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DutchReview Getaway: A Night at the Pier in Scheveningen

Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
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DutchReview Getaway: A Night at the Pier in Scheveningen

We often get asked ‘hey DutchReview, where should I stay if I visit that little country of yours’ or ‘my parents are visiting and my mom doesn’t want to bunk on my couch’ so for all of these people we’ll go on the tough job of checking out the best and most creative stays of Holland. First up: we’re staying right at the North Sea at the Pier in Scheveningen aka the Pier suites.

If you ever want to enjoy an unlimited sea view then this is the spot. Right at the very end of this landmark of Scheveningen the Pier Suites have set up shop not so long ago. And not just some random rooms as well, it’s a luxurious stay (hence the term suite) in all kind of aspects and since it has just opened up it’s also brand new!

The Room

So there’s a bed (kingsize), shower (rainlike) and a TV – you kind of expect those things of course. But there are a couple of genuine highlights.

Like the bath, or better said jacuzzi, right in the middle of the room so it’s the perfect spot for bubbling for hours and watching the sea (or quickly watching something on the telly). It can easily fit two and this is always a major plus for me when looking for a room:

That, and the possibility of combining drinking and bathing

Next up is the mini-bar (‘big deal’ I hear you thinking), it’s an absolute score for the Piere Suites since the mini-bar is free (YES! GRATIS) and really nicely stocked – there are for example 2 bottles of wine to drink from. The minibar feature here is thus a nice change from the normal ‘peanuts and water for 19 euro’-regime.

And obviously if you’re staying above and at sea you’ll want to take in the surroundings as much as possible, luckily every suite has a royal terrace with 2 deck chairs giving you an unrivaled view of the North Sea. It’s a no-brainer that this is a winner when the sun is shining, but it’s also kind of magical to look at the sea during the night with all the flickering lights of anchored ships.

The hallway

oh and the starry night ceiling effect is something I’ll now want at home as well!

 

The Pier in Scheveningen: what’s there to do?

You should know Scheveningen by now a bit, and if you don’t then check out this article on the town in the early Spring or this one on having a romantic time in Scheveningen. But there are two items that jump out (you know, besides drinking wine in the jacuzzi). First of all, ever been inside the Pier? They have revamped the whole thing a while back and now it’s full of nice stuff to see and delicious stuff to eat. When we visited there was a cute beer-festival and a DJ playing tunes, plenty of trendy burger- and seafood spots to visit.

Second, and technically still on the pier, there’s the Ferris wheel of course! Which is a great way to see all of Scheveningen and see the beach stretch miles in the distance. Best thing is that when you book a suite you’ll get a complementary ticket for 2 for the ferris wheel ride, also meaning that you can skip any lines for the ticketbooth that might be there.

Some great views of the surroundings are offered by the ferris wheel ride

Here’s a little video of our stay at the Pier in Scheveningen:

Interested in staying at the Pier Suites?

So want to sleep above the sea? The Pier Suites has an English language website which allows you to book a suite pronto. Suites start at 199 euro, and sometimes they even have offerings that are better than that! They’re also opening up some cabins real soon, for that extra cozy feeling. Checking in somewhat different, you’ll get some personal attention and meet them at the Pier entrance, nice touch 🙂 

 

*Pro-tip: if you’re thinking ‘romantic getaway time’, then you’re right! To get you and your loved one in the mood book the extra romance-package which comes with a bottle of premium champagne, chocolates and rose leaves all over the place.

Find out what it's like to spend a night at The Pier in Scheveningen

What is it that really makes the Dutch happy?

Noah Bloem
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What is it that really makes the Dutch happy?

The Dutch, especially recently, have frequently been praised for being happy people. But what actually makes the Dutch happy? Research conducted by De Stichting Atlas voor Gemeenten sought to figure this out. Participants were able to self-report their state of happiness and ultimately, their answers lead to some interesting conclusions.

In total, the study indicates that 87% of the Dutch population is happy, with the district of Rotterdam coming in last at 82%. Although apparently this study was conducted before last Sunday. It seems that those who work (whether paid or voluntarily) are much happier than those who don’t. Furthermore, those with good health tend to be far more happy than those with bad health.

