Amsterdam Hotels

I'm delighted to write this post, as I have recently picked up a few lodging tips and I and busting to share them with you, dear reader. As I've mentioned in previous posts, getting a quality room for cheap is quite difficult here.

To that end, here are two places that I have heard are quite comfortable.

The first is the Palace B&B, which I first discovered through my colorist, Rudy, as he owns the joint. I can't tell you how many times I have been sitting in the chair at his salon whilst happy lodgers drop off their key, promising to book again the next time. But it wasn't until my housemate visited a friend staying there that heard first hand just how nice it was. Not plush, but beautifully appointed. Nice linens. Coffee maker and stuff to make your own breakfast. Kind of nice to come and go without a reception, just as though you are living on your own in Amsterdam for a night or so.

DJ had booked the largest room, which had a seating area that could be curtained off from the sleeping area, for 109 euros a night, September. DJ regularly cruises, first class, on the Queen Mary, and he can afford any hotel in town. He was so impressed with the Palace B&B that he re-booked when in town on business a week later. I guess he was not so taken with the fancy schmancy Hotel 717 that he had stayed in previously. (downchecks to that place: no awning over the front door and one must wait, in the rain, to be let in; also, in the biggest suite two couches that faced each other were separated by a table that was level with eyes of people sitting, rendering the seating area basically non-functional.)

The other economic gem I've heard about is the Euphemia Hotel. The positive reviews came from a well-traveled Danish woman in her seventies. She said it was fine, and quiet.

I have read that prices have dropped a bit from last year, but still, a normal hotel room will run you about 125 a night, even booking in advance. And, unlike some cities, here the prices go up, not down, at the last minute. Feeling brave? The prices will drop on those discount hotel sites after 2 pm on the day you want the room, if you are willing to risk it.

And of course, my services as Hotel Checker are still available.

Me, I'd opt for one of the above places so you can arrive and relax and forget about hotels during your trip. I have been with friends that book from night to night, and that means getting up early and spending every morning of your holiday traipsing around looking for a good deal for the next night, repacking and unpacking and moving your luggage. Ugh, not my idea of a holiday.

We are in the rainy season, but still a lot of green left on the trees, and there may be a glorious autumnal day out there yet before Old Man Winter bears down on us for real. Well, off to work. Come by and visit La Naranja, and say howdy!

just a blip on the radar

Well, it's raining as I write this from our cosy shop on a mild Wednesday afternoon, but if you are in town for the Gay Pride festivities, take heart, because it just won't rain on our parade, I promise you. Come on, everybody think zon zon zon voor zaterdag (sun sun sun for Saturday!). Seriously, today is the worst weather predicted all week, so buck up, Bonzo!

Where will YOU be for Saturday's canal parade? I may try to catch the beginning of it (starts at 2 pm), camera in hand, of course. I have pretty much despaired of trying to get a place on one of the bridges. Don't want to hang in one spot for hours to get the good seats. But, I am open to all balcony invitations. Free photos for all hosts!

Speaking of party terraces, I passed a delightful late afternoon yesterday on the balcony of the Film Museum enjoying a biertje at the Gay Pride opening cocktail party. It was low key and friendly, some feathers and finery to be seen but most people saving up the good stuff for later. After all, you don't want to break out the heirloom drag outfits till parade day.

There are events scheduled every afternoon and evening up till and including Sunday, so don't be shy, check out the calendar here, www.weareproudlnl.

If you are considering joining us at the last minute, first of all: Shame on you! Plan ahead for Amsterdam hotels! The prices skyrocket here at the last minute. I have recently found out about a voucher site, so you procrastinators just may be saved if you go here first for your discount code: they currently are offering a discount of 10% off Hotel Bookings at Hotels.com http://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/hotels.com

Plenty of things going on this week, from wild parties to subdued cultural events, and no matter what your preference in personal partners, Gay Pride week is a very fun and lighthearted time to be in Amsterdam. A definite must-see for photographers.

Your Hotel Checker in Amsterdam

One thing I love about living in Amsterdam is the plethora and range of hotels found here. One thing I dislike about said hotels is that so many of them are poorly kept. Shoddy. Tattered. Filthy. Understaffed. Ill-equipped. And that's a three-star.

HOW CAN I BE SURE MY ROOM IS A GOOD ONE: If you are really, really concerned about your room in Amsterdam, then you probably need me to check it out for you. I will spend the night in the hotel of your choice and utilize whichever services you are curious about, then give you a detailed report via telephone the next day. You pay my expenses, i.e. the room cost plus the cost of extra services you request. If you want me see what 100 euros will get me in the dining room I'll do that. If you want to see how efficient their laundry services are, I'll check that. Beyond the expenses of what you want me to investigate, you pay nothing. I'll also email you at least two quality digital photos, one of the hotel's exterior, another of the room I'm staying in.

