Hotel Not Hotel, Amsterdam Oud-West

Located in Amsterdam, a short walk from the bustling market street of Kinkerstraat.

Hotel Not Hotel is a quirky hotel with a very unique concept designed by Collaboration-O, a group of artists that originated from the Eindhoven Academy, Arno Coenen and IRIS. Our staycay was full of surprises...

The Hotel

The Hotel is actually super cool - and although much more of a budget hotel than we have recently experienced, it really did impress us in so many ways that weren't as "lavish" as the five-star higher end hotels we have stayed in recently. The hotel is an adventure and you feel as if you are staying overnight in an art gallery! We were so impressed with the different themes throughout, all inspired by artists. The centre of the hotel has a cafe-communal feel about it, with a green screen of a fish tank, several art pieces, eclectic furniture and of course the Kevin Bacon Bar for food and drinks.

We found the staff prior and during the stay to be very accommodating, and although very laid-back, it added to the chilled vibe of this boutique hotel.

The location of the hotel, surrounded by small bars and restaurants, and close to the canal front & Vondelpark - really gives you a local, neighbourhood experience of Amsterdam. You aren't right in the middle of all the tourist hotspots, but the transport links like trams and buses can get you there in no-time. Its a very "real" area of Amsterdam if you are looking for something a little different than simply staying central.

The Rooms

Honestly, choosing our room theme was like choosing your Christmas presents for santa's list...we were so excited and the choices were endless! Here a "room isn't just a room" its a work of art, a story, and an identity to explore. So we were aware that we needed to choose our room wisely to explore this!

There are 22-rooms to choose from, each with different artistic themes, to name a few you can stay in : An Amsterdam Tram, a VW Camper-van, a Spanish "casa no casa" (with real Mediterranean Veranda), behind a Secret Bookcase, a Sin City Nevada Skyscraper and many many more... and each room has a description outside to explain where the artists inspiration came from, so you can go exploring the hotel as if you are in a real-life art exhibition.

Please note though, most of the rooms share communal bathrooms (which lends to the hotels very budget prices) and others are very centrally located in the middle of the hotel (so guests quite literally walk past the tram for instance, exciting I am sure!). However, you can book rooms with private en-suite bathrooms such as the Bookcase Rooms or the Poison Ivy Room (which we stayed in) if you prefer to be a bit more secluded! Check out the different rooms and everything they have to offer on the Hotel website.

Let's take a specific look at the "Crisis Free Zone" Room which has stunning elaborate features ...The Room, as described on the hotel Website:

By: Arno Coenen and IRIS

The Crisis Free Zone is the only place on earth (at least at our ground floor) where you can truly get away from the daily drag of negative news and spiralling economies. Woodcarvings on the outside and on the impressive fence; loosely based on Transylvanian symbolism, are there to keep out evil in all its forms. That’s why creatures like vampires, ghosts, and bankers will never be able to enter the Crisis Free Zone. The interior is a complete opposite of the rugged exterior. Modelled after the bedroom of Arno Coenen and IRIS, the couple that created the cottage, it turned out a true sanctuary of love. Breakfast can safely be enjoyed in the zone, as long as you don’t pass the fence. This cottage has everything you need to feel sheltered from the outside world. Safe, romantic, and warm!

The Food

The Kevin Bacon Bar, which is connected to the hotel, was so delightful. Our staycay included a 3-course dinner here (which is now Takeaway dinner - to your room, due to the new lock-down regulations - check the website for updates on these measures) . It was all included with an overnight stay on the weekend for only €59pp! Just wow... (during the week it is only €39pp)!

The Restaurant and bar is named after Kevin Bacon, the actor (you literally cannot NOT know this guy! think Footloose, Mystic River, Apollo 13, X-Men, JFK, She's having a baby...etc). And its theme is unpretentious, and lively (as they say "just like him!") and it really was such a great time! Even if you get a takeaway from here, the food is really something.

Thai Food with cocktails, lively music and nightlife vibes (since we can't enjoy the thrills of the nightclub scenes these days...). The music was very vibey - 90's Hip Hip, R'n'B 0 - and who doesn't love a bit of Montell Jordan "This is how we do it" or Eve "Who's that girl?"?!

For our 3-courses (included in our Staycation package) we opted for Starters of Chicken Satay and Marinated Chicken Pastry (Sate Kai & Kieuw Krob). This was followed by a Massaman Curry and Prawn Red curry (Kaeng Phed), ending the meal with dessert cocktails which were so delicious! Honestly, we really can't wait to go back here to get a Thai takeout, we really loved the flavours used and cannot recommend this enough for a cosy weekend at home (or OUT if you choose to stay at the Hotel!), even better!

Thank you to all of the staff at Hotel Not Hotel and Kevin Bacon Bar for such a splendid experience. We really enjoyed our adventure of a staycation with you and can't wait to come back to try out another room theme! ... We will be back asap for some Thai Takeout!

Check out their current Staycation & Food Deals on their site, for something cosy and comforting to do over the holiday period and to support local business. Once travel is permitted, tourists looking for an experience like no other in Amsterdam, get booking!

Address: Piri Reïsplein 34, 1057 KH Amsterdam, Netherlands

Website: https://www.hotelnothotel.com/