Visual representation of happy girl. May or may not actually be Dutch.

It’s also vital to see your friends, even if it’s just monthly, as seeing friends only rarely or never has a heavy impact on one’s overall happiness. Humans are social creatures after all. On the note of social interaction, it seems couples and families with two parents are also above average when it comes to happiness, as opposed to one parent families and singles.

Those seem fairly obvious, but interestingly, those who do not partake in smoking or drinking are significantly less likely to be happy than a person who does smoke or drink alcohol. Furthermore, it seems that those who live in urban areas are also usually less happy than those that live in suburban and rural areas.

Religion also seems to have an impact, likely due to the current sociopolitical climate, as the study indicates that Muslims are least likely to be happy while Christian happiness is a slice above that of ‘other’ religions and atheists.

Happy Dutch!

In any case, if you go by the results, you’re best off being a rich, white, educated, Christian above the age of 65 and without children living at home, but is anyone really surprised by that? What do you think? Any other important factors you think the study misses in the search for what makes the Dutch happy? Let us know.

Finding our Comfort Zone at Panorama Mesdag

Noah Bloem
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Finding our Comfort Zone at Panorama Mesdag

Cern’s series Comfort Zone is a humorous and tender portrayal of the humans at the beach, each photographed unawares as they rest in their own comfort zone.

Henry Willem Mesdag is perhaps best known for his painting, Panorama Mesdag, which is housed in a museum of the same title. A visit to the museum is probably worth it simply to see Mesdag’s panorama, but right now that’s not our focus. If you want to know more about the panorama, you can read all about the biggest painting in the Netherlands here.

While the Panorama Mesdag museum houses a small permanent collection of Mesdag’s and his wife Sientje van Houten’s paintings, it also frequently hosts temporary exhibitions and is currently featuring Tadao Cern’s Comfort Zone. 

Mesdag was known for his marine landscapes, and they’re pretty cool.

Comfort Zone

Comfort Zone is a photograph series that captures seaside visitors as they are sleeping with their faces covered, unaware of the photographer hovering over them. While on the surface it is simply a set of humorous photos portraying slumbering beach-goers in bathing suits, Comfort Zone immortalizes people in their comfort zones (as the title would imply).

The beach somehow presents a different set of societal rules, where people feel more freedom to present themselves with all their flaws and vulnerability. Cern recognizes this and by photographing these short moments of beach slumber, he is able to create a comfort zone for the audience as well, who can gaze and stare freely at all the details without fear of embarrassment.

What ultimately results from his experiment, though, is a series filled both with humor and vulnerability. Cern simultaneously protects the subjects’ identity by taking pictures only when their faces are covered (in protection from the sun), and thus also doesn’t disturb the comfort zone of the sleeping people.

Sleeping people everywhere!
Well, can’t say they don’t look comfortable.
Shh..don’t wake them.
A good tan is always welcome.
Don’t think you can get more comfortable than that.

Tadao Cern

The Lithuanian Tadao Cern began his career as an architect, but after deciding he wanted to pursue a new direction, he took up photography. A year later, he suddenly blasted into the international scene with his series Blow Job, where he photographed people as he blasted them with fierce gusts of wind. 

After a holiday beach visit in his home country, Cern suddenly had the idea that would eventually become Comfort Zone. He then proceeded to spend every day for the next few weeks at the beach, waiting for people to cover their faces and fall asleep. Hundreds of photos were then eventually narrowed down to the 24 that are presented in Comfort Zone.

Cern has since moved on to create contemporary art as well, creating a variety of installations from Adobe Acrobat to Black Balloons to Hanging Paintings. All of those can be checked out on his website.

Cern explains all about how his project came about and how he did it.
Cern says it all.

The Juxtaposition with Mesdag’s Paintings

Mesdag was known for his marine landscapes, particularly those of Scheveningen, which consequently was also the subject of his panorama. Placed alongside the photographs in Comfort Zone, however, the stark contrast between the works becomes even clearer.

While both focus on the beach, their differing intentions make for a fascinating comparison. Mesdag’s paintings are darker, heavier, and show Scheveningen as the fishing village it once was, seemingly ignoring entirely the possibility that people from all over the Netherlands would one day go there to find their own comfort zones.