WHY WOULD I WANT TO PAY YOU MONEY TO STAY IN A HOTEL ROOM: Only if the stakes are high, obviously. If you are coming to A'dam for a wacky weed weekend, then this is a bit over the top. But if your superior just instructed you to arrange a perfect fortnight in Amsterdam and the quality of the hotel is paramount and you don't have the time nor inclination to wade through a sea of internet reviews and hotel promos, then paying me to check out the facilities before you book is an efficient way to either ensure a good choice or ward off disaster. Or, if you own a hotel and you need a spy, I'd be perfect. I'm detail-oriented, and I notice everything.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS: Because I simply love staying in hotels, and I love Amsterdam, and I know a lot of visitors are unfamiliar with the hotels here, so I see this as my way of shining some light on the whole situation. I'm not so flush that I can justify the expenditure of a hotel room in a city where I already have a perfectly good place to lay my head at night, so that's where you come in. I don't want to be a full time hotel inspector, but I am a great believer in consumer reviews (I am gonow at epinions), and this seems like a way to get more savvy about the very city I'm living in without breaking the bank to do so.

HOW CAN I TRUST YOU: Well, I've had this blog up for a while, and I'm not a secret blogger, you can figure out who I am, where I am. I'm opening a shop in Amsterdam, so I'm not about to ruin my reputation for the sake of one night free in a hotel room.

WHAT IF I NEED THIS REVIEW IN WRITING/MORE PHOTOS: That can be arranged, but there would be a fee involved, which would be upwards of 25 euros, depending on how much detail you want in the report or how many extra photos you want. Email me; we'll work it out.

BUT I WANT FREE INFO!: And I'm happy to oblige. I'm familiar with (i.e. I've seen the room and bathroom) the following hotels in Amsterdam: Quentin Leidsesquare (AVOID!); Quentin Leidsekade (good location, other problems); Le Coin (recommend); The Sphynx (shudder), Smith (not great) and a few B&Bs that unfortunately are out of business. Culture tip-google search tip: In the USA B&B usually implies a rural house or an inn, but the way the Dutch use it does not signify the same thing; in Amsterdam a B&B simply refers to any apartment that's been made available for renting. All in all, I think you get a better bang for your buck staying in what they call a B&B here, and of course I'd investigate those the same way, but I know of none to recommend at the moment.

I WANT TO ARRANGE THIS: email me at xannaziskey@gmail.com and we'll get it started.

Where is my hotel?

Booking Your Amsterdam Hotel

If you are considering a visit to our lovely city, it is best to be prepared: know that you will pay quite a bit for your hotel room, and know that it may be rather rundown. Amsterdam has accommodation from dormitory-style hostels to 5-star luxury hotels and everything in between, but bargains are very hard to find, even if you are savvy about online rate-cutting and so forth.

The Price - Figure on 90 euro minimum for a single, 130 minimum for a double, for anything with private WC and shower in the true center of the city. You can save by getting a place with the bathroom down the hall, or staying out of the center.

Personally, I hate to waste precious holiday time getting to the action, so I would recommend staying in the center if at all possible. If the room prices are too high and you don't want to stay in shared-bathroom situation, consider an Amsterdam B&B. A B&B here is actually just an apartment that someone is renting out, and occasionally you can find deals better than the hotels, although, sadly, the B&BS are catching up in price.

The Location - Amsterdam hotels are extremely liberal in their definition of "close to the city center." Be very careful, here. Look at the map of Amsterdam (Google Earth is a godsend for this) before you book a hotel. What do they say is the closest landmark? You want to stay inside the canal belt. "The Centrum" is the true center area of Amsterdam. But even there it gets tricky, because there are some areas in the northeastern docks and tracks area of the centrum that, while technically in the "Centrum" -named district, would be a real drag to spend your holiday in, i.e. near few eateries, services or attractions.

Location descriptions:
"Near Leidseplein" fabulous location, close to bars, restaurants, the prettiest canals, nice homes, shopping CAREFUL: Leidsesquare is not adjacent to Leidseplein. Leidsesquare is in a quiet, rather boring but pleasant area of doctor and lawyer offices and residences next to Vondelpark.
"Near Rembrandtsplein" great location, though the plein itself can get a bit rowdy, but very central
"Near Dam Square" very central, heart of tourism, crowded area, very convenient but gets rowdy on football nights.
"Near Spui" very central, some ugly parts of Spui straat, but not unsafe (relatively), Spui gets better as you move away from Centraal station.
"Near Centraal" be careful. This could mean heart of the red-light district, or Amsterdam Noord, but there are plenty of nice hotels also, near Centraal station.
"near the RAI" means far from everything else. This is a convention center on the outskirts of Amsterdam.
"near Museumplein": be careful. It's a huge plein (plaza), taking at least ten minutes to walk from one end to the other. The north end is closer to the Amsterdam nightlife. The south end meets a very upscale shopping street, PC Hoofstraat, where you'll find designer stores.. Fun window shopping, but total dead zone at night. And while you'll be close to the Van Gogh musum and the Rijk's museum, you'll have to walk a ways or tram it to see the rest of the city and the canals. I don't recommend staying in this area unless you plan to spend all your time in the museums and doing very upscale shopping.

Two hotels I can recommend are Le Coin, near Muntplein and Rembrandplein, and Hotel de Gerstekorrel, near Dam Square.

One hotel I can warn you to avoid at all costs is The Quentin at Leisdsesquare.

I'l love to hear any Amsterdam hotel experiences of yours, and if you have a question about a hotel, drop me a line!