Please sign in to post.

A Place to Get Over Jet-lag

Am in the very early stages of planning a trip to Amsterdam. Am interested in any ideas about a place--city and/or hotel--that would be good to just rest up for three nights or so immediately after arrival, as we will be travelling with my 80+-year-old mother. Budget about €250/night per room, and would like a property that has balconies or public spaces, either indoor or out, that would be appropriate for relaxation. The city doesn't have to have great sights, actually prefer a low-key location. We've stayed in Delft before, so would prefer a different place. Or, should I just chuck this idea, and head straight to Amsterdam, where I think we would like to stay in the Jordaan.

If any further information would help, just let me know, and thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions.

Posted by
10344 posts

I like your Plan B: head straight to Amsterdam to where you like to stay. Eliminating an additional move will reduce stress.

Posted by
23177 posts

We like Haarlem Great public sq with resturant. Everything is short distance , very low key.

Posted by
333 posts

Haarlem is a lovely town, I agree with the person above me. The Rick Steves Tours fancy the Ambassador hotel, and they're reasonably priced as well.

The Jordaan area of Amsterdam is also lovely. My daughter and I rented a small room on a houseboat there for 3 days/nights and just loved it. We were in walking distance of almost everything- about 10 minutes to the Anne Frank house. There are lots of lovely hotels and houseboats to rent for a reasonable price.

Have a great trip!

Posted by
1005 posts

I agree that heading for Amsterdam might work best, but be careful. Many of the old canal house hotels have very steep stairs and no elevators. I'd pass on the charm and stay in a business class hotel if I were traveling with an 80-year-old mother.

Posted by
2829 posts

Go straight to Amsterdam. For an older person, I think (from experience with my own grandparents), staying in place is better than rushing around.

Forget about Haarlem, it is a nice city for a day-trip, but extremely over-hyped by Rick Steves, as he hasn't update his mental map of Amsterdam from the mid-1980s (when dirty areas, open-air heavy drug use and other unsightly issues were prominent, whereas today they are negligible).

As other contributor pointed, just be sure to pick up a hotel that has elevators. Some of the old hotels have flimsy staircases.

Posted by
564 posts

If your trip is to Amsterdam just head there. If you're interested in the museums look at Museum Suites across street to Vondel Park close to Van Gogh M., (terraces, no A/C but fans in rooms, shuttle bus service); Sofitel in central part of city has garden terrace, elevators, and corner suites have views of the canal, easy access to trams.
You may get some further ideas from looking at TA.
What month are you going? April 30th is Queen's Day, the city starts filling up & getting very busy the weekend/days before the holiday.

Posted by
1184 posts

Thank you all for taking the time to answer this post. I appreciate all of your input!

Diane: Thinking of an early September trip.