The ‘least luxurious’ is being a little overly-generous here. This hotel in Amsterdam is actually being billed as ‘the worst hotel in the world’. The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel has been proudly disappointing travellers for forty years. Boasting levels of comfort comparable to a minimum-security prison, the Hans Brinker also offers some plumbing and an intermittently open canteen serving a wide range of dishes based on runny eggs. And those last two sentences… they are not claims made by me… it’s actually the opening text on the hotel’s own website!
They go on to say…
Other Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam services and amenities include:
– A basement bar with limited light and no fresh air.
– A concrete courtyard where you can relax and enjoy whatever sunshine is able to pass the high buildings on either side on the extremely infrequent days when its actually sunny.
– An elevator that almost never breaks down between floors.
– A bar serving slightly watered down beer.
– Amusing witticisms and speculations about former guests sexual preferences scrawled on most surfaces.
– The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam Luxury Ambassadorial Suite (featuring the Hans Brinkers one and only bath-tub).
– Doors that lock.
Interestingly, though, it would appear this is all quite clever marketing. They’re getting lots of media coverage for being really terrible (even producing posters to that end), when actually, whilst not luxurious, they are probably not as bad as they make out. Whilst their TripAdvisors feedback is not impressive, it’s far from consistent with them being the ‘worst in the world’. Here’s their ‘traveller rating’ summary:
Excellent 30
Very good 59
Average 66
Poor 31
Terrible 42
And those who aren’t happy with the accommodation can hardly say they weren’t warned when their website carries statements such as “To book a rusty bed in an awkwardly shaped dormitory, click here.”
A lengthy disclaimer on their website reads: “Those wishing to stay at the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel do so at their own risk and will not hold the hotel liable for food poisoning, mental breakdowns, terminal illness, lost limbs, radiation poisoning, certain diseases associated with the 18th century, plague, etc.”
Make what you will also of these two rather unusual videos from YouTube channel, hansbrinkertv.
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.
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4 Comments
Well, at least they found their niche. I would like to know how much they charge a night- or if they pay you…
If you click on the link to their website, you can get the tariff.
“Rates: 22,50 – 53,50 per person, per night”
At the upper end of range, it’s not all that cheap, I wouldn’t have thought.
“Funny” or not, you’d have to be crazy to stay there! I fail to see how this can attract visitors; it’s very off-putting and I dread to think what other marketing ploys the establishment would come up with once you’re booked in.
Haha this hotel sucks! It surprises me to see an article like this on your site when Amsterdam has so many great luxury hotels. The Grand, De L’Europe and The Amstel Hotel to name a few!
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They go on to say…
Other Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam services and amenities include:
– A basement bar with limited light and no fresh air.
– A concrete courtyard where you can relax and enjoy whatever sunshine is able to pass the high buildings on either side on the extremely infrequent days when its actually sunny.
– An elevator that almost never breaks down between floors.
– A bar serving slightly watered down beer.
– Amusing witticisms and speculations about former guests sexual preferences scrawled on most surfaces.
– The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam Luxury Ambassadorial Suite (featuring the Hans Brinkers one and only bath-tub).
– Doors that lock.
Interestingly, though, it would appear this is all quite clever marketing. They’re getting lots of media coverage for being really terrible (even producing posters to that end), when actually, whilst not luxurious, they are probably not as bad as they make out. Whilst their TripAdvisors feedback is not impressive, it’s far from consistent with them being the ‘worst in the world’. Here’s their ‘traveller rating’ summary:
Excellent 30
Very good 59
Average 66
Poor 31
Terrible 42
And those who aren’t happy with the accommodation can hardly say they weren’t warned when their website carries statements such as “To book a rusty bed in an awkwardly shaped dormitory, click here.”
A lengthy disclaimer on their website reads: “Those wishing to stay at the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel do so at their own risk and will not hold the hotel liable for food poisoning, mental breakdowns, terminal illness, lost limbs, radiation poisoning, certain diseases associated with the 18th century, plague, etc.”
Make what you will also of these two rather unusual videos from YouTube channel, hansbrinkertv.
They go on to say…
Other Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam services and amenities include:
– A basement bar with limited light and no fresh air.
– A concrete courtyard where you can relax and enjoy whatever sunshine is able to pass the high buildings on either side on the extremely infrequent days when its actually sunny.
– An elevator that almost never breaks down between floors.
– A bar serving slightly watered down beer.
– Amusing witticisms and speculations about former guests sexual preferences scrawled on most surfaces.
– The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel, Amsterdam Luxury Ambassadorial Suite (featuring the Hans Brinkers one and only bath-tub).
– Doors that lock.
Interestingly, though, it would appear this is all quite clever marketing. They’re getting lots of media coverage for being really terrible (even producing posters to that end), when actually, whilst not luxurious, they are probably not as bad as they make out. Whilst their TripAdvisors feedback is not impressive, it’s far from consistent with them being the ‘worst in the world’. Here’s their ‘traveller rating’ summary:
Excellent 30
Very good 59
Average 66
Poor 31
Terrible 42
And those who aren’t happy with the accommodation can hardly say they weren’t warned when their website carries statements such as “To book a rusty bed in an awkwardly shaped dormitory, click here.”
A lengthy disclaimer on their website reads: “Those wishing to stay at the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel do so at their own risk and will not hold the hotel liable for food poisoning, mental breakdowns, terminal illness, lost limbs, radiation poisoning, certain diseases associated with the 18th century, plague, etc.”
Make what you will also of these two rather unusual videos from YouTube channel, hansbrinkertv.
Well, at least they found their niche. I would like to know how much they charge a night- or if they pay you…
If you click on the link to their website, you can get the tariff.
“Rates: 22,50 – 53,50 per person, per night”
At the upper end of range, it’s not all that cheap, I wouldn’t have thought.
“Funny” or not, you’d have to be crazy to stay there! I fail to see how this can attract visitors; it’s very off-putting and I dread to think what other marketing ploys the establishment would come up with once you’re booked in.
Haha this hotel sucks! It surprises me to see an article like this on your site when Amsterdam has so many great luxury hotels. The Grand, De L’Europe and The Amstel Hotel to name a few!