Hi there,
We are a family of four (kids are 7 and 10), going to Amsterdam at the end of May/beginning of June. I'm starting to look around for places to stay and wondered if people had some thoughts. It seems hard to find a hotel for four people, so I've also been looking on AirBnB and found some places that I think could work that are a little outside Amsterdam. One place says it is a 20 minute tram ride from the center of Amsterdam. I was also curious about staying in Haarlem instead or also of the possibility of staying in The Hague or Scheveningen for two of the four nights that we're planning on doing Amsterdam. Also, I saw that there's a room for four available in the Hotel Not Hotel in a room called the Crow's Nest. It appears to have its own bathroom but a ladder to get up to the room, so I'm unsure how that would work with luggage. Does anyone have any experience of the Hotel Not Hotel with kids? Thanks so much for the help! I've appreciated this forum.
Posted by
Tacoma, WA, USA
603 posts
We stayed in an airbb in Haarlem for a week last April. We enjoyed the town (especifically the Tylers Museum) and used it as a base for the area. The airbb was near the main square and about a 10 minute walk to the train station. I imagine the distance to the train station depends on how much walking the 7 year old is up for.
Posted by
307 posts
Might want to consider renting a house through homeaway or VRBO.
It will give you a little more room for the kids.
We used VRBO and rented a house in Zaandam last spring. It was a 10 minute walk to the train and the home included a couple of bicycles.
Just something to consider although the kids might have a great time with the crow's nest!
Yes you will likely have to lug suitcases up a ladder...but if staying there makes it an adventure for the kids - go for it!
Have fun!
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11775 posts
We stayed in Haarlem (no kids) to save a bit on lodging and had an apartment , which we do anytime we are staying 4 or more nights. Cooking a dinner can save you a bundle, too.
Haarlem has great restaurants and is quieter by far than Amsterdam. The train ride to the city is easy and fast. We bought passes so we did not have to worry about tickets each time we “commuted,”
Posted by
Boston, MA, United States
1806 posts
Hotel Not Hotel is very "design-y" - the design of it is fun, but rooms are small AF and walls thin so it is not particularly practical for a family of 4 or quiet if you do cherish your sleep - it's shared bathrooms for many of the rooms and it really attracts more solo travelers or couples who want to stay in a cool neighborhood - not families.
If you are staying in Amsterdam the whole time, I'd look at apartment rentals or a houseboat rental. What kind of budget range are you working with? It's easier to recommend places if you give a budget. If you are wanting to stay in a hotel, then try something like Conscious Hotels which has several hotels scattered around the city. If you are working with a really tight budget, then check the reviews on HostelWorld and look for a family room or book a quad in a hostel which will give you privacy, but also have common areas that you and the kids can move around in with tv lounges, kitchen and laundry facilities.
I'm unclear on your comment about staying in The Hague...are you thinking you'll stay there and commute into Amsterdam to save money on your lodging, or did you just want to visit for a few days after Amsterdam?? The Hague is nice for sure, but if you were using it as your sole lodging base it would take longer to get to Amsterdam than if you just stayed in Haarlem. Another option that has very good and frequent train service to Amsterdam and is a cute city on it's own with lots of canals is Utrecht. Utrecht also makes an awesome base if you want to spend a day at Kinderdijk to see the windmills and rent bikes with the kids (lot safer for them to bike at Kinderdijk than on the streets of Amsterdam).
Posted by
OP
34 posts
I was thinking of trying to find places that were $200 or below a night. The apartment rentals I've seen in Amsterdam seem to be higher than that, so I was thinking of staying a little outside and will look into the Haarlem area. We'll be in Amsterdam for 4 nights, so I wondered if we should stay at The Hague for two of those nights and do activities in that area for those two nights or if it would be better to do all Amsterdam area activities for that period of time. I'll check out Utrecht, thanks!