On the other hand, Comfort Zone presents only the humans on the beach and none of their surroundings. They are framed and presented in such a way that it seems they could even have been taken in a studio and not, as they, in fact, are on a public beach.

Want to visit?

Interested in taking a look to see Cern’s photos and Mesdag’s paintings? Then make sure to check out Panorama Mesdag in The Hague. It’s open from Mon-Sat from 10:00-17:00 and on Sundays from 11:00-17:00. Check out the full list of ticket prices and visiting times here.

Comfort Zone is on display now and will stay until October 22nd, 2017.

Address: Zeestraat 65, 2518 AA, Den Haag

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Amsterdam police looks to allow religious symbols

Noah Bloem
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Will Amsterdam’s police officers be allowed to wear headscarves? 

Back in 2011, the cabinet under Rutte banned the wearing of religious symbols (like a headscarf or cross) by police officers, citing that it would undermine their neutrality. In an interview with the AD, Amsterdam Police Chief Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg stated he is now considering the option to allow re-allow such items, claiming that the current rules may deter those from non-Western backgrounds from signing up.

Criticism

Although the bill is far from being passed, there is already criticism from a number of sources including the Police Union ANPV. The ANPV’s chairman Geert Priem also claims that the current police officers that come from a non-Western background do not want to be identified by their background and the reinstatement of such a law places an unwanted emphasis on cultural difference.

Religious symbols and police officers: pro’s and con’s

The case for police neutrality is, of course, central to this debate. Police officers should treat all citizens equally and be treated equally themselves after all. But in a state that preaches freedom of religion, should there be such a restriction on religious symbols within government organizations as well?

On the one hand it makes complete sense, as the lack of religious symbols is a clear sign of religious neutrality. However, ignoring for the moment that some argue it could also be seen as a dominance of atheistic and agnostic ideals, the banning of such dress is to some also a restriction of the religious freedom that the Dutch preach. It’s a question of whether it is wrong to deny federal officials the same freedoms provided civilians.

Conversely, police officers are, in their positions, primarily representatives of the state and not themselves. Not to mention that many police officers are also likely to decline wearing religious symbols anyway in lieu of their positions.

Either way, what do you think?

 

My Red Light: A Safer Work Space for Sex Workers?

Ross McQueen
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My Red Light: A Safer Work Space for Sex Workers?

This week the mayor of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan, opened My Red Light: a brothel in Amsterdam which, unlike other establishments in De Wallen, is owned entirely by the women and men who work there.

The brothel has been described as “het eerste prostitutiebedrijf in zelfbeheer” (the first brothel under self-ownership). According to van der Laan, it represents a “whole new model” in the centuries-old Amsterdam sex industry. Due to the close involvement of the Gemeente in the project, some have jokingly referred to My Red Light as the “municipal brothel”.

Eberhard van der Laan: a clever scheme by the mayor of Amsterdam?

The Legal History of Amsterdam’s Oldest Profession

Prostitution was legalised in the Netherlands in 2000 in the hope that this would “clean up” the sex industry. Licences must be obtained, and taxes must be paid. The plan did not entirely work, however. To this day the district of De Wallen remains a focus for people traffickers and organised crime.

However, in 2007 the city of Amsterdam bought the buildings that now house My Red Light from a notorious brothel-owner in the hope that he would vacate the area. The Gemeente then sold the premises to a social investment fund. The fun in turn rents them out to My Red Light. The brothel also benefits from a start-up loan from Rabobank.

De Wallen by day

A Safer Type of Brothel?

The point of My Red Light is that the prostitutes who work there are self-employed, can determine their own payment terms and working hours, and will not have to pay rent during holidays or periods of illness. They will also have the opportunity to follow educational courses on subjects such as accounting. The idea is to give more independence to those working there so that they can become less reliant on third parties.

The idea that My Red Light constitutes safe prostitution remains a delusion, however. The Gemeente itself has admitted that there is no guarantee that sex workers who rent windows there are not passing on part of their profits to pimps. The Gemeente hopes rather that the project will “empower” sex workers to seek independence and to gain a degree of business acumen in the process. Whether this proves to be the result of the My Red Light project, however, remains to be seen.

