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Another declined upgrade, another video review for our YouTube Channel. We went basic for our one night stay at Room Mate Aitana hotel near Amsterdam Central Station.
The Room: Colorful, busy minimalism? That’s about how we’d describe the Room Mate hotels we’ve visited (in Florence and Barcelona) and it’s no different here at Room Mate Aitana in Amsterdam. A medium-firm king bed with middle of the road linens was surrounded by a small but comfortable seating area near the window, a desk that’s long but not quite deep enough for getting real work done and a clumsily hung flat panel TV all naturally lit in daylight hours by floor to ceiling windows. The different colors used for bedding and in the upholstery make a simple space seem much busier than it is.
Washroom: Room Mate Aitana manages to get both a stand-up shower and a deep tub into this small space. The only sacrafice here might be the counter area around the sink but moving towels and amenities out of the way and you’ll at least have room for your basic set of trial-sized travel goods. Finishes in the washroom arent fancy at all, but then neither is the hotel.
Amenities: A collection of amenities we hadn’t seen inside the rooms of our other Room Mate brand rooms. Creams and soaps are home spun and infused with Wabi Sabi…wait, what? Our first take had us thinking wasabi, but it’s not a nasal-clearing sushi condiment, but simply an asthetic “centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection” (thanks Wikipedia)…so yeah, nothing.
Service: Friendly and conversational at the front desk both at check-in and check-out. Staff was knew a bit about the Room Mate chain and were familiar with the various hotels we’ve visited.
Quality away from the lobby wasn’t spectacular. The second-level lounge bar server/bartender wasn’t terribly familiar with complicated drinks like “gin and tonic” and “white wine”. We took our drinks to go when we finally got them. The thought of ordering another would have been too much of an effort.
Wi-fi/Connectivity: Wi-fi is complimentary throughout the hotel. Speeds were comparable to a higher-end DSL connection. Fast enough to stream
Overall: It’s not right in the middle of the action of Central Amsterdam but it’s just a stones throw away. Navigating your way between the hotel and Central Station isn’t difficult but can be confusing if you don’t know ahead of time that you’ll have to skirt along the small sidewalk on a busy road, over a pedestrian bridge and make a couple of turns. Once you’re there it’s a nice place to be if you don’t mind forefietting a more traditional approach to staying in such a historic old city. If you like colorful and mod, Room Mate Aitana is a nice spot for a stop in Amsterdam.
Modhop Host & Founder Jake Redman brings years of global exploration and travel tips to the podcast and our videos at Modhop. Jake is also a Producer and Host for SiriusXM.
Review of: Reviewed by: Jake RedmanRating:2On April 21, 2014Last modified:December 30, 2023Summary:More DetailsSeating: There’s an impressive attempt to separate the seating areas in this small lounge. Kudos, Swissport. Booths, benches, loungers […]
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