Nieuwendijk 100, 1012 MR Amsterdam Tram 1, 2, 5, 13, 17 (stop: Nieuwezijds Kolk) Metro Centraal Station Tel (020) 420 6822 Websitewww.flyingpig.nl
BUG review
This is THE party hostel in Amsterdam. The Flying Pig Downtown is smoky, loud, and buzzing with wild college students on holiday in Amsterdam for one main reason. We wouldn’t expect a great night of sleep here, but you will have fun, and will definitely meet tons of backpackers. The large bar has a pool table and a great atmosphere, but there’s also a chill-out area in the basement where you can save money by drinking your own drinks from the supermarket. This being Amsterdam, there is also a crowded smoking room. The hostel also has a small kitchen and free wireless internet. The building itself is a maze of twisting staircases and labyrinthine halls, and the rooms are not the cleanest, but the standard of accommodation has improved in recent years and now there are lockers and bedside lights for every bed. Reception staff (some of whom are travellers who decided to stay and work for a free bed) are cheerful and good-humoured.
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Price Dorm bed €20-35
Price includes breakfast Prices are in euro and are inclusive of all taxes.
I miss the heavy smell of cannabis that fills every ounce of the Flying Pig. I miss the little nooks and crannies, the stuffy basement filled to the brim with friendly stoners. I even miss the cranky staff.My biggest complaint was that the windows in the dorms don't open up much. We got ours up about an inch in the middle of a nasty heat wave. We had to wake up as soon as the sun was up for fear of suffocating. It was HOT.Also, the bar tends to be filled with obnoxious American frat boys and the deck up front by the windows has fleas. Stick to the basement.
24 of
48 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Canada
Unexpected but I liked it 31 August 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 4498)
Well this was definitly not my first choice for a hostel in Amsterdam, but the place I wanted did not allow only 2 nights stay on the weekend. So I went for the Downtown. I was not in Amsterdam for the drugs and quite stongly considered cancelling and going somewhere else before I arrived. I was pleasently surprised with what I found. The staff was friendly, the security was very good, and the rooms were extremly quiet. It was one of the few times on my trip where I was not woken by any street noise. The breakfast was good too, not just your typical bread and cereal. It's got a great location and is so close to everything. The smoke in the lobby is quite strong, but you don't have to stay long. It's definitly not just a party hostel, and I would return again.
25 of
34 people found this review helpful
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Clair
Atlanta, USA
Only Suitable for Boneheads 30 June 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Clair
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(2)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
(Review ID: 4499)
This place totally has the burnout vibe going on. From the moment we met the rude staff and nearly suffocated from the stench of cheapass pot, we knew we were in for a treat.No ladders on the bunk beds make for an interesting climb when you go to bed stoned. The showers flood the bathroom and the water constantly switches from scalding to freezing. Windows don't open all the way, making the dorms stifling hot and stuffy. There are no sinks in the bathrooms downstairs, and the place has a greasy, dirty vibe to it.They claim to have an age limit but I saw loads of creeps in their 40s who made a lot of the females uncomfortable. Security is good in the way of lockers, but I didn't always feel safe. It's in a really bad part of town. Good for maybe one night, any more will make you insane. I won't be returning.
11 of
37 people found this review helpful
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Tanya
Melbourne, Australia (living in Dublin)
The place to stay! 10 June 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Tanya
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 4500)
Four of us stayed here over the Queens Day Weekend (end of May 2005) and I must say it was a great place to stay at for location (walking distance to the heart of everything), atmosphere (chill out lounge, Dj, bar downstairs) and overal vibe.The people there were relaxed and easy going. Apparently theres breakfast but none of us ever got up in time to take advantage of it! Highly recommend this place for anyone hoping to have a good, sociable time away.
14 of
33 people found this review helpful
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bgrunberg@hotmail.com
San Diego, California
The name says it all 6 May 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
bgrunberg@hotmail.com
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 4501)
After smoking up some weed for awhile in the laid back lounge, that is exactly what you'll see.....Flying Pigs.Only a hip-hop-and-a-jump from the Central Train station. I've stayed in other hostels in Amsterdam, but the FP definately has the best social scene. They make it so 'cozy' there, you don't want to leave. Bar, pool table, lounge, kitchen, TV room, definately has all the amenities, and having the bathrooms in the rooms is a big plus. Only thing is that you have to get there early in the morning to get a room.
22 of
35 people found this review helpful
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Sarah
Edinburgh, Scotland
never forget 29 March 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Sarah
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 4502)
i stayed here for a few nights and it was a really fun place to go out, although you cant get any privacy here. Its very typical here and what you might expect, lots of people stoned and getting more stoned. Its really cheap and has nice breakfast foods. its not very clean but at least it has an exciting atmosphere. i made some good friends here Amsterdams is very touristy! Enjoy!
