25 December 2012

Hostel: Van Gogh Hostel, Amsterdam

Assalamualaikum. Hallo!

Gila lama gap untuk complete-kan list of hostels aku stay during my trip last June. Padahal baru tiga hostel aku stay! Anyways, since a close friend of mine is planning to go to Amsterdam next year...I think I shall update this entry asap. She's been buzzing around asking me about this that; macamlah aku paling pro berjalan di bumi Amsterdam tu. 

Walhal baru first time jejak kaki, stay pun hanyalah dua hari! Trip habis bah menjawab soalanS sahabat. Nevermind that, sharing is caring. Biar cuma ada secebis knowledge...kalau dikongsi harus aku rasa happy. As I planned everything on my own; from accommodation to transportation to places of interests...I always think sharing what I know would be of helpful to her. The least I could do.

So, lets spill the bean. *poyo* Like I stated before, for all my accommodations throughout the trip; I made my booking through hostelbookers.com months prior coming. 
From Paris, I took the Thalys to Amsterdam Centraal. Ni pun aku beli online siap2. Seat secured, hati senang untuk plan itinerary seterusnya. Nasib lah summer although sampai Amsterdam around 7p matahari masih terang benderang di luar. 
I refer to this to reach the hostel. Mesti selalu simpan direction yang hostel bagi. Memang paling berguna! 
Since I bought the GVB 24hours Pass (free ride on all public transportations excluding taxi) soon after I reached the Centraal Station, jadinya aku hanya perlu tunggu tram #2 or #5. Sila make sure platform tram yang betul supaya ndak salah naik tram. Besar info di board tu so please pay extra attention.
Untuk sampai hostel ni memang paling petik jari. I hopped on the tram #5...pastu bagi sistem pendengaran & penglihatan kerja keras. Dalam tram akan display nama each station where the tram is currently stopping. Beside the LCD display, announcement pun ada. Aku memang sudah download apps tram route dalam Mr Sam, pasal tu aku bangga & riak (CISSS!!) sebab aku tau when to alight from the train. Coming from the Centraal, one will hop off at the stop on the right. Yang kiri; ramai orang berdiri tu...for those going to the Centraal area. 
Down from the tram, turn around & the Van Gogh Mu*seum will be on your right side. Itu adalah landmark paling kentara; tipu ok kalau terlepas pandang. 
Yang ni view opposite the museum. Please beware of the cyclist sebab di Amsterdam lebih ramai orang mengayuh. Cross the road & walk straight. Depan mata akan terus terpampang signboard Van Gogh Hotel.
Hostel ni memang boleh nampak direct from the road. Just before the entrance, ada parking lot untuk basikal. Patutlah best jak udara di Amsterdam, kureng asap kereta rupanya. Choii padahal baru sampai less than an hour...naik tram lagi. Ada hati cakap pasal udara bersih kan.
The reception. Since sudah book awal2, I had no problem during check-in. Paid the remaining balance...filled in the form...and voila! Room pass di tangan gue!
Clogs adalah salah satu simbol traditional Amsterdam. 
Booked a 6 beds female dorm with private bathroom for 26 Euro...memang super puas hati! Thumbs up for everything this hostel had prepared for its guest. Katil empuk. Siap ada safety box for each bed. Bilik bersih. Although macam bingung kenapa perlu ada tv; flatscreen lagi...biarkan jak lah. Manatau ada orang mau tengok berita awal pagi. Or memang tujuan datang Amsterdam adalah untuk melepak dalam dorm & layan movie di tv jak. 
The private bathroom. Untuk kegunaan enam penghuni bilik tu. Gila bah! Bathroom macam ni kira standard hotel sudah kalau di KK. Aku memang jakuns habis ndak payah explain. Luckily my other dorm mates were already out when I checked-in. Hence I took the chance to snap few pictures of the room. Perlu! Kan mau gebang sama sahabat rapat. Tetttt!
Hotel Fita. Ni view from the room's balcony. Yah ada balkoni! Tapi kecil jak lah...aku saturang berdiri pun sudah rasa macam sesak. Penuh gila. Kah sebab kau kembang semangkuk Bie?!
Unlike the hostels in London & Paris, breakfast at Van Gogh is not included in the rate. Kalau mau add on breakfast, its 5 Euro. Considering aku bangun super awal & ndak sure kedai apa buka di Centraal...aku decide untuk jamu perut di cafe hostel. Macam biasa, mimpilah untuk dihidang fried mee nasi lemak semua tu. Haruslah aku trip minah salleh makan cereals. And croissant. And fresh milk. And orange juice. Guna sebaiknya 5 Euro tu. Perlu jalan jauh for the rest of the day, hence I need to refuel semaksimum mungkin. Misi untuk jelajah Zaanse Schans yeah!

Well, finally siap. Syukur. Hopefully this could help that friend of mine to get a bit of a feeling of the hostel. Memang fully recommended stay sini. Affordable & easily accessible. Till next time...wassalam.

eryantierdabdulkarim

No comments: