• Amsterdam 4-Day Itinerary and Essential Travel Tips for First-time Visitors 
• How to Get Anne Frank House Tickets 
• 5 Best Amsterdam Museums (+ 1 Hidden Gem)

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