Why do we not stay in apartments more?
On my most recent trip to Amsterdam I stayed in an apartment with Yays, a great apartment-rental company with 100’s of apartments in Amsterdam. Yays is a new travel and stay concepts that reroutes urban tourism offering concierged boutique apartments in historical buildings, restored with respect for the neighbourhood and hosted by local personnel. In a Yays apartment you can truly experience what it’s like to live like a resident.
I stayed in a one-bedroom comfort apartment at their Yays Zoutkeetsgracht location. I was really impressed from the moment we walked through the door, it was modern, clean and the service was great from all of the members of staff we came across. We booked an apartment for three nights and hired bikes for the duration of our stay. I have stayed in apartments before when travelling and my most recent stay has embedded even more why staying in an apartment is often the best option. Below I have written about the benefits of apartments!
When renting an apartment, you are usually provided with your own kitchen, a bedroom, bathroom and living area. My apartment in Amsterdam included an open plan kitchen-living room, with separate bedroom and bathroom with shower. Apartments also come with fridges, a kettle and oven/microwave which means you can save your money on food for other activities such as a canal cruise, a trip to Anne Frank Museum or even a couple of extra beers at a local brewery. You can expect to have two pots of different sizes and a toaster for your cooking.
If you are after saving money, then the thing to do is to have cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and then take a trip to the local supermarket to make dinner in the evenings.
Another benefit of apartment-living is the clean clothing option. Most apartments have a washing machine and dryer in the room, or will provide communal facilities or on-site washing that doesn’t cost heaven and earth. This is especially useful if you are on a week long holiday or more!
Benefit no. three is size! My apartment in Amsterdam was massive, and it was one of the smaller sized apartments too. Me and Theo didn’t feel like we were stepping on each other toes, which you can do in hotels and it also meant on an evening I could do some work for my blog, whist he watched the Six Nations rugby game on the TV.
And if that wasn’t enough, you also get a personalised service. On my trip to Yays Zoutkeetsgracht and at all the Yays locations, they have a concierge on staff who are available 24/7 and knows everything there is to know about the neighbourhood you are staying in. They offered me bike maps, routes, and advice on which neighbourhoods to head to, or even better, stay out of!
To book your own apartment with Yays, head over to their website here.
* This post is in collaboration with Yays. They hosted me for a stay at one of their locations in Amsterdam however, as always, my opinions are my own and I would not endorse a brand that I did not love or would use again.
Sophie is a blogger and freelance writer based in the UK. She writes about all things travel on her blog over at Sophie’s Suitcase and in her spare time writes for Huffington Post, Elite Daily and The Culture Trip. You can also find her on social media; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
