Photograph by Kari Hoerchler

For Cheapos who oppose hostels for whatever reason—perhaps they promised their Mom they’d never stay in one or they have a crushing fear of Australians—finding a hotel in a expensive city like Amsterdam can be a miserable experience, especially given that many recommendations for cheap hotels are made by travel writers who never so much as glance at a room.

A classic example is the Hotel van Onna in the zippy Jordaan neighborhood. The prices are fair, considering the ‘hood (a double is €90.) The van Onna is recommended by everyone from Time Out to Frommer’s. Despite the charming owner and the fact that the rooms overlook the canal, don’t you think the blurbs could have mentioned that if you hold your arms out from your sides you can touch both walls of a double room at the same time? Or is it just that we’re too tall?

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