Amsterdam is a city that proudly celebrates individuality, encourages eccentricity, and embraces differences. The city has a long history of prosperity and rebelliousness, which began in the Golden Age of the 17th century, transitioned into the über-cozy era of the 1800s, and culminated in the counter-culture boom of the 60s. All of these ages left a distinct mark such as the grand canals, lavish gables, barrel-lined cafés, gardens filled with rare flowers, the artwork of Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and the marijuana ‘coffeeshops’ of Amsterdam.
By Lizzy
The city is also known for its hostels and exciting parties. However, there are a lot of options that you can choose from. So, which party hostel should you book? It may be a bit difficult, so we made a quick guide to help you choose the best party hostels around Amsterdam.
Our Top 4 for Amsterdam:
The 4 Best Party Hostels in Amsterdam
Due to its rich history, Amsterdam is now home to some of the best party hostels in the country. So, we have chosen four party hostels that are worth a visit.
Prices: From $29 to $40
The Flying Pig Downtown in central Amsterdam is the perfect place if you’re looking for fun nights and want to socialize with other travelers in a cozy setting. It is a popular hostel for partying, but there are some excellent facilities where you can relax and sit back as well. You can choose to chill in the hostel, play pool in the bar, or you can enjoy the dance music played by the DJ twice a week.
The hostel also has a free and complete kitchen where many travelers get to know each other during mealtimes. The hostel itself is only a couple minutes’ walk from the central train station, and you’re surrounded by some excellent but cheap restaurants, shops, and more. It’s also a few minutes walks from Amsterdam’s world-famous Red-Light district.
Aside from that, you can explore other nearby attractions, including the Royal Palace, Anne Frank House, and Dam Square. However, you need to know that the maximum stay at the hostel is seven days. Read more..
St Christopher’s at The Winston
Prices: From $29 to $32
St Christopher’s at The Winston is the perfect place to stay, whether you’re looking to rest or explore the town to experience a good party. There are an on-site bar and restaurant that has several comfortable couches and offers good music and many sports games on television. It also has excellent food and drink promotions for the whole year.
The food is sumptuous and healthy, and the menu is composed of burgers, nachos, salads, chicken wings, and a few daily specials. They also offer a 25% discount for all guests of the hotel.
The hotel is only a five-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station, and it’s located right in the middle of the city. It is right in between Dam Square and the Red Light District. So, you’ll have an easier time to enjoy everything from visiting cafes, canal tours, and beer gardens that are located nearby.
The Winston Kingdom Nightclub is right next door to the hostel, and they offer live music or DJs all night, every night of the week. Read more..
Flying Pig Uptown
Prices: From $24 to $34
Located right in central Amsterdam, Flying Pig Uptown is conveniently situated very near to the Leidseplein. The place is one of the most famous attractions in the city because of its artists and a lot of clubs, coffee shops, and restaurants nearby. It has a beautiful laid back vibe and is a great place to explore the “real” city with its great parties and social atmosphere.
The hostel also has a bar that encourages guests to socialize with each other and make friends. The staff is amicable and can help you find the best places to go to. The hostel also has games, movies, and drinks, and there’s an indoor smoking area for guests too.
If you’re in town looking to explore the culture, the Van Gogh Museum, Concert Building, and the Rijksmuseum are just around the corner. You can wander through many of the city’s most famous historic sites or visit the Red Light District and Chinatown.
If you’re searching for a party hostel that always provides a good time, then this is the place for you. There are still things going on and interesting people to meet, so it’s a number one pick for travelers to the area. Read more..
Prices: From $42 to $62
Durty Nelly’s Hostel and Irish Bar offers a clean and comfortable budget accommodation, with excellent staff and location, in Amsterdam. If you are up for sightseeing during the day and partying all evening, you’ve found the right place.
Durty Nellys Inn offers a great mix of great atmosphere, convenient location, friendly staff, and a famous Irish Pub on the ground floor if you want to have some fun. The hostel is located just a short walk from Central Station, in the heart of Amsterdam’s old historical city center. So it is close to all the city’s sights, attractions, and nightlife. Read more..
How Is the Nightlife in Amsterdam?
During weekdays, there are bars and cafés at the heart of Amsterdam that remain open until 1 am and 3 am at the weekend. However, several establishments close up a bit earlier than others. Usually, dance clubs stay open for visitors until 3 am on weekdays and 4 am during the weekends.
In the city, you will also find bars that belong to a select type called “nachtcafes” (night cafés), and they usually stay open for much longer. During the week, they closed at around 4 am, and 5 am during weekends. Also, you need to remember some rules that you should follow if you’re planning to party until the sun comes up. The first thing you need to do is to check the website of the bar or club that you want to visit first before you head out.
The other things that you need to consider are:
- Dress codes & age restrictions: The nightlife scene in Amsterdam is casual. You can wear jeans and trainers for most of them provided that you look neat, respectable, and (preferably) sober. However, wearing ripped jeans or baseball caps and arriving in big groups (especially if all of you are men) will most likely get you turned away. Also, you need to be at least 18 years old to enter most clubs, but some specific events in some locations have an age limit of over 21.
- Entrance fees: There are a few remaining clubs where the entrance is free, but most of them require payment at the door. These fees can range from €5 to €20 for the most exclusive night clubs. However, a few clubs offer a lesser charge if you come in before 11 pm to 12 am. Another thing that you need to be aware of is the ‘lidmaatschap’ (membership fee), which costs about €4. It is a fee that can be paid in advance or right at the door, and it is valid at the concert venue for at least one month. If you want to go to live shows, it is better to book tickets in advance, especially in Melkweg and Paradiso.
