I need help with hotels and possible tour/side trips. Am taking 13,17,20 year olds on a 10 day trip on Aug 21-31..last minute trip before school starts. Husband can't go due to work and decided I could do this by myself...(I work for an airline so use to being on my own, but have never been to this part of the world) I have my new edition of Rick Steves book about the area but he doesn't mention any bus sightseeing tours...My kids would love to see windmills. We also would like to stay by the canals in Amsterdam...I know this is last minute but would rather not ues the TI to do rooms as Rick doesn't recommend it. Thanks for any help. Love this site...got my friends using it now.

Gosh...I've never been to any of these places, but - whoa, you're asking for solutions for either a quad room or two doubles and leaving in two days? Perhaps this is one instance when you'd get a more timely answer from a travel agent.

Just my two cents, maybe lots of folks will jump on this.

Good luck! Have fun.

I can't help with hotels, but there are plenty of sightseeing tours you can book once you get to Amsterdam, to see windmills and whatever else you want to see.
Try contacting the Amsterdam tourist office for help with a last minute room.
At least the weather is due to brighten up a bit for you, but do bring something waterproof - we've had a horrible summer so far.

www.vvvamsterdam.nl/
www.holland.com/amsterdam/gb/

You might want to try Hotel Eden (Best Western). It's on a canal and centrally located. I know they have larger size rooms because we've used one.

In Bruges I would recommend Hotel Jacobs, about a 10 minute walk from the main square. I enjoyed my stay there and the staff are wonderful. They will recommend inexpensive restaurants for dinner. The hotel does have quad rooms.

http://www.hotels-belgium.com/brugge/jacobs.htm

I would also suggest getting a more comprehensive guide book. I find with RS guides that he only gives information on what he likes to do and only includes certain areas of cities. I wouldn't hesitate to use the TI in Bruges. I can't comment on Amsterdam or Brussels as it's been too long since I've been there.

For what it's worth, there are windmills in Brugge, by the river.

If by "TI" you mean "tourist office," I have no idea why "Rick" doesn't recommend it, but you are well advised to use Amsterdam's tourist office.

Gent and Antwerp are much nicer towns than Brussels with a lot less traffic and just in general a more congenial ambience. You might prefer one of them as their base for doing a day trip in to Brussels, rather than the other way around. Or you could just stay in Brugge.

Contacting a travel agent at this late date to find rooms for your larger group is good advice.

T

Well Amsterdam is great for walking or renting bikes - no need really for a bus tour. Ditto for Brugge - not familiar with Brussels. I think at this late date I would either do the TI thing or maybe try a hotel booking site like Expedia or Venere - putter around and see if you can find one just for the Netherlands. In Amsterdam check out the St. Nicholas boat club canal tours (www.amsterdamboatclub.com) - much better than the big companies. We went this time of year a few years ago - I think there is a big Gay Pride gathering around these dates - hope you can find a place to stay! The Dutch people are great tho - very friendly - you'll have a great time! Hope you will post a trip report - going on short notice with your group of teens, I would think we will enjoy reading about it!

The gay Pride boat parade has been and gone. A lot of schools are now back too so you should be OK. Don't rely purely on Rick Steves to get around Amsterdam though.

www.kaphotel.nl

is where I stayed in Amsterdam. It was a good location nearish to Leidseplein with a good breakfast included. Kind of late notice, but worth a shot I guess.

I have no idea what you mean "use the TI to do rooms as Rick doesn't recommend it".

Since you are leaving in two days, I would concentrate my efforts on securing a hotel reservation. You can worry about "possible tour/side trips" once you get there. Easy enough to pick up tourist information, maps, etc. after you arrive. Less easy to be trouping around looking for a hotel.

check out laterooms.com for hotels. At this late stage, just grab whatever you can for hotels.

You should be able to find some bargains for Brussels; assuming you'll be there during the weekend (8/29-8/31). Brussels hotels tend to be cheaper (~50% off) on weekends compared to weekdays. You can check bookings.com for hotel listings.

