As Rick says, stay on a budget when looking for a place to stay and be ADVENTUROUS...he did say that, didn't he? My wife and I are retired teachers who backpack our way through Europe, but how do you find a B&B? We prefer that... We're traveling in April to Amsterdam to see the tulips and everything else, and then on to the UK...I've looked online, and it is nothing but hotels...and AirBNB is no longer the website it once was...too much fraud...Thanks in advance for reading!
Posted by
Austin, TX
2343 posts
I second Marco. I also recommend booking.com The site is much more than just hotels.
Posted by
Downingtown, USA
2464 posts
Try Smoothhound.com. we used that several.times for a B&B most recently for one in Horley near Gatwick and we were very pleased. They do cover Europe as well and usually list small hotels , B&B etc.
Posted by
London, UK
425 posts
For the UK, just google ‘b&b UK’ or for your particular region - there are lots of organisations and websites that specialise in B&Bs as opposed to hotels, at all sorts of prices. Most relations also have a tourist board that will list place too.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16643 posts
Ken, I don't know as B&Bs are really a thing in Amsterdam but you might try searching for guesthouses? I'm not sure what exactly appeal to you about B&Bs so not all guesthouses may fit the bill but it's worth a look?
Just as a for-instance, this one came up on a search, and it looks really good; review ratings are "wonderful" 9's and 10's.
https://tinyurl.com/3c69uwx7
(the line about genius discount likely applies to my own account as I've used booking.com frequently)
The guesthouse's own site states that you get a bottle of wine and a complimentary breakfast (no idea if it's more than just one breakfast) if you book with them directly. I'd definitely skip the basement room and go for garden access.
https://www.theoldlady.nl/en
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6826 posts
Another one to try: Tourist-Paradise.com
I know, the name makes it sound like some scammy platform for fraudsters (wait – no, that's the famous one...). This one has been around 20 years, had humble beginnings, and appears to be both 100% legit and entirely run by Germans (so, no fooling around, expect Teutonic efficiency and directness!). Originally was Ferienhausmiete.de (which Google translate tells me it means "Holiday Home Rental").
Caveats: I have not used this myself so can't vouch for it, but it looks good to me (though often not exactly cheap). I have it bookmarked for when I need to get creative with alternatives (in fact, I may use it this week for a couple of obscure places I'm wrestling with). Personally, I've had only good experiences with booking dot com (they've come through for me once when things went sideways), and yes, I will resort to airBnB a bit reluctantly when other options fail to meet my needs.
Hope this helps.
Posted by
8357 posts
Booking.com is good, but use kayak.com (which includes Booking.com) for bargain rates. kayak.com can be used for flights, lodging and rental cars.
We found a B&B in Amsterdam near the Anne Frank House for one week we paid $1000. That is cheap in Amsterdam. We had to climb steep stairs, but that is normal in Amsterdam. I never had a problem finding B&Bs online.
Here is a search for B&Bs in Paris:
https://www.kayak.com/hotels/Paris,France-c36014/2024-05-20/2024-05-24/2adults?sort=rank_a&fs=stars=2;freebies=freebreakfast;property-type=-apthotel,hostel,hotel,inn,motel,resort
Posted by
8357 posts
That small hotel/B&B in Amsterdam was the Hotel Nadia.
Also, use TripAdvisor.com for search.
Posted by
OP
Auburn, CA
19 posts
Thanks everyone! Great ideas to use for Amsterdam and the future