The Most Popular Clubs and Party Areas in Amsterdam
We have listed some of the most popular clubs and party areas around Amsterdam.
1. De Marktkantine
De Marktkantine has been around for more than two years. It’s one of the most unappreciated clubs in the city, even though the programming is high-quality and varied. Other clubs in Amsterdam are trying hard to trademark a particular style, but Marktkantine is more moderate about who can visit.
You can see the balconies and booths back when it was still a theatre. The terrace is huge, and it gives a great view of the stage. Also, behind the stage, there are a couple that leads to another floor with a small bar. They just started a new series of nightly events, organized by DJ and producer duo Red Axes, with shows that are scheduled every couple of months.
2. Shelter
The Shelter is among the newest additions to the city’s club scene. Finally, a club in the northern part of Amsterdam! The venue opened its doors during the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) 2016, and it is located in the basement of the old Shell tower, hence the name.
Standing in front of the entrance, you’ll immediately get an underground vibe, literally. During club nights, the venue opens a hatch, which you can walk down to enter. You enter a spacious, concrete room with an excellent sound system. It is also dark, but not too dark – you can see who’s dancing next to you.
The crowd has a very open musical taste; whether you play house or techno, people follow your lead. Also, with its 24-hour permit, nights merge easily into mornings.
3. Tolhuistuin
Tolhuistuin houses the Progress Bar, which caters to a more socially and politically “woke” audience on club culture. You can have talks, film screenings, performances, and dancing all in one night. The club is also just a short ferry ride across the IJ right from the Central Station.
Tolhuistuin is excellent at resisting gentrification.
It’s housed in the former canteen of the old Shell factory. It is an industrial remnant that has been rebuilt as a cultural attraction offering a mix of music, theatre, and exhibitions. The club also brings together mainstream and more avant-garde, free-spirited programming.
4. De School
This place is more than a club as it is also one of the top restaurants in town. Aside from that, it is also a bar, a gym, and an art gallery that hosts excellent art that you can catch a glimpse when you decide to visit. There are also two other venues in the club, Muzieklokaal, and s105, which are often used for smaller nights and live shows.
In addition, the garden is our favorite spot to hang out, especially on summer nights. There is high creative energy around this whole building. Of course, the club itself is fantastic because it has all that you want: an intimate setting yet big enough to get lost in, with crisp sound and a sense of freedom.
5. Sugarfactory
A few years ago, this building was once a sugar factory. But since the venue opened its doors back in 2005 – near central Amsterdam. The club has been home to Wicked Jazz Sounds, who usually performs weekly on Sundays.
The ambiance of the place felt like getting into a warm bath and then being embraced by lovely, caring people. The club has a capacity for up to 500 people. Yet it still feels intimate, has a great sound, fantastic lights, and a wide variety of events throughout the week.
About Amsterdam
Amsterdam is famous for its cafes, red lights, houseboats, well-known architecture, and famous canals. It was founded in 1275 (supposedly by two fishermen and their pet dog), the city grew in prominence and wealth as Dutch colonies were set up globally. There was a time where companies like the Dutch East India Company (VOC) controlled much of the trade across the globe.
Many travelers (especially young backpackers) often tend to visit the coffee shops or wander the Red Light District. Still, there is more to Amsterdam than its fabled dark side because there are many art museums (ranging from the eclectic to the traditions), beautiful parks, fantastic open-air cafes, loads of history, and love of life here.
This city is possibly one of the most beautiful in the world. There’s nothing like riding a boat to explore canals on a sunny day or lying in Vondelpark while reading a book!
Lizzy
Traveler & Blogger
Hi, I’m Lizzy! In the past 10 years I’ve travelled 60 countries and I’m still counting. While I was backpacking I could not find a website that provides valuable information about hostels. After months of thinking, doubting and brainstorming, hostelstobook.com was born.
I hope to make your trip easier, so you’d only stay in the best hostels around the globe. Do you have any questions? Don’t hesitate to send me a message.
Frequently Asked Questions
Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands, so you could of course continue your journey within the country by visiting Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Groningen or Eindhoven. Or cross the border and go to cities in Germany or Belgium, for example Brussels or Berlin. Or visit some of the most popular party cities in Europe, such as Budapest, Barcelona, London or Prague.
Most of Amsterdam’s most famous bars and clubs are located far from the city center. However, nightlife in central Amsterdam is still vibrant and is focused on two major areas – Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein. Both of these places offer several dance clubs, bars, and casual clubs that are very popular with students.
If you want to visit live music venues and several cozy Irish pubs, then you should head to Leidseplein. For concerts, they are usually held in Amsterdam’s three biggest venues, the Ziggo Dome, Johan Cruijiff Arena, and the AFAS Live, which are all located in Amsterdam Zuidoost.
Also, there are a lot of gay and lesbian bars and clubs spread throughout the city, but most of them are concentrated around Warmoesstraat and Reguliersdwarsstraat.
If you want to have a laidback Monday evening, there are a lot of bars around the city where you can get fresh beer. However, if you’re going to party till morning, we suggest that you head to one of the party hostels included in this list. All of these venues offer great parties and a chance to meet new friends to make the night a lot more epic.
A lot of party hostels in Amsterdam offer a variety of activities throughout the week. However, you still need to check with their website or social media accounts first to know more about their plans for the evening.
If you want to party on a Tuesday in Amsterdam, you should head to one of the party hostels included in this list to enjoy the night. Also, some of them usually organize exciting activities that will certainly make your night more exciting.
However, if you want to go dancing, the clubs and bars listed above are the best ones around the city. Like the party hostels, they also organize special activities like Students’ or Ladies’ Night.