Time to teach you a new Dutch word! (#%& or better: ‘Verdorie’)

Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
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Time to teach you a new Dutch word! (#%& or better: ‘Verdorie’)

A while back we taught you 7 essential Dutch words, and a few weeks ago we decided to ‘greatly’ expand your knowledge of Dutch and teach you 7 extra words of Dutch (tjonge jonge!). But let’s face it, if you’re only picking up Dutch per 7 words then chances are that reading isn’t your fav thing. No worries! We’ve got you covered! We’re compiling a video of the latest 7 words again 🙂

*&% 

You might have already seen the word ‘Gast’ covered last time, this time we get our hands dirty and cover an essential Dutch swear word. And since we’re wholesome people here at DutchReview we also supply you with a more decent alternative to the &*%. Enjoy!

 

PS. We really don’t want sexism happening in the comments, just a swear word people.

PS2. Yes, we do think ‘New Kids’ is awesome! 

Feyenoord kampioen! 4 reasons Feyenoord won the Dutch league

Charlie Faye
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Feyenoord kampioen! 4 reasons Feyenoord won the Dutch league

It’s been a crazy time since Sunday! Feyenoord are the 2017 champions of the Eredivisie after a resounding 3-1 win over Heracles Almelo on the final day. What appeared so certain a fortnight ago came under threat with a shock 3-0 defeat away at local rivals Excelsior on the penultimate match day which allowed Ajax to reduce the lead at the top to a single point. It wouldn’t be football without drama after all! The Rotterdammers managed to stave off Ajax’s late challenge to win their first title since 1999. How did they manage it? 

 

 

Transfers

After a semi-successful season last year, winning the KNVB Beker and finishing third, Feyenoord have managed to bridge the 19-point gap between themselves and 2016 champions PSV. The backroom staff at the club ensured that the squad has been strengthened with the signings of Nicolai Jorgenson, Brad Jones and the loan of Steven Berghuis from Watford. Additionally, the only notable sales were that of Lex Immers, who had previously spent time on loan at Cardiff, and Colin Kazim-Richards. The core of the squad was successfully retained.

Manager Gio van Bronckhorst

 

This compared positively with previous transfer windows. Feyenoord, with their strong youth academy, had become something of a selling club. Previous manager Ronald Koeman had poached Graziano Pelle and Jordy Clasie whilst defensive stalwarts Stefan De Vrij and Bruno Martins Indi had also moved on. It appears financial stability has been achieved and the club managed to keep hold of its best youth players last summer. Rick Karsdorp, Terence Kongolo and Tonny Vilhena have continued their development and became key members of the title-winning team.

 

Goals

A huge reason for PSV’s lack of challenge this season has been their inability to convert their chances to the lament of manager Philip Cocu. Luuk de Jong, who plundered 26 goals last season, only managed 8. Comparatively, Jorgenson, Feyenoord’s summer signing from Kobenhavn, scored 21 to win the golden boot.

They weren’t overly reliant on the big Dane either. Dirk Kuyt scored 12 times and Jens Toornstra scored 14. As a team, Feyenoord only failed to find the net on 3 occasions – all away from home. They top scored with 83 whereas PSV only mustered 63; Ajax managed 78. At the other end, they also conceded the least with 19.

Man of the hour: Dirk Kuyt

Team Spirit

I could have used an old footballing cliché here: ‘bouncebackability’. Each time the team suffered a setback they recovered quickly and effectively. In late October and early November, the team’s form slipped. Draws to Ajax, Heerenveen and Utrecht were compounded by an embarrassing defeat away at Go Ahead Eagles – their first of the season. This was potentially down to the extra stress that competing in the Europa League had on the squad. Priorities were reassessed and it’s clear that the league became the focus. Manager Gio van Bronckhorst deserves credit here as the team went on to score 13 in the 3 games before the winter break including a 6-1 win over local rivals Sparta Rotterdam. Confidence was back and Feyenoord went on to win 7 on the bounce after the mid-season break.

