Vondice Hotel Amsterdam with kids: a review!
We love Amsterdam and we have taken many city trips to the capital of the Netherlands. We already wrote the blog Amsterdam with kids about it, describing all the activities we undertook in a very comprehensive blog about the city. We also keep expanding this blog, so it was time once again to visit Amsterdam, and this time we spent the night in a very special little house at the Vondice Hotel. As a result of this overnight stay, we are writing this comprehensive review about our experience with the hotel.
The hotel
When we came across this particular cottage on the Internet, we were immediately impressed. The cottage has quite a history and in the past was a sludge return pumping station, part of the Amsterdam-Oost water treatment plant. This is where the final stage of water purification took place. The water treatment plant was built in 2006 and since 2021 it has been completely converted to a hotel. The unusual shapes of the cottage have remained intact, but the inside has been completely modernized and given a luxurious look.
The cottage is in the Zeeburg district and on the bikes (included with the cottage), we were at Amsterdam’s central train station in about 20 minutes. The cottage’s location has a number of advantages for families with kids. The cottage is in a quiet neighborhood, with many play opportunities for kids and a supermarket is around the corner. This allows you to have a moment of rest at the end of the day in this cottage after a full day in the busy city.
So on Saturday morning we drive towards the Zeeburg district of Amsterdam and can park the car for free in front of our cottage. Ideal, of course, since you thus do not incur parking fees, which you normally almost always incur in Amsterdam. In addition, we really found the bikes that came with the cottage a very big plus, as we used them all Saturday to get around town. As far as we are concerned, the bicycle still remains the ideal mode of transportation in the city of Amsterdam!
In addition, there is an Albert Heyn supermarket a few minutes’ walk away, where you can do your shopping. Of course, you can also bring food and drinks from home, since you can park your car in front.
The cottage
The cottage we booked is 21 meters long and 65m2, and everything in the cottage is reused or handmade. The cottage is kind of shaped like a pyramid, with the top containing the parents’ bedroom. Here is a large two-by-two-meter bed made of wood and steel, and here is also a small refrigerator. A large fan hangs above the bed, so it does not get too hot in the parents’ bedroom.
Below this parents’ “bedroom” are also two sleeping areas for the kids. These were made very original and Sophie really liked that she almost had her own “little house” under ours.
In the other two parts you will find the kitchen with dining area on one side and the bathroom on the other. In that respect, the layout is quite original. The kitchen with lounge is equipped with a coffee machine, hot water faucet, a stove, combination microwave, dishes and cutlery.
The bathroom has a nice rain shower and because there is a lot of light coming in, it almost looks like an outdoor shower. Because the cottage is very tastefully decorated, it does give a very luxurious feeling.
Outside the cottage is a picnic table, where you can sit outside and also on top of the cottage is a terrace, where you have seats and also a beautiful view of the water. Especially by Amsterdam standards, this is an unprecedented luxury.
Play opportunities
What is a very big advantage for families with kids is that just steps from the cottage is a whole area with all kinds of play opportunities. For example, a few minutes’ walk from the cottage there are two large playgrounds and there is also one of the largest skating rinks in the Netherlands. Our daughter was extremely disappointed that she had not brought her scooter, as there was a really great track, where many kids were playing.
In addition, you can practice all kinds of sports in the same area. There is a soccer field, basketball court, athletic fields, padell courts, a climbing wall and many more such sports fields. In that regard, there really are plenty of play opportunities in the area. We found this ideal to let our daughter play at the end of the day and also in the morning when we just woke up, we went straight to this playground.
Food and drink in hotel
Of course, the cottage does not have a restaurant where you can go for food and drinks like regular hotels, but that is not really a big problem. We were always in town during lunch so we had lunch there. For dinner and breakfast, we bought food and drinks at the supermarket, which we consumed at the cottage. Near the cottage, within walking distance (of a few minutes) is also a French fry shop and a pizzeria, so there are also plenty of options for eating and drinking nearby.
What we really liked is that you can eat outside in the sun and you can also prepare food in the kitchen. Especially for families who want to serve a healthy meal for the kids on the table, this is a great advantage.
Conclusion
We really enjoyed our overnight stay in this cottage of hotel Vondice. It has huge advantages for families taking a city trip to Amsterdam. So you can park your car for free in front of the door, you can ride two bikes (including a child’s seat) to the center, you have an entire house at your disposal in a neighborhood with lots of play opportunities, and it is possible to cook and eat outside your house. In this regard, therefore, the accommodation is also very suitable for families with one or two kids. For more information about the cottage and cottage prices, take a look here.
This blog was created through a collaboration with the hotel in question.
