The Dutch HI organisation is truly special and impressive. This is evident by its name, as it’s different than those of other national organisations. The Dutch have named the country’s largest hostelling organisation, which generates one million stays per year, Stayokay.
The organisation’s slogan is welcome change and it offers this change, a retreat from daily routine and new adventures, to its guests in one of the 22 hostels that are located throughout the country. Its principle is a popular saying that goes: “Fill your life with adventures not with things.” The organisation believes best things in life happen when you step out of your comfort zone and start meeting new people.
Its story goes back more than 90 years to the founding of the Nederlandse Jeugdherberg Centrale (NJHC). Back in those days young people from cities and the countryside were looking for adventures all over the country. NJHC offered them simple and comfortable accommodation where all differences were erased. There were 70 hostels in the Netherlands around that time, and today only Stayokay covers 22 of them. Some are old, others are modern and have been renovated. There are city and country hostels as well those that are ideal for ocean lovers.
Already a long time ago, Stayokay committed itself to sustainable entrepreneurship. It strives to become a carbon neutral and the most sustainable hostel chain in the Netherlands. In 2008, it was awarded the EcoLabel, a label that is awarded to environmentally friendly services. Stayokay is making considerable efforts to save energy and water, and reduce waste. 20 cents per night gives you the chance to offset the carbon footprint of your stay at the hostel. The money raised is spent on wind energy. The WaterSpaarders programme encourages people limit their showering time to five minutes. There are also workshops for children and their parents on the topic.
Stayokay is proud of its culinary options in hostels. Whatever ends on your plate is healthy, tasty, local and sustainable. There are plenty of choices, from breakfast to a three-course evening menu. If you set out on a full-day trip, you even get free lunch to-go. No food is wasted. Fruit is used to make iced tea (Thijstea) and vegetables are used in tasty soups (Verspilingsfabriek). In hostels in Utrecht (Central and Bunnik), unused fruit and vegetables are used to make jam.
One of Stayokay’s services includes the possibility of booking a room for a meeting or workshops. A room can also be booked in order to organise a small party. Some hostels even offer wedding venues. One of such hostels is in the Stayokay Gorssel hunting lodge that once used to belong to a Norwegian king.
Stayokay hostels offer comfortable accommodation to solo travellers, large groups and families. The latter are well taken care of with fourteen family hostels intended for children and their parents. They can sleep in six-bed rooms and each room has a private bathroom, plus children get 50% off meals. There are special offers for school groups and they include educational activities. Hostels organise special school camps and use a fund to pay for the participation of those children who can’t afford the camps. Bergem op zoom is one of such family hostels and it’s located just outside the De Brabantse Wal nature reserve. There’s a large playground next to the hostel with a zipline. It offers plenty of activities, including sailing and diving in the lakes by the sea.
A special room named Miffy awaits guests at the Stayokay Utrecht City Center. Miffy is a small female rabbit created by the world famous writer and graphic designer, Dick Bruna. The room is full of rabbit decor, making it even more suitable for children. Each night, the hostel organises social events in specifically dedicated room.
Staying at the wikkelhouse is completely different experience. The houses are made of recycled cardboard and are surrounded by nature. One such house is part of the Dordrecht Hostel camp in the De Biesbosch National Park with waters that are just perfect for your kayak. At Heemskerk, you can sleep like a nobleman in a real 13th-century castle with magnificent halls and a real moat. You can find another hostel at the beach – also a 13th-century castle, the Domburg. Both castles have gardens where they grow their own food. All those who love modern design will enjoy the Soest, a designer hostel near the dunes. You can relax at the bar or the huge campfire place.
The most famous city in the Netherlands is undoubtedly Amsterdam and the city’s atmosphere can be felt at the Amsterdam Oost. The hostel is located in a typical Dutch and former industrial building in Little Indonesia, and it even boasts a cinema and a theatre. Rotterdam is known for its art and cube houses, one of which is home to the Rotterdam Hostel where you can experience artistic living.
Amsterdam is definitely one of the world’s most exciting cities. If you’re exploring the Dutch capital, it certainly pays off having the Amsterdam public transport ticket that includes many different types of transport. If you’re going on foot, you can take the Anne Frank tour. After a long day of exploring the landmarks you deserve a cocktail in an ice glass at a bar made out of ice cubes where temperature is minus ten degrees Celsius. In Rotterdam, they’ve prepared a detective game for you and you can learn about different sights all while trying to solve the case. For all law enthusiasts the guided tour of the Hague is a must.
But the Netherlands isn’t just cities, so sail down the canals to the countryside, just a little further from Amsterdam, where charming little villages, famous windmills and cheese factory tour await. You can check out the clog making workshop in the village of Volendam. You’ll be able to try to make clogs of your own and take them home with you. Rent an e-scooter or an e-bike and enjoy a tour of cultural and culinary highlights of the region. An electric vehicle will take you through fields of tulips and other flowers and on wonderful farms. We also recommend a trip down the famous Amsterdam canals and a visit to the Rijskmuseum without having to queue for the ticket. In Maastricht, you can explore the world of darkness and history hidden beneath the ground.
For all information about the Netherlands before or after making the trip, we recommend checking out the Lonely Planet travel guides. Lonely Planet offers various types of travel guides, from the ones covering whole countries to those more specific, covering various cities. There’s also a special phrase book that will teach you how to speak Dutch.
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