The side maintained this resilience until the end of the season. A 1-0 reverse to Sparta was followed by a 5-2 victory over AZ. A loss to Ajax was followed by the 8-0 defeat of Go Ahead Eagles. Even at the end of the season, the 3-0 loss to Excelsior which looked like it might ruin Feyenoord’s title ambitions was followed by an assured display on the final day at home to Heracles.

 

Stadion Feyenoord is affectionately known as ‘De Kuip’

De Kuip

Translated into English as ‘The Tub’, Feyenoord made their home ground a fortress this season. They failed to lose a single game and dropped only 4 points – that’s two draws! It is fitting that the title was won on the final day in front of the adoring crowd that had backed the team the whole way.

Flags in the team’s red and white and those in the green and white of the city of Rotterdam greeted Feyenoord as they walked out for the final game of the season. The atmosphere was electric!

Captain Dirk Kuyt was restored to the starting eleven. It was telling that he had been omitted from the starting eleven the previous week and the team had collapsed under the pressure. There was to be no mistake against Heracles – there couldn’t be.

The fairytale Eredivisie win was fittingly capped off with a hattrick from the captain; a veteran of the game and a man for the big occasion. As the final whistle went, Kuyt collapsed to the turf as emotion overcame him. He had managed what no other, including van Bronckhorst, had managed for 18 years and lead Feyenoord to an Eredivisie title.

If the team are to challenge successfully for the Eredivisie in the future lessons must be learned from this year. They cannot expect to keep selling their best players and remain successful; money must be spent wisely and on the right players; and, of course, youth players must be given opportunities.

Sharing economy of Amsterdam: Dutch capital makes it work

Alexandra Huetter
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What makes the sharing economy of Amsterdam actually work and shine?

We all know Uber and Airbnb, but Amsterdam has definitely upped the ante when it comes to sharing and collaborating to create a friendly, sustainable city. New sharing apps and digital platforms are popping up left and right, all designed to encourage Amsterdammers to take part in an economy that thrives on cooperation. Socially, this new trend of a sharing economy brings people together, and from a sustainable point of view it ultimately reduces waste and takes cars off the road.

Sharing economy of Amsterdam: Sharing is caring

Nanette Schippers, who is the program manager for sharing economy at the government of Amsterdam says: “We are trying to increase social capital, and sharing is a good thing.” This initiative started in 2015 when Amsterdam became Europe’s first Sharing City. A social enterprise called ShareNL worked together with the the city to advise start-ups on how to encourage collaboration between the public sector, companies, and local citizens. ShareNL also launched a platform called the Sharing City Alliance, which promotes ideas from other like-minded cities like Hamburg, Barcelona, Toronto, or Tel Aviv.

Sharing economy of Amsterdam
Sharing is caring

Research showed that in 2013 around 10 percent of Amsterdam citizens said they felt comfortable sharing something with a stranger. That number went up to 32 percent in 2016. The age group most willing to share currently lies between 20 and 45 years. The aim for the city is to grow that number further, to expand this age group in both directions, and to include a greater portion of low-income groups.

Useful apps and platforms

The sharing economy of Amsterdam knows a multitude of sharing apps, from sharing storage spaces to leasing out unused cars to sharing skills to even sharing meals. MyWheels, for example, allows you to rent a car from people in your neighborhood. You can also rent out your vehicle on SnappCar to lend your car to fellow citizens. If your car sits around unused most of the time this app is especially useful, and will allow you to help out someone in need of a vehicle (whilst also earning a few bucks on the side).

The carpooling app Abel brings drivers and passengers together who are going in the same direction. If you go on holidays and park your car at Schiphol airport, you can rent it out through the app ParkFlyRent and receive a part of the income generated from it. On Camptoo you can rent privately owned motorhomes, which are usually only used a few times (if only once) throughout the year.

