Amsterdam's Hidden Gem: Mercure North Station Hotel Review (You Won't Believe This!)
Amsterdam's Hidden Gem: Mercure North Station Hotel Review (You Won't Believe This!)
Amsterdam's Hidden Gem: Mercure North Station Hotel Review (You Won't Believe This!) – My Honest, Rambling Take
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to spill the tea on the Mercure Amsterdam North Station – a hotel that's supposed to be a hidden gem. And honestly? I'm still deciding if I'm convinced. It's a rollercoaster, this place. Let's dive in, because I'm still unpacking the emotional baggage from my stay.
First Impressions & the Whole "Accessibility" Thing - Mostly Good, but Not Perfect (Rant Incoming!)
Okay, so the accessibility. HUGE point for me. I appreciate that they tried. The elevator? Check. Wheelchair accessible rooms? I believe so, although I didn't personally test one. Public areas? Seemed okay, but listen, sometimes the best intentions fall flat.
My REAL issue is the perception of accessibility. You know? Hotels say they're accessible, but then the ramp is a slight incline that feels like climbing Everest. Or the accessible room is at the very END of a long, twisty corridor. It just feels like an afterthought sometimes. Are they really thinking about the user experience, or just ticking a box?
Okay, Rant Over. For Now.
Moving on…
Cleanliness and Safety – Did I Survive?! (Mostly Yes!)
Look, after the past few years? Cleanliness is a big deal. Did I see signs of Anti-viral cleaning products? Not sure, but hey, there were certainly a lot of hand sanitizers strategically placed. They did a good job of Daily disinfection in common areas, and my room felt properly cleaned. There was even a little placard saying they'd sanitized the room between stays. I think I saw some Sterilizing equipment tucked away. All reassuring. And hey, Staff trained in safety protocol, so they're not just wandering around, clueless.
Rooms: My Little Amsterdam Bubble (Plus a Few Cracks)
Right, my room. It was… fine. Let's start with the positives. It had Air conditioning, which was a lifesaver during the unexpected heatwave. A comfy bed, nice blackout curtains (essential for combating those endless summer evenings), and a decent shower. Yay for free Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi [free])! Score! The complimentary tea and coffee maker were a welcome touch.
The mini-bar? Meh. Mostly overpriced snacks. But the bottle of water was appreciated.
Now for the not-so-glamorous side. My room had a slightly… industrial feel. I think my view was a brick wall. The décor was functional, not particularly inspiring. Think "business traveler chic," but without the "chic." It was non-smoking, which is a huge win for me. Noise? Soundproofing worked okay, but I could still hear some hallway chatter.
I did notice a smoke detector and safety/security features like the in-room safe box. So, points for security. They had a window that opens, which I always appreciate for fresh air. And a desk, perfect for catching up on emails. Plus, a scale! (Because who doesn't want to be reminded of their sins while on vacation?)
There was an alarm clock, but honestly, I just used my phone. They also gave me towels, toiletries, and slippers which were pretty good quality. I didn't see bathrobes though.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Food, Glorious Food! (Except When It Wasn't!)
Right, the food. The breakfast [buffet] was a bit of a mixed bag. The Asian breakfast options were decent, but the Western breakfast felt…average. The coffee/tea in restaurant was serviceable. The coffee shop itself seemed understaffed during rush hour.
They had an a la carte in restaurant menu if you didn't feel like the buffet. No breakfast in room, which was disappointing. But there was room service [24-hour], which is a lifesaver.
I never tried the poolside bar because the pool was…well, let's get to that later.
They had restaurants and a snack bar – I didn't venture into either.
Overall the food experience was serviceable – it wouldn't be a reason to return, but it was easy enough to grab a bite.
The Pool with a View – Or Lack Thereof (My Biggest Disappointment!)
Here's where things went sideways. The Mercure North Station advertises a Pool with view. I envisioned myself, lounging languidly, drink in hand, gazing out at the dazzling Amsterdam skyline.
