Bastion Hotel Amsterdam / Centrum - Zuidwest - Amsterdam, Netherlands 

2006
Posted: Mon, Nov 23 2009
Freindly staff, clean rooms, excellent Restaurant, a bit remote from city but on the hole excellent.

Klaus-Peter Keil
Posted: Wed, Dec 05 2007
Einen Tag vorher bekam ich telefonisch die Nachricht, dass wir in einem anderen Bastion-Hotel in Zaandam einchecken müssen! Dieses Hotel liegt weit außerhalb von Amsterdam und wir haben einen erheblichen Aufwand gehabt, zum Marathon und in die City zu kommen. Außerdem war das Hotel teurer! Dieses ist kein guter Service!!! In dem Hotel in Zaandam wurde während unseres Frühstücks das Buffet abgeräumt!!!

Klaus-Peter Keil
Posted: Tue, Nov 20 2007
Einen Tag vorher bekam ich telefonisch die Nachricht, dass wir in einem anderen Bastion-Hotel in Zaandam einchecken m?ssen! Dieses Hotel liegt weit au?erhalb von Amsterdam und wir haben einen erheblichen Aufwand gehabt, zum Marathon und in die City zu kommen. Au?erdem war das Hotel teurer! Dieses ist kein guter Service!!! In dem Hotel in Zaandam wurde w?hrend unseres Fr?hst?cks das Buffet abger?umt!!!

Off the main path, but easy to get downtown
Posted: Sun, Nov 11 2007
We spent nearly a week in this hotel for a convention. I selected it from a list of possibilities from the convention's housing bureau. I have been to Amsterdam may times before, and I know that I wanted a hotel that was not in the heart of the tourist area. I also wanted a hotel that was closer to the Rai Convention Center. These are both true for this Bastion hotel. Location: This hotel is between two tram stops (lines 1 and 17, stops Surinameplein and Derkinderenstraat) and about a 15-minute walk from the Lelylaan Metro station. The tram stops are about 10 minutes either way. The location is a little isolated, so if you don't like to walk in a business area, choose another location. I always felt safe, even when walking at night, but I'm a 6' 1" man. Likewise, if you don't want to walk, this is not the hotel for you. While Amsterdam is a major city, the central area is actually rather compact. Twice during our stay we walked from Centraal Station to the hotel. It takes a while, but it's not impossible. Services: There are no other restaurants next to the hotel. There are some (mostly snack stops) near Surinameplein, but that's at least a 15-minute walk. You can always take a tram to another part of town. The hotel has a restaurant with a short menu. We ate here twice during our stay. The food was good and the portions were larger than I usually see at European hotels. Breakfast is not included in the room charge. My room rate for a double was 101 Euros per night, plus 12 Euros per person for breakfast. The breakfast buffet is typical of those in Europe with breads, rolls, cheeses, sliced meats, fruit, cereal, boiled eggs and scrambled eggs and bacon. I like to send postcards during my trips, and I found a post office just beyond the Lelylaan Metro station. As you leave the hotel and walk toward the Metro station on Schipluidenlaan, walk under the train overpass. The road name changes to Pieter Calandlaan. There is a row of shops on the left side of the street, and behind them is a post office (Post Kantoor). Staff: All of them were mostly helpful. I did not receive any worthwhile restaurant suggestions from the people I asked. They all said to take the tram to the busy areas of town. Except for one person, I felt that they were all at work just to earn a paycheck and not there because they enjoyed working with people. There is a secured parking lot available for a daily fee. Lots of parking is available on the street, although the hotel suggests using the secured lot. I did not see any signs of crime on the street, but the somewhat isolated location makes it a good spot for potential trouble. There is a construction project in progress across the street. I don't know what it being built. The construction vehicles did not interrupt our stay in the evenings and at night. However, at 8 a.m., the pile driver started hammering. We had an early start each morning, so this did not affect us. (CS)