In need of a cheap holiday? Home Exchange lets you swap your home for short getaways or longer holidays. Peerby allows you to borrow household items from your neighbours, and if you are in need of some extra storage space you can browse through Djeepo, where people share their private basements, attics or spare rooms so you can store your belongings. Konnektid, a very social app, allows you to share your skills with someone else. How about learning a new language or teaching someone to play the guitar?

sharing economy - ice cream
Go on and share your tub of ice-cream with someone

Share you space, your car, your skills

Have you ever heard of AirDnD (Drink and Dine)? This app offers you to share a meal with a stranger in their private home. Diners can pop into a private kitchen to eat home-cooked food. The GEEF Café is a restaurant that uses only food that’s about to be thrown away. You can eat there, contribute some money and a portion of the income is used to feed the less fortunate.  You can also volunteer your time at the restaurant in exchange for food.

To me, all of this sounds incredibly positive and ultimately makes a city more appealing and liveable, not only for the people that are planning to relocate and move to Amsterdam, but also for visitors and tourists who are able to take part in this sharing economy.

 

Liked this article? Ah good while back in the beginning of DutchReview we also did an article or 5 on the sharing economy of Amsterdam and the Netherlands as a whole. Here’s the first part

5 urban beaches in Amsterdam that give you that holiday feeling

Alexandra Huetter
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5 urban beaches in Amsterdam that give you that holiday feeling

Summer is here. Finally. The days are longer and we spend as much time as possible outside soaking up those much longed-for sunrays.

Summer equals freedom and nothing compares to that feeling of sun in your face, wind in your hair, the smell of salty water and your feet buried in hot sand… how nice would it be to chill on a beach somewhere in Croatia, Spain, Turkey or Italy right now taking a cool dip in the water?

But what if you just started a new job and can’t get any time off work this summer or coronavirus has ruined your abroad travel plans? Not a problem at all. Believe it or not but you can still get that special holiday feeling in the city without spending big bucks to go somewhere far. Just take a summer staycation and sample all the fine urban beaches Amsterdam has to offer. Are you ready? Just lean back, dig a hole in the sand with your feet and take a sip of your ice-cold drink.

Amsterdam Roest (Amsterdam Oost)

You’ll find this hip and quirky urban beach in the Eastern part of Amsterdam. When you turn around the corner towards the entrance you immediately feel like you just entered a little hippy village by the beach. An old warehouse and some junkyard art are a reminder of the industrial past of this area. You’ll find a selection of outdoor and indoor bars and a large sandy beach next to the canal with a rope swing to cool off on a hot day. When it gets a bit fresh at night you can also sit inside and enjoy some music, cocktails and food. Definitely a summer hotspot.

Image: Alf Van Beem/Wikimedia Commons

Pllek (Amsterdam Noord)

Who doesn’t enjoy a ferry ride in the summer?

A trip to Amsterdam Noord always feels like a mini holiday. From Central Station, you can cross the IJ to NDSM and after a little walk you’ll find Pllek, a relaxed waterfront bar to kick back day and night. You can chill with a cold drink on one of the beanbags by the water enjoying the sun or you can watch the bonfire at night whilst listening to DJ’s spinning their tracks. Take in the views of the city from this fun hotspot across the water.

urban beaches - Pllek
Pllek, your urban beach in Amsterdam Noord. Image: TijsB/Flickr

Strandzuid (Amsterdam Zuid)

Strandzuid is another one of those urban beaches in the Southern part of the city located between Amsterdam RAI and the Beatrixpark. This inland beach complex is nestled next to a lake and boasts a chic restaurant with a spacious beer deck. Find your comfy sunbathing spot at the sandy beach or go for a little ping-pong match with your friends.

How about a cold drink at Strandzuid? Image: Supplied

 

Blijburg aan Zee (Amsterdam Oost)

A little bit further from the centre than the other urban beaches, Blijburg aan Zee offers plenty of holiday summer vibes. It is located on IJburg, a man-made island you can easily reach by tram or bike. Pack your towel, sunscreen and your sunglasses, then head over there for some serious frolicking in the sun. You can cool off in the water, sunbathe and order drinks and food at the cosy beach bar with a bohemian flair that offers live music by the campfire in the evening. Who needs Spain when you have Blijburg at your doorstep?

NEMO‘s roof terrace (Amsterdam Centrum)

I know what you’re thinking now. NEMO is not a beach, it’s Amsterdam’s science centre. You are right BUT have you seen their giant roof terrace overlooking the water and the city’s rooftops? You’ll feel like you’re on a cruise ship with a fancy drink in your hand. The deck chairs, water features and sandpits add to your holiday feeling and you can just sit back, relax and enjoy your cool ice cream on a warm day in the city. Lots of photo ops of the stunning views.

