Nicolaas Maesstraat’s parking garage turns out to be a ‘car trap’: ‘You should have read the reviews’

According to Mark and Berend, if you’re going out for a night in Amsterdam, it’s best not to park your car in the garage on Nicolas Maestraat in Zuid. The elevator that takes cars down breaks down all the time. Just when Mark and Berend have been stuck for hours, they see the reviews on Google, the texts written on the wall out of frustration, and the (presumably) battered “P” sign in front of the entrance.

Berend goes to a show at the Concertgebouw on December 12 and parks his car in the Parking Museum Quarter. Once back from a nice walk, the evening seems a little different than expected. His car can no longer leave the parking garage because the car lift is faulty. “I understand the elevator could break down,” he says then. “But then settle it.”

“Even one star is too many”

When Mark looks at Google reviews, he feels bad, because a large portion of the reviews are very negative. One response read: “Even one star is still too many. With thirty other victims, we had to wait hours for the elevator to be fixed.” Another wrote that she could not receive her car until three days later. Another talks about the manager’s poor communication. “They said a technician was on his way. In the end, there was no technician. The parking garage owner never heard from him.”

As written in the last review, this is also how it went on December 12th. “We were told a technician would be coming,” Berend says. “After waiting an hour and a half, that turned out not to be the case. If your parking garage is open 24/7, make sure there is 24/7 service.” In the end, there were five people waiting for the technician, who did not come.

Taxi from 220 euros

Mark and Berend did not know each other, but together they took a taxi to the Utrecht area for the handsome sum of 220 euros, an amount which – if all goes well – the garage owner will reimburse. The next day they were able to receive their car. The two especially hope to warn other motorists and want the owner to take responsibility next time.

The owner of the garage is BAR Parking, which has a parking space managed by APCOA Parking. They are responsible for troubleshooting. The company was asked to respond to the complaints, but no response was received.