18 of
27 people found this review helpful
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Damien
Melbourne, Australia
Good for fun 29 March 2005
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Damien
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 4503)
This lives up to its reputation as a party hostel. It just manages to pass on cleanliness standards, though nothing special here. Otherwise it has all the facilities you need, a decent breakfast, good bar etc...The atmosphere is great here, sure there are a lot of stoners, but we met a lot of great people here who didnt come just for the smoke. The stoned people at least make the place feel relaxed if nothing else.The staff were ok but seemed a little cliquey and all suffered from 'i work in a cool place' syndrome, and werent really bothered by concerns of the guests. A friend of mine there complained that she was kept up all night by a staff member playing around with someone on the bunk bed below her.But overall my experience here was a good one. It was a good hostel and good value for money. I wouldnt stay here long term though.
14 of
25 people found this review helpful
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Dogbloke
UK
Great central location. Good latenight bar. 26 December 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Dogbloke
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 4504)
Flying Pig downtown is great for party animals. Friendly staff and a great downtown location make it the place to stay. The bar is cheap and serves residents only until 4am (getting a drink in 'Dam is difficult after 1am). Double security doors stop the gatecrashers. A bit noisy and the rooms were not the cleanest I have ever seen (someone had chucked up behind the loo in our room and it had not been totally removed!) There are were loads of stoned druggies on sofas in the corridors at all hours. They don't allow dope to be smoked in the bar/reception during the day but its OK at other times.Everyone was friendly.
14 of
54 people found this review helpful
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jeff5662003
(jfstevens81@hotmail.com)
from Michigan, US
Michigan, US
fun place.. but better double check your bedsheets 16 August 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
jeff5662003
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 4505)
ok. so this is a pretty fun place. it lived up to its image pretty well... a cool place that focuses more on partying and less on cleanliness. the atmospere was amusing. the pack of 24/7 stoners that sprawled out in the lounge all day exemplified the vibe...pretty chill, but cool if you like to hang out and smoke all day... but the people seemed so stoned that they apparently had smoked out their ability to communicate.. all they did was smoke and zone out watching a movie or a wall.. it didn't seem to matter to them. but.. still it is amsterdam.. we did all come here to smoke.. so im not complaining.. but just so you know.. it might be a little harder to meet people here.. because they seemed like the group of stoners who would prefer to simply lay around and smoke all day and not do much else. still.. the place is huge.. tons of space.. pool tables.. bar.. tv room.. you name it. lots of cool places to chill and smoke. the bedrooms, however, are another story. i had an EXTREMELY nasty experience. ok.. so we walk into the bedroom after we first get our key ( its about 1 pm) and all of the beds are still unmade..nasty sheets are all crumpled and laying everywhere still.. except for the sheets on my bed.. they were all nicely folded.. so i thought ( in my stoned state mind you).. "hey, cool it looks my bed is the only one with new sheets." wrong. as i began to make my bed i noticed that their was a huge cum shot on one of the sheets! nasty! haha.. we laughed our asses off after i got over just how close i was to sleeping in that... of course the gross bedroom story continues to get worse.. i woke up the next morning with, i kid you not, 40 bed bug bites all over my body. needless to say i felt pretty damn sick. so we left understanding two things about this place: it has a lot to offer concerning amneties.. and nothing to offer in cleanliness.fun.. but you've been forwarned.. kinda sick.oh and by the way.. the shower was plugged with hair and i opted to go without showering for three days as opposed to stepping foot anywhere near it.
26 of
35 people found this review helpful
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The_Jester
Mexico
Not great, not awful, it's... just there. 12 August 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
The_Jester
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 4506)
I don't know how to begin. Everyone recomended me this place, but then again, I'm not a wild party person, so I didn't like it because everyone is stoned 24/7, which is understandable because that's what most people do in Amsterdam, since it's the only place they can do it freely. But it was a bit too much, and I found it so hard to mingle with the people there. But then again, that is not the hostel's fault.The idea of the hostel is very good, and I loved the common room with the pillows there on the platform and it was kind of hippie-like, and the staff was nice, not extremely helpful, but they were nice and educated.The bedrooms have way to many people in them, and body heat in the summer makes people stink. We all do, and we are backpacking, but the stench was really bad, and the place was not appallingly dirty, but a clean up wouldn't hurt the place.The location is excelent, right in the centre of town, and a 2 minute walk from the train station, that was amazing, no bus or tram at all.Overall, average. Good things made up for the bad ones and viceversa.
