Sam

I am going to Amsterdam in a couple of weeks for the first time and have been reading that it is difficult to find a hotel room. Does anyone have any advice for me on how to go about booking a room in advance? Any suggestions on an affordable hotel in a fun part of town?

s.fowler

Here are a few places to start: <BR>http://www.travelhero.com/search.cfm...dam/index.html <BR>http://www.eurotels.com/direct/esear...link=amsterdam <BR>http://www.cwi.nl/~steven/amsterdam/postcodes.html <BR> <BR>And two hotel sites [We've stayed at Hotel Agora -- do a search for my comments] <BR>http://www.hotelagora.nl/ <BR>Other hotels that have been recommended: <BR>Ambassade, Esthera. <BR>Another small hotel near the Agora: http://www.bookings.nl/cgi-bin/shows...001&via=search

s.fowler

I should add that you can easily call any hotel direct as many Dutch speak English better than I do!

Danna

Be sure to check out the Hotel Rants and Raves section of Fodors. We loved the Hotel Washington... but you need to call directly, right away! Amsterdam is always booked up, you may have fewer choices as the days go on. Have Fun!

Larry

Here's the VVV Dutch Tourist Bureau list of hotels in Amsterdam. <BR>http://www.noord-holland-tourist.nl/...am/content.htm <BR>I also like the www.cwi list mentioned by shrimp56 above. 1012 is the Centrum, 1015 and 1016 are in or near the Jordaan, 1017 is the canal district including Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein and 1071 is near Museumplein. If you try some places and find them all booked the secret is to use the lists and booking agencies to find hotels that are not represented by the agencies and better yet don't have email or fax numbers. In other words give them a phone call. If affordable to you is less than 200 NLG single per night (2 or 3 star) you might try channels.nl and click on the 800 reviews button for web surfer written reviews. I and friends have stayed at the Kap, Brouwer and Rokin and loved all of them. These 3 have extensive positive reviews at channels.nl.

Rhonda

We've stayed in Hotel Estherea twice and Ambassade Hotel once. Our preference would be the Ambassade. Rooms are bigger and breakfast was better. We enjoyed our first experience at the Estherea and booked again only to find that we'd been accommodated in a shoebox. It was extremely small and the travel cot for our wee one was right beside the radiator (heater). Despite explaining the dangers of this to the hotel staff our request to be moved fell on deaf ears so I just phoned around and found a room at the Ambassade. The staff there were wonderful and it was much nicer and cheaper to boot. We paid £130 for a deluxe (shoebox) at Esthera (it did have a canal view if you took a ladder and could see out the window (handkerchief size). The first time we stayed there though we had a nice room and it made a hugh difference. Both hotels are really well located and both are on canals. A lovely area of Amsterdam. I agree that the best way to book is to phone/fax them. <BR>Ambassade Tel: 31-20-6262333 Fax: 31-20-6245321. I doubt you'll have any trouble communicating.

Elizabeth

I've stayed at the Ambassade and the Estherea and completely agree in a preference for the Ambassade, tho Estherea was not terrible. Ambassade has a more gracious feeling to it. Both are in lovely locations. <BR> <BR> The Tulip Inns also are fine.

wendy

I used www.bookings.nl--I found them to have the best prices and selection of hotels--good luck and enjoy

Christina

My info is old as I haven't been there in maybe 10 years, but Best Western has several nice hotels in Amsterdam and there is the advantage of a 800 number for booking from US, and they can tell you all vacancies in one call. IN particular, their Museum and Terdam hotels are/were nice and in a very good central lcation. I'm sure there is info on their web site.

frank

The Dutch speak perfect English, call & book. <BR>"affordable" hotels: <BR>3 in order of price- <BR>-the Botel ( a ship near centraal station, all mod cons) <BR>-hotel Doelen (nieuwdoelenstraat, near the uni in the oldest part of town) <BR>-the Ambassade <BR>I have omitted the Estheria & the Pulitzer as I think its money for nothing. <BR>The Doelen is a gem. <BR> <BR>

Annie

My Husband and I went to Amsterdam this past March. We stayed at the Canal House. A absolutely charming B & B. It was in the Western Canal ring. We paid a little more to have a top floor room with 3 huge windows overlooking the canal, and it was worth every penny. Location does'nt really matter in Amsterdam, it is small enough to see by walking. We paid about $130 US per night, and well worth it. The staff is wonderful. Check their website. www.canalhouse.com