Ecomama, Amsterdam

Amsterdam has lots to offer those seeking high-concept, design-focused accommodation. The Volkshotel is one place to note: a new hotel similar in style to the Bikini Hotel Berlin, and in the east of the city. Another relatively new addition to ’Dam’s boutique (and industrially chic, of course) hotel scene is the Ecomama hostel; the second hostel in the city to be opened by the team behind Cocomama. It is in a former travel agency on the edge of the red light district, and the interior has a converted-warehouse feel: ventilation pipes are left exposed on the ceiling, while walls divide the communal areas into spaces to hang out in. The interior has upcycled details: magazine racks made from wire coat hangers and bookshelves made from, well, old books. As the name suggests, the design is also environmentally conscious: a green roof and water-saving system help minimise the hostel’s carbon footprint.