The Amstel Botel is moored in the river Ij, across from the Amsterdam central station and near a developing cultural area. This hotel on a boat can be reached easily by city ferry, crossing the river. Staying on a boat is a special way to experience both the history and the most interesting feature of Amsterdam: the water.
The Amstel Botel is situated in the middle of Amsterdam on the Ij River--not the Amstel River, as the name would suggest. The boat was formerly a river cruise ship and was for several years moored to the docks next to the Amsterdam central station. In 2008, it was moved to the other side of the river, next to the former NDSM shipyard. Since the shipyards closed, this part of Amsterdam has been developing into a cultural center.
The hotel has 175 rooms and four room types: double rooms, with one double bed; twin rooms, with two separate beds; single rooms with a bunk bed; and triple rooms, with one bunk bed and one single bed. All rooms have a toilet and shower, television with cable TV and an Internet connection via Wi-Fi for an extra charge. Guests can decide whether they want to sleep on the land side or water side of the Botel.
The hotel serves a morning buffet from 7a.m. to 10:30 a.m. that features both English and continental breakfast and is included in the room price. The hotel bar, which has entertainment machines and a pool table, opens at 9 p.m. Computers are available in the bar to access the Internet for an additional fee. The hotel has a 24-hour reception that also features bike rental. You can pay with all major credit cards.
The Amstel Botel is easiest to reach by the city ferry that connects the Amsterdam central station north exit with the former NDSM shipyard. A separate ticket is required, and the ride takes approximately 10 minutes. The hotel is 200 meters from the shipyard ferry stop.
The Amsterdam central station is the transport hub of Amsterdam, reached easily by train from all over the Netherlands and Europe. Trains from the Schiphol airport also stop here. The Schiphol airport is connected with all major airports in the rest of the world.
The hotel is near the home stadium of the Ajax football team. The main attraction in the immediate area is the former NDSM shipyard, now a cultural center with underground flair. The huge area contains several artist workshops, some housed in the two historical ship slipways of the area. There is also a 20,000-square-meter hangar-like hall, which is used for events and festivals. The area is the result of a the efforts of Kinetisch Noord--a group of artists, theater people, skaters and architects--which started redeveloping the former shipyard in June 2002.