For the hotel, you can go to Tripadvisor and punch in your dates - it will pull up an assortment of avaiable hotels along with reviews of the properties. One option for Amsterdam - there is a Christian youth hostel - The Shelter Jordaan - maybe you could have the 17 and 20 yrs olds stay there and get a room for you and the 13yr old. But be sure and go with the Shelter Jordaan - there is another Shelter - in the middle of the red light district! The Jordaan is a great area for cafes, not far from the canals - really a fairly quiet oasis on the edge of hectic Amsterdam.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice! I will run and get some more guide books today. As for the TI (tourist information) Rick Steves says "don't use the TI or GWK to book a room; you'll pay $5 euros per person and your host loses 13%--meaning you'll likey be charged a higher rate." I have always used a TI when traveling as we never know if we will get on a plane so reservations can be very challenging. Did find "Quasimodo" tour out of Bruges that looked interesting. I will limit our time in Brussels as there are some cute towns I would rather see. We are just using Brussels to fly back to the states but will take the kids to the main square. Do you think 2 or 3 days for Amsterdam is enough, with the next 8 days in various towns, Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and ending with a day in Brussels? Is that doable?

Thanks for all the late advice. Would love to be more like a real vactioner and be able to make firm reservations, ect...but am greateful to able to even go. I will let you know how it all works out for this last minute traveler.

Or try Venere.com for hotels. we stayed at a ramada inn near vondelpark in Amsterdam on a last minute trip; really liked the Bryghia in Bruges. Good location, clean and on a canal. You'll need two rooms in most cases unless your teens are ok with and you can find a family/quad room. But, you'll be sharing a bathroom with 4 kids and that could be problematic.

I don't think you need more guidebooks!! I think you need a hotel room. The internet is better for that. Guidebooks are by their nature dated for things like hotel prices.

You are leaving in two days. I'd be on the telephone if I were you. Or using some of the booking websites as suggested above.

Arriving Amsterdam with 4 people, 3 of them kids, without a place to stay is not going to be much fun.

p.s. I love Rick Steves but in this situation I don't care what he thinks, repeating myself, you NEED hotel room(s) pronto!

I'd allow more than 2-3 days for Amsterdam. Especially at the beginning of your trip to get over jet lag. I think 4-5 would be more reasonable. It's a big city with plenty of interesting things to see and do.

Also remember if you are watching your budget, moving around costs money. You mention 5 cities in 10 days which is a pretty peppy pace, & lots of time will be spent checking in & out of hotels, to & from train stations, on train rides, then looking for a place to sleep if you don't have advance reservations). Not saying it can't work, because likely you can pull it off.

Just comparing going 5 places with no reservations, to 3 places with reservations... well one's much easier!

With children, I've stayed at:

Amsterdam - Hotel Nova - http://www.novahotel.nl/

Brussels - Hotel Mozart - http://www.hotel-mozart.be/EN/index.html

Bruges - Hotel De Tassche - http://www.hotel-mozart.be/EN/index.html

Nothing special, but central. All had triple/quad rooms when I was there, but that was about 10 years ago.

I agree with others and think that you really should have hotel accommodation booked in these cities, before you leave home - especially with children.

Wish you luck.

I agree with suze that more time in Amsterdam is a good idea, to help get over jet lag. It's also an extremely pleasant city. Best tour is not a bus tour, but a boat tour, easily found. Leave time to take a day trip out of town, and rent bikes to go see the windmills.

I would pick one base in Belgium and day trip to surrounding towns. It's a tiny country with good train service. Your plan to see the Grand Place in Brussels is just right.

Hi Mom:

A last minute rush..but go ahead...you'll find something in each town...but here are some recommendations:

The Seven Bridges is on The Regulier Canal and is super nice..may be a bit pricey by now.

http://www.sevenbridgeshotel.nl/

In Brussels, we once ended up at The Mozart,(as recommended by WildBlue Yonder above). It's funky as can be (wife called it "classic funk&quot...but close to Grand Place and many little restos on the same street. Kids will get a kick out of the experience!

In Brugge, we love The Hotel Egmond, situated in it's own park, near the gorgeous Minnewater, the canals, the Beguinage, nice walk into the heart of town...kids would like it, too. Several restos a few steps away. The Brugge Windmills can be found fairly closeby on the perimeter of the town. Hotel will direct you.

http://www.egmond.be/uk/


above all, mom, enjoy being with your kids in these marvelous settings!!

stu t.

great idea! definitely don't forget a canal boat tour in A'dam. no need to prearrange. i'd do that your first full day to get the lay-of-the-land.

The GWK is a money changing office not a hotel booking service so I wouldn't recommend going to them for a hotel anyway. Any booking service that does not involve booking directly with the hotel will take a cut, that's how they survive, however the VVV will take less of a cut as it is also subsidised by the city.
Have a great trip.