Hi,
I am travelling with a friend, to Amsterdam for 5 days in early May.
Some one suggested that we stay In Amsterdam with a day trip to Brussels and Antwerp. Is this a good idea ? or shall we go to Amsterdam , spend 3 nights and then go to Brussels or some other city fin Belgium for a night or two.? we will be going to Prague after these 5 nights in one or two of these countries. , if it helps getting some suggestions from you guys.
We also noticed that the hotels in Amsterdam are very expensive. Initially we were planning to stay in the city center close to museums etc but the hotels in these areas are very expensive . So we have looked at other options , such as staying near the airport ( best western plus , or Best western Zaan Inn which is comparatively less expensive being away from city. Do you think this is a good idea? How is the commute to the city from these locations? we will be suing public transport during our stay. Can any one recommend a hotel ( 3 or 4 star) in city that is not very expensive.? We are hoping to keep our budget less than 200 CAD / night. Is it possible that the prices of hotels may actually drop near the travel dates or do they go up?
Posted by
7 posts
We have stayed in three different airbnb's in the central part of Amsterdam and have found it fantastic. Stay I recommend giving that a try. Having an apartment right in town allows you to feel like you are living there. We took a day trip to Delft, and thought it was totally charming, Vermeer museum, good food, open market in the middle of the town square with handicrafts, food and more. Amsterdam has a lot to offer --- besides it's intrinsic beauty, Rijksmuseum, historical tour, Van Gogh museum, flower market, canal ride, great food. I think it is a lot to go to Brussels for a day trip myself, and the part of Brussels you can easily see walking from the train, while nice, is not worth sacrificing a whole day. And once I got to Brussels, I'd want to go to Bruges, so I think I would save Brussels for another trip when time when you could move on to Bruges for a night or two.
Posted by
Chicago
8163 posts
You should always get a guide book and research where people suggest you go to see if that really strikes your interest. Personally I love going to Belgium and would do two days in Antwerp or Ghent. You can stay in one and do the other as a day trip.
You are a little late in the plan for Amsterdam as far as trying to stay in the city center at only 200 CAD; the prices will not drop; this is Tulip season lots of travelers cruise ships; and I have been on one occasion when there was no space left but the super luxury expensive stuff; the only way is to stay in a hostel and even those may be gone by now.. It is a good idea to stay by the airport. It is very easy to commute there as all the hotels have free shuttle to the airport train station. Or stay in Haarlem only a 15 minute by train.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
There are many nice places in the Netherlands that are closer to Amsterdam than Brussels and Antwerp. And while I liked Antwerp a lot, I found Brussels mostly a snooze, except for my wonderful Art Nouveau tour with ARAU: http://www.arau.org/en
Also, when you say 5 days, how many nights do you actually have? A good rule of thumb is that 2 nights equals one full day, and 1 night equals less than a full day. And is one of the "days" you're counting in Amsterdam your arrival day? Assuming you're arriving from Canada, you may find your first day a jet-lagged haze - fine for walking around, taking a canal boat, and other light activities, but not good for museum-going.
So, in your situation I'd probably spend all the time in and near Amsterdam. Rick's Netherlands book has lots of information about all kinds of varied day trips from there, from cities to small towns to rural areas, including goof-proof transit directions.
I also agree that early May is still probably peak season (tulips), and rates certainly won't go down - Amsterdam is perennially popular. It's also a bad city for hotel value, as demand outstrips supply; be prepared to pay more, or get less, than you hoped.
To find specific commuting directions between any two points in the Netherlands, use https://9292.nl/en
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
Have a look for an affordable hotel in Haarlem, Utrecht or Leiden. All historical cities with all the facilities you want, without the tourist crowds of Amsterdam, and excellent public transport to Amsterdam and Schiphol airport, which you probably need for your onward journey to Prague.