On the ground floor there are five internet terminals with 100% free access. This is quite handy as you might imagine. There is also a drinks machine here that also dispenses beer! Your typical expensive cigarette machine is also available.

Onto the bar - I had heard that this place was where it was all at and it was a big reason for me to check out the Flying Pig Downtown Hostel - meeting people and having a good time. The strange thing is that the bar is right in front of you as you walk through the main entrance and you must walk through it to get to the dorms! The bar serves a variety of draught beers and soft drinks and also has a section with a pool table. The other side of the bar, or main hall as it more closely resembles, is a type of chillout area of cushions where you can just collapse and relax.

Remember that this is Amsterdam so marijuana is present wherever tourists are. This includes the bar - in fact this is positively encouraged! You're not supposed to sleep in the chillout area but this seems to be a popular hangout for intoxicated backpackers!

Back to the basement - I later discovered that there is also a TV room located down here complete with sofas and chairs although not comfortable in my opinion. This is also where breakfast is served each morning which is the typical fare of meats, cheeses and breads but also cereals. If you are looking for a hot breakfast then there are plenty of nearby places where you can buy such a breakfast, however eating a good breakfast at the hostel is a good way of keeping expenses down and you need probably have only one more meal and a couple of snacks to keep you going for the rest of the day.

At night time, the lights in the dorm generally go out at about 10pm. It seems that half the people there go to bed early and the other half party most of the night, hence noone complains when the door of the dorm is constantly swinging all night long. I have one big recommendation though and that is to use earplugs. I had actually packed some but they were hidden away and I would have woken everyone else up to get to them. But they are needed if you want to get some good sleep and avoid being waken up by swinging doors, music from the bar and your roommates snoring!

Flying Pig also have a very good refunds policy. I had to cut short my stay by one day and on the morning that I left, I asked for a refund for the one extra night remaining. Despite giving barely a few hours notice when the standard everywhere else seems to be 24, I got a full refund with no questions asked!

All in all, I would thoroughly recommend staying at the Flying Pig, especially if you are young and on a budget. Even if you are closer to thirty, like myself, you can still have a great time there and socialise with others. On the other hand, if you are older or more reserved and don't wish to socialise then you can still stay there and do your own thing - there is no obligation to mix with other people and so long as you pack those earplugs you can still get a good night's sleep!

The only caveat is that holidays for some people are an opportunity to relax and enjoy a nice bed and some nice facilities. If you are one of these people then a hostel experience might be too basic for you so this is something that you may wish to consider.

You can find out more and book a bed here: The Flying Pig Downtown Youth Hostel