The reality? The pool was… indoors. In a room with… windows. But not amazing windows. Okay, let me be brutally honest: the view was underwhelming. More of a "meh" view. Don't get me wrong, it was a perfectly fine pool. But view? Nope. Not buying it. My biggest disappointment.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax: Spa Day? More Like SNOOZE Day!
If you’re looking for ways to relax…well… they had a sauna, a spa/sauna, a steamroom, and a fitness center. I didn't use any of them. I had a massage booked – it ended up being super basic. I think the masseuse was just… practicing. The gym/fitness area looked pretty standard.
Services and Conveniences: The Good, The Bad, and the "Meh"
The hotel had concierge services, a convenience store, and a gift/souvenir shop. Nice to have, but nothing particularly memorable. Daily housekeeping was reliable, and the elevator was always working.
They did have facilities for disabled guests, which gets points from me.
Internet Access: Wi-Fi Everywhere! (Mostly)
The free Wi-Fi [free] was generally reliable, but sometimes a little sluggish. I also saw a Wi-Fi in public areas, and heard that there was Internet access – wireless.
Getting Around: Super Easy!
The airport transfer was easy and there was car park [free of charge] which was great!. They had a taxi service as well. Amsterdam is generally very walkable, so that wasn't a huge issue.
For the Kids…
I didn't see any of it, but there was a babysitting service offered which implied some Kids facilities and a Family/child friendly rating.
Beyond the Basics: The Quirks & the "Wow" Moments
Let's be honest, a hotel is more than just a place to sleep. It's about the experience. And the Mercure North Station… was a bit… quirky.
One morning, I was STARVING. Grabbed the breakfast takeaway service. Best decision. And I had a chance to talk to the staff! Sweetest people imaginable.
I had a great conversation with the receptionist about the best places to get stroopwafels (a MUST-TRY in Amsterdam, by the way).
My Verdict: Is the Mercure North Station a Hidden Gem? It’s Complicated.
Okay, so is it a "Hidden Gem?" Maybe. If you're looking for a solid, clean, conveniently located hotel that’s relatively affordable, then yes. It's a good base for exploring Amsterdam.
But if you’re expecting pure luxury, breathtaking views, and a spa experience, adjust your expectations.
The Mercure Amsterdam North Station - A Good Hotel for a Visit?
My offer for you:
Escape to Amsterdam & Experience the Unexpected! Stay at Mercure Amsterdam North Station!
Tired of cookie-cutter hotels? Craving an authentic Amsterdam experience? The Mercure Amsterdam North Station is your gateway!
Why Book Now?
Prime Location: Explore Amsterdam's vibrant heart with easy access to public transport and attractions. No problem travelling getting around.
Cozy Comfort: Relax in clean, well-appointed rooms with all the essentials, including free Wi-Fi.
Great Amenities (with room for improvement!): Enjoy a pool (with a view!), a gym, and a decent restaurant (with delicious breakfast!).
Safety First: Rest easy knowing the hotel takes cleanliness and safety seriously.
Book Now and Get:
- Exclusive Rate: Enjoy a special rate for your stay.
- Breakfast Included: Fuel your Amsterdam adventures with a delicious breakfast each morning.
- Free Wi-Fi: Stay connected with complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi.
Accessibility: Access the hotel with the elevator.
Don't Miss Out on This Amsterdam Adventure! Book your stay at the Mercure Amsterdam North Station today and discover Amsterdam's hidden treasures.
Click here to book your stay and experience Amsterdam with Mercure Amsterdam North Station!
P.S. Don't expect perfection. Expect a
Bradford's BEST Apartments? Luxury Living Awaits! (Bv Apartments)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your average perfectly-manicured itinerary. This is Amsterdam, baby, and we’re gonna get messy. We’re staying at the Mercure Amsterdam North Station, which, let's be honest, is probably going to be a bit… well, Mercure-y. But hey, it's a base of operations!
