Hans Brinker Hostel Amsterdam
The world's worst hostel (their words, not ours) with 12,000 reviews that disagree
Wonderful
12,475 reviews
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Compare prices for Hans Brinker Hostel Amsterdam in Amsterdam
69%
Solo travelers
80%
Would stay again
77%
Made friends here
2 nights
Avg. stay
Our Honest Take
From the Hostelpedia team. No BS, just real advice
Hans Brinker is the Amsterdam hostel with the most personality per square meter. The self-deprecating marketing is not a gimmick anymore. It's the institutional culture. Staff lean into it, repeat guests love it, and 12,000+ reviews with an 8.0 rating prove it works. The location on Kerkstraat is genuinely excellent: Leidseplein nightlife is 3 minutes away, the canal ring surrounds you, and you can walk to the Rijksmuseum in 10 minutes. The bar and club nights are where you'll meet people, and breakfast at €9 is worth it. The rooms won't wow you, but they're cleaner than the marketing implies. Hans Brinker is the hostel for people who've stayed in enough hostels to appreciate one that doesn't try to be a boutique hotel.
🎯 Insider Tips
- 1Leidseplein is 3 minutes away. Skip the overpriced bars on the square itself and walk to Lange Leidsedwarsstraat one block south for cheaper drinks and more locals.
- 2Breakfast for €9 is a good deal in central Amsterdam. The alternative is €12+ at any nearby café.
- 3The basement club nights on weekends are the cheapest nightlife in this part of town. No cover, cheap drinks, international crowd.
- 4Bike rental shops are everywhere on Leidseplein. Rent one and ride to the Jordaan for canal-side coffee or to De Pijp for Albert Cuyp Market.
🔥 Why We Love It
The marketing is iconic. 'It can't get any worse' is honest, hilarious, and the opposite of every other hostel trying to be Instagram-perfect.
Location between Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein means you're 3 minutes from Amsterdam's two biggest nightlife zones.
12,000+ reviews with 8.0 rating. That volume means the quality is consistent, not just a few lucky stays.
The bar and club nights create genuine nightlife without leaving the building. Happy hour is the best icebreaker.
Daily room cleaning and towels provided. The 'worst hotel' claim is tongue-in-cheek; the cleanliness is real.
📖 The Full Story
Hans Brinker is probably the most famous hostel in the world, and it earned that fame by telling you not to come. The marketing campaign ('It can't get any worse,' 'Now with even less service,' 'Hans Brinker Budget Hotel: just like home, but worse') is legendary in the hospitality industry. It's been studied in business schools. It's won advertising awards. And it's been running since the 1970s.
The reality is better than the marketing suggests. Kerkstraat puts you between Leidseplein (Amsterdam's main nightlife square) and Rembrandtplein (the other main nightlife square), which means you're equidistant from two of the city's biggest party zones. The canal ring is your neighborhood. The Rijksmuseum is walkable. Centraal Station is a 15-minute tram ride.
The bar is the social heart. Happy hour is packed, club nights run on weekends, and the basement area hosts events that pull in a young, international crowd. Breakfast is surprisingly decent and saves you from the €12 coffee-and-eggs that Amsterdam restaurants charge. Staff are the right mix of professional and irreverent, matching the brand.
Rooms are basic but clean. The 8.0 rating across 12,000+ reviews proves the formula works: you're paying for location, social scene, and a hostel that doesn't take itself seriously. Beds are comfortable, cleaning staff come daily, and towels are provided. It's not luxury. But it was never trying to be, and that honesty is the entire point.
✨ The Vibes
💬 What Travelers Say
Emily
🇺🇸 United States · 2026-04
“Everything was clean, they have a manager who checks the rooms everyday after cleaning. Great location right in the center, surrounded by great restaurants.”
Veronika
🇺🇦 Ukraine · 2026-03
“Great location and reasonable price, with a good breakfast for €9. The room is adequate: the bed is comfortable, but the room is small.”
Keshar
🇮🇳 India · 2026-04
“Rooms were good, towels available and changing everyday. Clean with good space to lock stuff. Friendly staff and good location.”
📍 What's Nearby
Leidseplein
3 min walk
Rembrandtplein
8 min walk
Rijksmuseum
10 min walk
Albert Heijn Kerkstraat
1 min walk
Canal Ring
0 min (you're in it)
Tram 1/2/5 stop
3 min walk
📋 House Rules
- •Check-in from 15:00, check-out by 10:00
- •Valid ID required at check-in
- •Quiet hours 00:00–07:00
- •No outside alcohol in common areas
- •No smoking in rooms
- •18+ only
From
€24/night
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Room Types
Mixed Dorm (8-bed)
€20
Basic bunks with lockers and reading lights. Daily cleaning. Shared bathroom.
1 guest
Mixed Dorm (4-bed)
€28
Smaller dorm with same amenities. Shared bathroom on floor.
1 guest
Private Double
€75
Basic private room with double bed, towels, and daily cleaning. Shared bathroom.
2 guests
Private Twin
€80
Twin room with two single beds and shared bathroom. Towels included.
2 guests
🏠 Amenities
🏨 Other hostels in Amsterdam
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