Kaneohe

I'll be in Amsterdam (arriving from the US) on September 8-11 and am having a difficult time finding a hotel priced under US$150/night. I'll continue to work PriceLine for a deal, but am thinking I should have a Plan B. Any suggestions for an alternate location? I'd like something that is pedestrian friendly, has some interesting distractions (museums, parks, etc) and I can get there via train.
Thanks!

Kaneohe

Just did some more searching on this forum and would like to change my question...I think The Hague, Delft, and Rotterdam are the alternatives (in that order). I'd like to hear recommendations on what to do in each of these cities.
Thanks

PeaceOut

We liked Hotel Residence le Coin in Amsterdam. The website shows it is full for your dates, but it suggests contacting the hotel directly. Good luck!

http://www.lecoin.nl/indexEN.html

"Hotel Résidence Le Coin is situated in seven historical buildings in the centre of Amsterdam, in a street where Rembrandt lived in the 17th century. Much of the Golden Age is still intact in the direct surroundings. The University of Amsterdam is also in the historical centre of the city and accommodates many of its guests in Le Coin."

Address: Nieuwe Doelenstraat 5
1012 CP AMSTERDAM
Nederland
Telephone: 31 (0)20 524 6800
Fax: 31 (0)20 524 6801

E-mail: [email protected]

bilboburgler

http://www.hotelbrouwer.nl/index.html

Double room 95 Euro

Nice little place, wood everywhere

kanadajin

http://www.ibc.org/

One of the world's largest broadcasting conference takes place during your dates. There is a very high demand for rooms at that time (with consequent effect on prices). As participants to this conference, we usually book rooms in December for the following Sept, and even there the pickings can be slim as all the more desirable establishments fill up quickly.

One year we had to stay a little outside AMS at a great small hotel called Villa Trompenberg (google it) which had great train access to central AMS. I can certainly recommend it.

kanadajin

hetismij2

The reason you are struggling is the IBC2012 - a massive conference and exhibition for the media.

Consider Haarlem, but you may run into the same problem there.

If you want to remain close to Amsterdam with a shortish journey then look at the outer edges of Amsterdam or even the airport hotels. Shortish train journey away would also include Hilversum, Utrecht, Amersfoort.

I can't recommend hotels, I never stay in hotels that close to home.

Weegie

Try Trivago. I'm finding lots of availability on the nights you quote in 3 and 4 stars at your price range.

Rastaguytoday

I've stayed in Amsterdam maybe 10-15 different times.

What has become my favorite hotel is the Owl Hotel.
http://www.owl-hotel.nl/gb/

The rate for a double is 108-138 euros. A single is < 100 euros. All prices include all taxes and breakfast.

It is located on a very quiet street, just off the Leidesplein. Less than a 10 minute stroll to the Museumplein.

About 2 blocks from where all the trams converge, but no traffice noise. Very close to Voldel Park.

I love this place and will stay there any time I'm in Amsterdam.

MelJ

Loved the Hotel Brouwer, but it's website doesn't allow you to check dates without an email, so I'm unsure if it is available at this time. If it is, you'll find the location terriic, the breakfast well worth the 7e and the staff nice.

I did a quick search on Trip Advisor and found this, which looks clean, cheap, good reviews and good location. And available!

http://www.booking.com/hotel/nl/vija...c62b4fbe31eX37

Also, if you go on Hotels.com you'll find a lot in your price range available on those dates.

Good luck and enjoy Amsterdam!

annhig

we spent 3 nights in Delft in April and we could easily have stayed twice as long, and filled our days with things to do in Delft and with day trips.

we stayed here:

http://www.bridges-house.com/

walking distance from the station and the centre of town, very quiet, nice staff, large, clean rooms, good breakfasts, free tea and coffee.

Kaneohe

Wow, thanks to everyone for your suggestions--I will research all of them!
Also thanks for the info on the conference--I was wondering why everything was booked up.

lisakinnear

I had the same problem in Copenhagen this May. I used Airbnb. and it was so much cheaper (airbnb.com). I got a great location, a kitchen and personalized sightseeing service from a local that owned the flat. I'm going to book in Amsterdam too for April 2013.

PalenQ

I always base myself now in Haarlem due in part to Amsterdam's really sky-high hotel prices - I stay in a family-run B&B for about 40 euros with unlimited buffet breakfast - Haarlem being a 20-minute train ride from Amsterdam and to me a nicer place, at my older age, to spend a quiet night in a typical Dutch regional town.
http://botbedbreakfast.com/

nice old building right on a canal in the heart of Haarlem - shared WCs in my room at least, however - but clean and nice brother and sister running the place.

Anna_Galea

We had stayed at the China Hotel in Delft a few years ago. We were driving around by hired car. It was brand new and had opened that same year, about four years agon - the evening buffet of Chinese food was so delicious and abundant with lots of variety, including duck, king prawns, etc, reasonalby priced and with unlimited soft drinks included. The breakfast also included Chinese goodies. My kids just loved it as they love Chinese food. There was also free use of laptops and internet near reception area.

You might be interested in checking out this hotel.

PalenQ

Delft, a really nice town, is however a lot farther away from Amsterdam than nearby Haarlem - taking well over an hour I think each way and of course costing a lot more too.

Tentek

Airbnb and haarlem are both great suggestions. I just returned from AMS 3 days ago. The only concern i would have about staying in Haarlem is the nightlife participation.

Kaneohe

Thank you all for your suggestions. Since I've been to Am'dam before, it's not crucial that I stay or spend time there...so I've decided to stay in The Hague--found a great deal on hotel that has excellent reviews on TripAdvisor. I plan to visit the Escher Museum (I studied Math at University so have a special appreciation for Escher) and am looking at one or two other museums. Am also considering a day trip Leiden--have been hearing it's a scenic old town.
Are there any brewaries in The Hague?

annhig

Kaneohe - you might enjoy Delft for a day trip.

an old town, interesting museums, nice bars [a particularly good one on the southern corner of the main square, sorry I can't remember its name but it has a menu of beers 12 pages long!] and a nice atmosphere.

easy to get to on the train from The Hague.

PalenQ

for museums Rotterdam cannot be beat IME - Science, architectural, maritime history and old Flemish art and modern art museums - if going to more than a few museums as OP seems to be sure to get the National Museum Card, good for one year and costing about 40 euros I believe - 3 entries at major museums is about a break even point and with the pass I visited many museums I would not have paid several bucks each to enter - like those in Rotterdam that turned out to be rather amazing - and in Amsterdam too like the Bibels Museum, The Heritage Branch, the Dutch Resistance Museum, the Botanical Gardens, the fantastic IMO Troppen Museum documenting life today in the tropids - the City of Amsterdam Museum and on and on and on.

PalenQ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museumkaart

About 45 euros now and this site lists all the many museums the card is valid at - just flash it at entrance and get a free ticket - I still had to stand in some lines but at some places you can skip the lines.