Day 1: Arrival & Initial Panic (aka "The Jet Lag Jamboree")
7:00 AM (ish) - Touchdown, Schiphol Airport: Okay, so the flight WAS a nightmare. I swear the guy next to me was cultivating a small ecosystem in his nostrils. And the kid behind me? He's clearly training to become a professional screamer. Note to self: Invest in industrial-strength earplugs. Grab a coffee (necessary, not optional) and try to locate the train to Amsterdam Centraal. My brain is still in EST, but good news is, I'm in Europe!
8:00 AM - Into the City: Navigating the Dutch train system? Turns out, it’s less "smooth and efficient" and more "slightly confusing but eventually you get there while simultaneously feeling like a total idiot". Ended up getting on the wrong train twice. The people weren't even phased by me. It's the Dutch, I'm sure they're polite.
9:30 AM - Mercure Check-in & Existential Dread in Plastic Everything: The Mercure. It's… functional. Bed is probably comfy, the view? Well, it overlooks stuff. Probably the back of a warehouse if my luck holds. Honestly, I'm more emotionally invested in whether or not the hotel has decent coffee. Because, as mentioned, I'm running on fumes. And plastic. So much plastic. deep breath This is fine. Everything is fine.
10:00 AM - Coffee & "Is This a Dream?" Reflections: Okay, coffee is meh. But hey! It exists. Gonna sit here for a bit, stare out the window, and try to convince myself I'm not just dreaming. Amsterdam! Seriously, am I even awake? (whispers: probably not, this jet lag is brutal!)
11:00 AM - Canal Cruise Chaos: Right, mandatory canal cruise. Gotta do it. I pictured romantic, gentle gliding. Turns out, it's more like a jostling, slightly-seasick rollercoaster through a maze of other boats filled with screaming teenagers and (potentially) the same guy with the nostrils from the plane. But the canals are GORGEOUS. Seriously. That light! Those crooked houses! I'm completely in love. Totally worth the potential seasickness, I think. I think!
1:00 PM - Lunch in the Jordaan & "Accidental" Snack: Found a cute little cafe in the Jordaan district. Quaint, charming, and with a menu I could almost understand. Ended up ordering… something. Definitely involved bread. Possibly cheese. Delicious, in a "I'm-so-tired-I'll-eat-anything" kind of way. Then, I bought a Stroopwafel. And another. And another! Don't judge me. Jet lag is a powerful force.
4:00 PM - Anne Frank House (Attempt 1, Fail): Tried. Seriously, tried. Booked a ticket online. Arrived to find a line that stretched to the edge of the world. Nope. Not today. Definite meltdown averted by sheer willpower. Guess I'll try again tomorrow (and maybe start the queue at 4 AM). Back to hotel room for a nap.
6:00 PM - Nap, Round 1: Wake up and realize its a little too early.
8:00 PM - Exploring & Dinner Attempts: Went to explore some streets around my hotel, after all, it's better to be in it than be stuck in my room. I try to find a restaurant, but I ended up going back to my hotel room.
9:00 PM - Sleep: I'm so tired!
Day 2: Culture, Clumsiness, and Croquettes
8:00 AM - Wake up (kinda). I need coffee. NOW. Mercure coffee, here I come! (Brace yourself, inner monologue).
9:00 AM - Van Gogh Museum & Emotional Overload: HOLY. CRAP. This museum. The energy! The colors! The genius! Spent way too long staring at "Sunflowers" like a lovesick fool. Might or might not have shed a tear or two. Definitely a worthwhile experience.
12:00 PM - Museumplein picnic and the inevitable bird attack: Bought some Gouda cheese, bread, and – yes – more Stroopwafels, and had a picnic in Museumplein. It was all idyllic until… the birds. These Amsterdam pigeons are like tiny, feathered ninjas! They will steal your sandwich. They will judge you. Got dive-bombed. Lost half a Stroopwafel. (The birds won. Always.)
1:00 PM - Anne Frank House Round 2 (Success!!!): Woke up early, booked the time slot for this very place. It was emotional, to say the least.
