Angel F.
Yelp
European hotels can be quite pricy and hostels lack privacy. Exactly in the middle is The Exchange! There isn't much to it (at least not in the 1 star rooms), but it's under €100 nightly. My room was quite quaint with white walls, white linens and white furniture. Small, but actually larger than I had anticipated. Who spends all their time in the room anyways? Get out there and explore.
The bed was amazingly comfortable and that alone makes The Exchange worth it for me. The bathroom is spacious and fully stocked with everything you need. They'll even provide a hair dryer if you ask. Paid tv is available, but again, get out of the room! One of the best amenities is the free wifi! Thank goodness! I turned off my data before traveling; so, each morning I google mapped my route and snapped screenshots to get around. Plus, I was able to check in with family and friends back home without incurring huge international charges.
Another plus, The Exchange is 5 minutes from Centraal Station. It's definitely in a touristy area, but it makes orienting yourself so much easier. Within 1 day, I was able to move around in the city and still find my way back to the hotel easily.
The only big negative I have is that you can hear everything: the street, the people above, below and next to you, the vending machine and the staff at Stock prepping. Make sure you bring earplugs.
The Stock, next door, is a bit pricey but really convenient. Despite the extra euro it cost, I've popped in every morning for a cheese sandwich. They're open as early as 7 am which is great, because even though Holland doesn't get moving till around 10am, I'm stuck on America time.
All in all, pleasant stay. It isn't fancy, but it's clean, convenient and inexpensive.