Well, there it is – no need to take a plane when you can jump on a bike and explore the many unique little staycation spots found throughout Amsterdam. Remember though, this is the Netherlands, so while a big sun hat is optional, an umbrella is not.

Did we miss any urban beaches or summer hotspots? Let us know in the comments!

Feature Image: TijsB/Flickr

Editor’s Note: This article was initially published in May 2017, and was fully updated in June 2020 for your reading pleasure.

Zombies?! Surviving the undead legion at the VR Arcade Amsterdam

Noah Bloem
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Zombies?! Surviving the undead legion at the VR Arcade Amsterdam

Let’s face it, everyone likes killing zombies, and Amsterdam’s VR Arcade is taking it to the next level.

By this time, if you know anything about virtual reality, you know that it’s likely to be the future of gaming (and possibly movies, simulation training, and more). Technologies like the HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, and Oculus Rift are amazing. They allow for a brilliant immersive experience and exceptionally accurate hands-on capabilities.  

Nevertheless, these systems are built to be used in the confines of an average living room, so walking around and potentially crashing into a cupboard filled with all your prized china is a bit of risk. VR Arcade Amsterdam has sought out to solve this exact issue.

They also have a classic Pac-Man machine if you’re into that. And who isn’t?

Europe’s first free-roam VR experience!

Located a couple minutes’ walk/bike into Amsterdam North, you’ll walk past EYE, the VR Arcade have created Europe’s first free-roam virtual reality experience. Groups of 4-5 people can walk around in virtual environments without worrying about crashing into walls and other people (at least not more than in real life).

Of course, they could use this space for a lot of different activities, but naturally it’s being dedicated wholly to the free-range slaughter of zombies… because what else would you do with this technology?

VR Arcade
The specialized free-roam VR backpacks, waiting to be used.

It’s not just about shooting zombies.

The experience starts before the zombie game, though, so if you’ve never experienced VR before, you’ll have plenty of time to adjust. Upon entering the VR Arcade, players enter what is essentially a large living room with a bar. If you’re early, you can grab a drink, relax, and if there’s another group in the zombie game, you can watch them both on a nearby screen and through the window that looks into next room (which should be extremely hilarious)

When you’re taking a selfie, but your friend is being attacked by a giant scary clown in VR.
Getting in a good warm up.

Groups visiting the VR Arcade book 1 hour of time, where 30 minutes of it is spent in the zombie game simulation. The other 30 minutes provide an opportunity to test out the 3 Oculus Rift set-ups that are installed in the large living room. So if it’s your first time in VR, it’s a good chance to get a feel for the technology. Once it’s time the friendly staff will explain the game and next thing you know you’re running around shooting zombies.

But shooting zombies is the best part.

As you explore abandoned hospitals, houses, and farms, zombies come flooding in from all directions, threatening to kill you (at least virtually) as you and your friends fend them off desperately with your firearms. All the while you’re trying not to be distracted by the gorgeous and massive moon that hangs over the quiet landscape.

It really is a fantastic experience as you run around with your friends, firing an infinite (thank god) number of bullets at the oncoming undead horde with only one goal in mind: scoring points….I mean, sure you’re also trying to survive, but let’s be fair, it’s about the points.

SCORE ALLLL THE POINTS!! I’m Player 5 if you’re curious 😀

Interested in visiting the VR Arcade?

All in all, the VR Arcade’s free-roam experience creates a wonderfully open approach to virtual reality. So whether you’ve never done VR before, or if you’re highly experienced in it, or if you just want shoot zombies and score points, the VR Arcade can appeal to all. Just make sure to book an appointment on their website before you visit!

Opening Times:
Thursday 15:00-22:00
Friday 12:00-22:00
Saturday 12:00-22:00
Sunday 12:00-18:00

Address: Asterweg 19E1, 1031 HL Amsterdam

Website | Instagram | Facebook | 

PS. That cover picture of us five is also included in the whole sha-bang! 

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