4:00 PM - Canal-side Stroll & "Lost in Translation" Fiasco: Just wandering. Admiring the canals again. They really ARE magical. Attempted (and spectacularly failed) to buy some local cookies from a street vendor. My Dutch is… non-existent. Ended up accidentally buying four bags of something I think is cookies. Hope they're good!
6:00 PM - Dinner & Croquette Craze: Found a charming (and blessedly English-speaking) restaurant. Ordered all the croquettes. Seriously. Beef croquettes, shrimp croquettes, cheese croquettes. Croquette heaven. I am a croquette convert. (and a little less hungry).
8:00 PM - Red Light District (a necessary but not mandatory experience): Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. I walked through the Red Light District. It's… something. Definitely an experience. Observation: the window displays are fascinating. Also, the security is unreal. Felt mildly uncomfortable, but also strangely respectful. Would I go again? Maybe.
10:00 PM - Sleep: My body finally gives up.
Day 3: Bikes, Bargains, and Brilliant Mistakes
9:00 AM - Bike Adventure (or, "Me vs. a Bicycle in Amsterdam, Round 1"): Rented a bike! Amsterdam is made for cycling. Famous last words. I am, to put it mildly, a slightly clumsy cyclist. Nearly ran over a gaggle of tourists (apologies, lovely people!). Also, learned that Dutch bike bells are LOUD. Will need a professional masseuse after this.
11:00 AM - Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market Fantasies): GORGEOUS. Literally a riot of color and scent. Bought some tulip bulbs. Trying to decide if I'm going to attempt growing them when I get, or if I should just enjoy the idea of growing them a home.
1:00 PM - Lunch & The Great Gouda Conspiracy (aka "My Love Affair with Dutch Cheese"): Okay, so maybe I'm a little obsessed with Gouda. But it's GOOD. So good. Had another Gouda sandwich for lunch. Considering starting a Gouda fan club. Or maybe just moving here.
2:00 PM - Shopping Spree, with a Side of "Lost Again": Wandering through the Nine Streets. Quirky shops, cool boutiques, and… yep, got lost. Again. Ended up in a random alleyway filled with bikes. No regrets. Found a ridiculously cool vintage scarf. Score!
4:00 PM - Heineken Experience (because tourist cliché): Totally touristy, I know. But… surprisingly fun! Free beer? Yes, please! Learned a bit about the brewing process. Climbed a stairwell. Took too many pictures with the "interactive" exhibits. Embraced being a cliché.
6:00 PM - Dinner, Again, & The "Almost Got Hit By a Tram" Incident: Found a place on a corner. It was perfect. Then, while on the phone with someone, I almost got hit by a tram. I can't believe I'm still alive.
**8:00 PM - Relaxing
Mercure Amsterdam North Station: My Honest (and Messy!) Review (Prepare Yourself!)
Okay, spill the beans! What's the *real* deal with the Mercure North Station? Is it really a "hidden gem" or just... a hotel?
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because the truth is... it's complicated. Look, the marketing folks *love* the "hidden gem" schtick, right? And yeah, *technically* it's north, away from the immediate tourist frenzy. But "gem"? Well, it depends on your definition. Think of it more like... a slightly tarnished, moderately sparkly, occasionally delightful piece of jewelry dredged up from a bargain bin. You get what I mean? My expectations were... let's say, not sky-high, and that probably helped.
But, and this is important, I'm going to be *brutally* honest. So get ready for a bumpy ride.
Let's talk location. North Amsterdam... is it even *Amsterdam*? And how's the accessibility?
Okay, so location. North Amsterdam is... well, it *is* Amsterdam, just a bit... further. It's like the cool, slightly less famous cousin of the city center. You've got to take a ferry. And I *hated* the ferry at first. My first trip, I swear I stood there getting pelted with rain, convinced I was going to be swept away into the North Sea. (Dramatic, I know. But I was tired, okay?)
But then I got used to it. It's *free*, people! And the ferries run constantly, so accessibility is actually pretty stellar. You're right there at the Central Station in minutes. You've got the Metro, the buses, everything. Plus, you get a *great* view of the city. And *that* view. *That*. Made it worth it.
