Amsterdam Southern Canal Belt--good place to stay?

het suzanne
what are your dates and how many of you are going? if kids there ages.
aloha

My husband and I, no kids. We need 2 bedrooms, or at least a fold-out option in a living area, because of snoring issues, etc., alas.
Our dates are split for Amsterdam--haven't booked the final flights yet:

First option: Amsterdam sleeping 9/20 thru 9/23, then go to Bruges for sleeping 9/24- 9/25, returning to A'dam for 9/26 thru 9/30.

Second option: Amsterdam sleeping 9/27 thru 9/30, Bruges sleeping 10/01- 10/02, returning to A'dam for sleeping 10/03 thru 10/06.

I am looking at airbnb, and now VRBO and both are very limited in offerings. We have always gotten better value with airbnb or vbro options (as opposed to hotels) because of our need for 2 rooms but in Amsterdam there is not a lot to choose from that is not pricey!

I'm a stickler for location in travel...it makes such a difference. My first choice here is Jordaan, but thereafter the Southern Canal Belt, I think, but I'm not getting a lot of feedback on that. I can't even find it by that name on either airbnb or vrbo so I don't even know what "neighborhoods" might describe it!
Any help would be wonderful--clearly I don't have a lot of accomodation possibilities at this point! I'd like to stay at $200 or less but that is perhaps a pipe dream. Which is what will be offered to me on arrival I suppose.

Maybe we shoud stay in Haarlem? I haven't checked it out on VRBO or Airbnb yet, but it's a possibility???

Hi Suzanne, I don't quite understand what you mean by southern canal belt. Are you talking about west, south, and east of Singelgracht? South of the Jordaan area? I usually stay outside the canal rings, but you dont have to forego the canal rings just because you cant find lodging in the Jordaan. It is a charming area, but there are many charming areas in Amsterdam. Also, its a relatively small city, so its easy to get from one area to another fairly quickly. Just check the tram map (to figure out which tram # stop is near your rental and where it goes). If you pull up a Google map of AMS, the neighborhoods are named on the map. Maybe that could help. The De Pijp neighborhhood is a nice area - charming, popular - and has Baker's and Roasters (yum). I have stayed south of the Jordaan in the Frederick Hendrickstraat area. It was completely fine. More of a city feel than the Jordaan which is more cutesy, but 10 minute walk to the Jordaan area (I rent a bike when there, so getting around town is quick and easy). I'm seeing many 1 bedroom listed on airbnb on those dates, but almost none for <$200. AMS is very expensive, which is another reason to stay part of the time in another city. I agree that you are spending more time in AMS than I would in one visit, especially if you are using it as a base for wider exploration (bc of the expense). I like Utrecht, Leiden, Delft, Harlaam....
best,
Jessica

You might also check Booking.com for apartments. It lists those as well as all the other kinds of lodgings. There are lots of ways to filter initial results. District is one of them. Stars is not a useful one for apartments because it is not used. Review score is the best, and be sure to read the reviews.

Sometimes the same listing will be on several listing resources. According to postings on the Forums here, Airbnb will likely be the most expensive.

I sent you a private message.

We stayed SW of the central district and found transit options were plentiful, so getting around was not an issue. I would check to see if there are good transportation choices near the apartment. We got multiday transit passes so we could take trams or buses.

Thank you all for your very helpful responses and input! It has really helped me to open up to wider possibilities. Lo--thanks for reminding me about booking.com--I had forgotten about it! And Lynn I appreciate very much the link you PM'ed me for the apartment you enjoyed. As it turns out I went one last time back into Airbnb and found a great guesthouse (I must have missed it last night in my researching-fogged head)--in Jordaan after all! I am please with it--it meets our needs and I stayed just under $200, so it's a happy day. Becky, appreciate the reminder about transit passes, which I will definitely do.
So the Jordaan apartment will be our first 4 nights in Amsterdam, which will be plenty of time to do all the museums I'm excited about and just explore the city, since I've never been there. Maybe also make a quick day trip to Edam during this first leg of our trip. (The first day will be jet-lagged so I think 4 nights will be welcome as arrival day will be low-key.) I have also just booked the last 4 nights of our trip (after we do the 2 nights in Bruges). For those final nights I decided to book in Haarlem---different vibe, but still accessible to Amsterdam should we want to re-visit it. From Haarlem it will be even more accessible to do the day trips south I'd like to do--Delft, Leiden, perhaps Hague. Plus I found a perfectly charming house in Haarlem in a great location! And it's a 20 minute bus ride to the airport on our day of departure. So thank you for encouraging me to stay outside of A'dam for part of the trip. Now I hope to get lucky and score a good place in Bruges! Thank you all again--most helpful!

Sorry I meant to thank you too Jessica for your thoughtful response--it helped me to get to know some of the neighborhoods better so I could expand my search. The Dutch names are confusing though!!

hey suzanne
sent you a private message (PM), look in your in box on this site (upper right). hope this helps
aloha

Thanks Princess Pupule for the links you sent me. I did manage to book an apartment this morning in the Jordaan area that will meet our needs. I appreciate your input!

hey suzanne
you're welcome. glad you found someplace, not an easy adventure and it's an expensive city. now you brain is calm cool and collected. any other help or things to do just ask.
aloha

Janet I sent you a PM