Amsterdam

Gotta guidebook?

We took a canal cruise out of Boom Chicago, right at tram stop, I think 15 euro, small intimate boat,took our own wine and cheese, I think there were only ten of us, really enjoyed, also took day trip to Haarlem and thought it was great, only about half hour train from Central Station. Enjoy. Think you can get tickets to Anne Frank house ahead of time to save a long wait. Can't recommend hotel, stayed with friends.

Yes, they have tours, eating, and hotels in Amsterdam.........

I stayed at the RHO Hotel last month in Amsterdam. Great location, right adjacent to DAM Square, Red Light District, Museums etc. Also if you dig Chinese food, do check out Golden Chopsticks about a 10minute walk away. Liked it so much, ate there 3 times in 5 days! have fun

As Monte and Glenn are implying/saying, your question is too general be answered here - that's what guidebooks are for. I used Rick Steves Amsterdam, Bruges and Brussels and liked it a lot, but there are lots of others. Then, once you've done some preliminary research, come back here with more specific questions, and you can get answers. One caveat about hotels that I can give right away: Many of the hotels in Amsterdam are listed in multiple guidebooks, and are small. And, Amsterdam is popular as a "weekend break" destination for people from all over Europe, especially the British Isles. This means that hotels get booked up fast, and that many have minimum stays over the weekend - year-round. And, they don't have to offer good value for money. So, it's never too early to look for Amsterdam hotels; be prepared to pay; and be prepared to settle.

We stayed at the Park Hotel and it was lovely, best bed we slept in on our 25 day trip to Europe this summer. We were careful to book the room with a PRIVATE bathroom, the cheapest room says it has a private bathroom, but it is OPEN to the room ( so no privacy) ,, the next catergory up has a proper bathroom, very nice and modern, and room had nice fridge and area for luggage. Would stay there again. We had pizza twice in same place, just a hole in the wall, but best 5 euro pizza in Europe. For breakfast we ate a place right next store to the Bulldog Coffee Shop,, and it was GREAT,, dirt cheap for a big breakie,, I ordered a ham and egg dish. It came with three pieces of toast, each topped with an egg, and then with pile of shredded ham.. delish, and very filling.

Full disclosure, Amsterdam isn't one of my favorite places. I liked the canal cruise and just walking. It's a picturesque city with some really nice architecture. I was a little shocked at how dirty the city is. Most northern European cities are very clean, you have to go South to see so much trash (of course everywhere has graffiti). The museums are okay (certainly worth seeing) but really don't compete with the great museums of Europe. Rijksmuseum has a big collection but not as many greats as I expected. Nearby Van Gogh museum, is worth a look. Most of his great subjects were painted more than once; if you think you've seen the painting elsewhere, you're not going crazy. The best part is the collection of early works you won't have seen elsewhere. If you're into WWII history, the home Anne Frank hid, and wroter her diary, in is a good visit. I'm not into pancakes, prostitutes, or marijuana, so other major attractions in Amsterdam don't appeal to me.