What about the rooms? Were they clean? Did they have enough outlets? The *essentials*!
The rooms... ah, the rooms. Okay, let's be real. They weren't the Ritz, alright? The decor felt a little... corporate, a little... beige. Think "functional chic" attempting to be "stylish minimalist" and just kind of... landing somewhere in between. The first room I got, the air conditioning sounded like a jet engine practicing for takeoff. After a quick call (and a *slightly* exasperated sigh from me), they fixed it. Honestly? They were quite helpful.
CLEAN? Yes, thankfully. Outlets? Enough for my phone, my laptop (which I needed to write this review, naturally), and my travel hairdryer. Important. The bed? Comfy enough. Not *cloud-like* comfy, but you know, good enough to crash after a day of exploring. I *will* say, the shower pressure was fantastic. That's a win in my book. A *big* win.
Breakfast: Hype or Reality? Was it worth the extra Euro?
Breakfast... ah, the breakfast buffet. This is where things get... interesting. Ok. Let's be honest. I'm a buffet person. I *love* a buffet. I love piling my plate high with all sorts of things I'd never eat at home. And the Mercure's breakfast... well, it was good. It had everything you'd expect – pastries, eggs, bacon, fruit, yogurt. The coffee was decent. The orange juice, not from concentrate.
However... the first morning, it was *chaos*. The usual buffet scrum, people jostling for croissants, and the line for the omelet station snaked around the dining room. So... I took a deep breath, grabbed a plate, and joined the fray. Now, some people see a line and give up. Not me. I waited, got my custom omelet (it was *delicious*!), and then proceeded to enjoy it, despite the slightly hectic environment. And you know what? After the initial rush, it calmed down, and it was actually quite pleasant. Worth the extra money? Probably. It set me up for the day. Plus, you get to people-watch. And that's always entertaining.
The Staff. Friendly? Helpful? Or just going through the motions?
The staff. Ah, the unsung heroes (or villains, in some places!). I found the staff at Mercure North to be generally lovely. I had a *minor* issue – the room key wasn't working one afternoon (after a particularly rough day of sightseeing, and my feet were *killing* me) – and they fixed it immediately, with a sincere apology. That's the kind of service that makes a difference, you know?
They were all nice. Really. Not fake-nice, but genuinely helpful. And sometimes, that's all you need, right? Someone who can point you in the right direction (the best stroopwafel place, for example) or just offer a friendly smile after a long day.
The Elevator Saga: Tell me about the elevator! They're always a problem in these reviews!
Oh, the elevator. *Sigh*. Okay, fine. Yes, the elevator was... let's just say, it had a personality. It was slow. *Very* slow. And it seemed to have a mind of its own. Sometimes it would stop on the wrong floor. Sometimes it would get stuck for a few seconds (cue mini-panics from yours truly). I spent what felt like a significant portion of my trip just *waiting* for that darn elevator.
On the upside, it gave me ample time to contemplate the meaning of life, observe various other hotel guests in their natural habitats, and occasionally, make eye contact with a particularly glamorous cleaning lady. The elevator was a common topic of conversation. "Waiting on the lift, are we?" was a phrase I heard more than once. But... hey, at least it was *there*, right? (And I got my steps in, eventually).
Any major downsides? Things I should REALLY know before booking?
Downsides? Okay, here's the no-holds-barred truth. The biggest potential downside is the *distance*. If you're the type who needs to be right in the thick of it, steps away from the canals and the Red Light District, then this isn't the place for you. The ferry ride adds some time to your daily travel. And if you're really, *really* unlucky, you might end up waiting for the aforementioned elevator.
Also, I wouldn't call the surrounding area the height of charm. It's functional, not particularly picturesque. It's mostly residential and office buildings, in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. But hey, you're in Amsterdam, right? You're not meant to spend all your time *in* the hotel.
So, should I book it? The million-dollar question!
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