Snoring introvert looking for a hostel in Amsterdam

July 17, 2011 8:47 AM

I usually stay in hotels, want to try out hostels for a change. I snore. Help?

I am visiting Amsterdam the last week of August. I'm a solo traveler, and usually book hotel rooms for one. However I want to mix things up this time, and stay in a hostel for a change. I have two issues:

a) I snore. Loud.
b) I'm an introvert

Would love recommendations on hostels in amsterdam that do not cater to the "party" crowd. I won't mind

Also, one reason I try to avoid hostels is that I snore. Bad. I've read some tips on mefi with nose strips and ear plugs for fellow hostel room mates. Any other tips?

Thanks!

posted by TrinsicWS to travel & transportation around Amsterdam, The Netherlands (14 answers total)

Hostels usually have private rooms as well as dorm rooms. Book that and spare your fellow travellers. Mingle in the kitchen and common room.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:02 AM on July 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

Don't worry too much about the snoring - if you stay in a non private room in a hostel you know you're not going to have uninterrupted sleep.
posted by koahiatamadl at 9:44 AM on July 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Stayokay Vondelpark
posted by humboldt32 at 10:23 AM on July 17, 2011

While it's your prerogative to snore in a shared room, be aware that there will be a lot of evil thoughts directed at you. I have almost never in my life felt as much hatred as when trying to sleep in a youth hostel bunk beneath an irregular bronchial mucus rolling snorer (even with earplugs in, the stop... start... plus vibrating bunk are a toxic combination.)

I have seen the occasional night-time thump delivered (not by me - I usually end up sleeping in the corridor if all else fails.)

And I wouldn't count on placating with earplugs - other people will almost certainly arrive before/after you go to sleep.
posted by Luddite at 2:51 PM on July 17, 2011

What are you interested in getting from the hostel experience?
posted by Salamandrous at 3:00 PM on July 17, 2011

Get a private hostel room if you can - that's what I usually do when traveling and it's worked pretty well. Hang out in the common areas and you'll still have plenty of chances to meet fellow travelers.
posted by photo guy at 3:41 PM on July 17, 2011

With hostels it's kind of hit and miss. I've stayed in some which catered to people who were working, and so those ones had everyone to bed at reasonable hours, and were fairly quiet socially, and at the flipside there were those that were mad party houses. Choose those not quite so close to the party scene of whatever city you're in.

(And, for the love of god, if you want a quiet one, DO NOT CHOOSE one that's got an Irish name in any way. The Irish flock to those, and even Irish who work are loud like anything. I love them because Irish backpackers I've stayed in are cool, but that's the drawback.)

EARPLUGS. For you, because that way you can sleep through anything, and they should have their own; people regular to shared accommodation should have them. If not, just leave some cheapies around for them if you think they'll be upset by you. Which brings me to:

I snore, but I only snore if I'm lying on my back as I sleep. I've developed the habit of sleeping on my side or facedown to stop this, so if your own snoring is worse in any particular posture, maybe you can alter that?
posted by owlrigh at 3:53 PM on July 17, 2011

Nthing private rooms. If you do the shared room thing, be prepared for other people to be obnoxious, because they will be, and almost certainly in ways you weren't anticipating.

Really, all the good socialization - teaching foreign students how to make pancakes, finding out about awesome walking tours, etc. - happens in the common rooms anyway.
posted by SMPA at 4:03 PM on July 17, 2011

i would suggest getting a private room only because i would imagine that a group of punchy twentysomethings might take it upon themselves to wake you up when you wake them up--either intentionally, or maybe unintentionally trying to get you to roll over or something. that way everybody gets some sleep.
posted by thinkingwoman at 7:30 PM on July 17, 2011

Please limit yourself to hostels that offer private rooms. It's just awful -- really horrible -- to be exhausted at the end of a day of budget travel and be unable to catch any sleep because someone is snoring. Don't be that guy.

As everyone has pointed out, all the socializing happens in the common areas anyway, particularly in the kitchen and hangout areas.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:44 PM on July 17, 2011

I just stayed in a hostel with a snorer for four nights. Please, if you know you're going to snore, don't inflict yourself on people sharing a hostel room with you, even if you're as pleasant a person in the daytime as this snorer was. Don't do it for you -- do it for your potential roommates.
posted by heurtebise at 9:34 PM on July 17, 2011

nthing a place with private rooms.

Re being an introvert: do you mean you are looking for a hostel that will facilitate social interaction if and when you feel like it, or that you enjoy being alone and don't want to be bothered by other travellers? I'm going to assume part of the hostel appeal is the option of social interaction when you feel like it.

Look for: places with specifically designated common areas or lounges, places that offer their own tours or events (ex walking tours - easy non party way to meet people for a couple of hours), and generally smaller hostels which are reviewed as having good staff. Avoid: places that list cheap drink specials in the bar as a feature, the cheapest accomodation.

I would look at somewhere like the Vita Nova (possible bonus - on a boat!). They are obviously set up in a way to deter the hardcore party crowd, offer private rooms, seem to have good staff and some common areas that sound comfortable to sit in and talk to people.

I found the hostels in Amsterdam do not necessarily reflect the global hostel experience (Amsterdam attracts a disproportionate number of young party backpackers, and also seems to be a choice stop for young people who have not otherwise travelled much), so if you try it and don't like it don't be afraid to give hostels a go somewhere else.
posted by skermunkil at 1:01 AM on July 18, 2011

Hi everyone!
Have not been visiting my ask, for some reason I developed an irrational fear of ask.mefi after posting it. I seem to have conquered it for the time being so to answer the questions:

@Salamandrous: I want to do something new for a change. The reason for this is mainly to expand my "life experiences", for lack of a better word.

@owlrigh: good advice! Sadly I seem to snore no matter what position I sleep in.

@skermunkil - you are right! more for option of social interaction when I feel like it.

Thanks for the responses so far, I will definitely try to get a private room in a hostel, that seems like a win-win situation for me. Will look into the hotels suggested as well. Cheers!
posted by TrinsicWS at 3:23 PM on July 22, 2011

Just to update the thread, I got myself a single room with Hotel ITC along the canal loop. It's spartan, but sufficient for my requirements. Thanks again!
posted by TrinsicWS at 8:49 AM on August 30, 2011