Accommodations in Amsterdam for 11!

Have you tried Airbnb or VRBO or Booking.com? I just entered two nights during the first week of Sept. into Airbnb and there were several that say they sleep 11...

I will try that. I have only used Airbnb once and not sure how it works over in Europe. This is all new to ALL of us so unsure of anything.

You can check houseboathotel.nl or houseboatrental.nl if any available for your size group. Most places are maximum of 4 people. Check how many bedrooms, beds, bathrooms, lift(elevator), ateep skinny stairs to climb with you luggage, deposits in cash euros (read fine print). Lots to ponder about, amsterdam is expensive, staying in city or outside city limits, cost of transportation, you do not need a car. Its a fun and pretty city, take a canal cruise, watch out for bikes they are everywhere, street markets are great. Happy travels
Aloha

Thanks so much . . . will look into the houseboat rental. Sounds like this might be a bit overwhelming for all of us newbies in a crazy city. Especially since we will have our parents 76 and 84! We are doing a 4-day Rhine cruize right before ending in Amsterdam. Just not sure what sites to see in Amsterdam in the short 2 days we have and with elderly parents and 11 of us and yet close enough where we stay and not too far from airport. yikes

Airbnb works exactly the same in Europe as in the US (with the caveat the some cities in each are more strict about the listings being registered, like Paris and NY).

Amsterdam is easy to navigate and is a relatively small city. You don't want to be near the airport. The airport is a 15 minute train ride to Amsterdam Centraal, which is the train station in Amsterdam. From the train station, the city is shaped like a rainbow (if you imagine standing under a rainbow and looking up at all the stripes. In Amsterdam, the stripes are the canal "rings"), and there are trams that run straight out from the station to the different parts of the rainbow, and the trams are parked in front of the train station. You can figure out where you will stay, and then look at a map of the tram lines and figure out which one will get you closest to your lodging.
As someone mentioned, Amsterdam is expensive. You could stay outside the city (north of the city is more residential and more likely to have a house big enough for all of you), and take a train or bus into the city for site-seeing for those 2 days. Public transit is so efficient. You could stay near the airport but its not attractive there, or more practical, but maybe cheaper (maybe not).
Yes the bikes can be intimidating. Just remember that they have the right of way and you'll be fine :)

Wow, keep on coming with ideas. So far everyone has been soooo helpful and we sooo appreciate it. Chaos here we come!!! Thank you.

You might also have a look at www.booking.com and use their filters to see if there might be something of interest. Am seeing several apartments near the city center ... plugging in random dates for the first week of September for a party of 11.

I second trying booking.com and just getting a few rooms.. you dont want to be all in together I hope.

I also second that you DO NOT want to bother staying near the airport.. boring and then each day youd have to take bus to town to sightsee...

For me personally Amsterdam highlights for a short stay would be Anne Franks house.. ( we took our reluctant 24 yr old daughter.. she had never read the book and didnt have a clue,, but she was so moved by being there and learning about it.. ) , walking the canals and getting some frites and mayo or a waffle.. take a canal cruise ( maybe youll be sick of cruising by then though ) , and the Rijksmuseum ..
The younger folks in your group may enjoy visiting a coffee house...

Thank you so much for this insight!!!! Especially the sites we definitely should see in our short stay. Also need to figure out the best pub/beer for the boys ;-)

I havent been to the Resistance Museum but some of your group may be interested in it.. I do have it one my list of places I want to visit on my next trip.

I’m no help in regard to accomodation but I will also be in Amsterdam at the same time as you, so I read the ‘things to do’ with interest. The Ann Frank house needs to be booked 2 months (to the day) in advance. You can do it on the website.
I loved the description of the trams and how the city is laid out!!! So helpful!

I just got back from Amsterdam and I stay at the Hyatt Place at the airport. It will take multiple rooms but I know they can accommodate 3 in a room. It has a great breakfast and so easy to take the train to the city. I like being at the airport in this city because I can catch the bus at the airport for the tulips and the train and of course, when I fly out, I am already there. Just an option. But watch out for the bikes in the city when you all are walking !

Thanks ltfergusson for your question as next June there will be 10 of us going abroad and starting in Amsterdam. I appreciate the example of the rainbow to find our way around.