Strowis Hostel
Strowis Hostel — the 8.2-rated bohemian Utrecht hostel in a 17th-century townhouse on Voorstraat, with a walled garden, an on-site bar, a fully shared kitchen and a 4-minute walk to the Oudegracht canal wharves.
Strowis Hostel sits in a 17th-century stepped-gable townhouse on Boothstraat, off Voorstraat in Utrecht's medieval Binnenstad. 8.2 rating, on-site bar, a sun-deck garden that reviewers consistently call the highlight, a fully shared kitchen, and bike rental at €10 a day. 4 minutes' walk to the Oudegracht canal and the Werven (sunken canal wharves), 12 minutes to Utrecht Centraal Station.
Strowis is the original Utrecht hostel — a former squat that was legalised in the 1990s and turned into a do-it-yourself, sustainability-leaning, slightly bohemian guesthouse. The building is a tall 17th-century townhouse with high ceilings, creaking wooden stairs, mismatched furniture and a back garden surrounded by neighbouring brick walls. Reviewers describe the vibe as warm and lived-in rather than polished.
The ground floor has the on-site bar, a coffee corner and a small games room. The shared kitchen is fully equipped — bring your own food, no fridge fees, no judgement. The garden out back has a sun deck, a couple of picnic tables and outdoor furniture; in summer it functions as the hostel's de facto common room. There is a designated smoking area in one corner of the garden.
Location is central but slightly off the main tourist axis. You're on Boothstraat, 90 seconds' walk to Voorstraat — the student-bar street that runs north-east from Neude. The Oudegracht canal and the medieval Werven (sunken stone wharves with bars and restaurants right at water level) are 4 minutes south. Dom Tower and the Domplein are 8 minutes' walk. Utrecht Centraal Station is a 12-minute walk through the Hoog Catharijne mall, or 5 minutes by city bus from the corner stop. The standout neighbour is ACU, the legendary anarchist-squat-turned-music-venue across the street, which runs cheap vegan dinners on weekdays and DJ nights on Friday and Saturday.
Who this is for: travellers who actively want a hostel with character over institutional polish; backpackers in their 20s and 30s comfortable with shared bathrooms and creaky floors; sustainability-minded visitors who want to support a guest-house with a real DIY history; couples on a budget who can book a private room. Not for: anyone who needs total quiet on a weekend night (Friday and Saturday on Voorstraat are loud — request a courtyard-side room when booking); families with young children (the building has stairs, no lift); travellers who prioritise hotel-grade newness over atmosphere.
- 01The garden is genuinely the best courtyard in any Dutch hostel we've stayed at
- 02Bike rental is €10 a day on-site — Utrecht is a 15-minute pedal across
- 03The 17th-century building has the kind of crooked wooden character no boutique hostel can fake
- 04Staff are former guests turned long-term locals, give the best free walking-tour intel in the city
- 05Walking distance to ACU, TivoliVredenburg, the Werven and Dom Tower — most central indie option in town
- 8.2 rating across 1,240 reviews — Utrecht's longest-running independent hostel
- Walled back garden with a sun deck — the city's best hostel hangout space, all summer
- On-site bar and shared kitchen — bring your own food and drinks, no surcharges
- Across the street from ACU, Utrecht's legendary squat-music venue with €5 vegan dinners
“The ambience at Strowis is informal yet well-organised and friendly. It's a spacious place with high ceilings. The location off Voorstraat is extremely convenient. The only thing I can think of is the occasional noise from drunken students living in nearby buildings, but that's infrequent.”
“Beautiful, friendly hostel with a fantastic bohemian vibe and lovely spacious sitting rooms. Comfy bed in fairly basic room which was perfect for our needs. Would book again. Utrecht was great and the hostel made it better.”
“Very friendly staff, well-arranged space, good music, and a garden I simply cannot describe in words.”
- ACU squat music venue and vegan kitchen30 m
- Voorstraat student-bar strip100 m
- Oudegracht canal and the Werven (canal wharves)300 m
- Dom Tower and Domplein medieval square550 m
- TivoliVredenburg concert hall (5 venues, indie to classical)650 m
- Utrecht Centraal Station (12-min walk via Hoog Catharijne)1.0 km
