B&B's or budget accommodation - Brussels and Amsterdam
 

Hello

I am visiting Brussels and Amsterdam for a week in ten days and am wondering what are some of the best areas to look for accommodation, whether B&Bs are the right choice and if getting a place close to the city center is required or not absolutely necessary. We are three people traveling together and do not want to spend too much as most of our time will be out of the room.
Also, any recommendations for specific places of interest besides the tourist spots is most appreciated. We are all vegetarian so have been researching online to find such restaurants as well, did not see too many choices for the same though
Thanks!

Hello
I am wondering if there are any comments for this post? Any help would be most appreciated!

For Brussels, I like staying in the city center so we can walk to everything. We found some good deals on hotels on weekends with Expedia - approx US$100/night. What is your budget?

In Amsterdam, stay in the canal ring or in the center and you will be close to everything. Lots of rental flats in Amsterdam, so you might be able to find one that is less than a hotel room for 3 people.

There are a couple of central Ibis Hotels in Brussels, they are a chain and budget priced.

We stayed twice at the reasonably priced Atlas Hotel in Brussels, it's about 15 min walk to the Grand Place and close to lots of restaurants. I think you should be able to find something reasonably priced but still central.

Kay

If you are piscivores and not strict herbivores you will have good eating in Brussels.

In Brussels, be careful of the frites - they can be fried in beef tallow.

I would think there would be quite a few vegetarian restaurants in Brussels but one I have eaten at is Restaurant Shanti, in Ixelles. It's not very expensive (think about 25 euros), a relaxed atmosphere and the food is quite nice, with a slight Asian slant.

Address:
Av. Adolphe Buyl 68
1050 BRUXELLES ( IXELLES )
Tel. 02.649.40.96

Closed Sunday and Monday.

Catch Bus 71 from De Brouckère in the city centre and get off near the beginning of Avenue Adolphe Buyl (about a 15 minute ride, which takes you through the city and into the suburbs). The tram stop there is Jeanne / Johanna, not sure if the bus stop there has a similar name. Buses go until late.

Lavandula

Look into th Welcome hotel in Brussels, centrally located and the subway is right outside the door. eEveryone I've recommnded it to lved it. We stayed at the Hestia in AMsterdam , walking distance to the Museumplatz and close to the canals. It is right st the edge of Vondelparc, breakfast included and free Wifi

Amsterdam is not a very big city: for instance on a bike from North to the south would only take you 1 hour! So all accommodation would be ok. There are more than 300 b&bs in Amsterdam and a good website is www.weekendhotel.nl is great because they offer an availability calender.

About eating: there are more than 75 vegetarian restaurants in town: check out http://www.iens.nl/restaurant/amsterdam/vegetarisch (Dutch consumer reviews) and take a pick!
Good luck!

there are very very few authentically cheap B&Bs in Amsterdam IME but there are in Haarlem, just a 20-minute train ride away and a really neat old town in itself.

I stay in one B&B - family run in the heart of town for about 35 euros with unlimited breakfast buffet - I would pay more than twice that in Amsterdam for the cheapest room and not get breakfast and it would be kind of a dump.

Haarlem is a real Dutch regional town - Amsterdam is a cosmopolitan town full of foreign tourists in the center - I do enjoy Haarlem much much better even though I LOVE Amsterdam and day trip there many days from quiet Haarlem.

Haarlem has great rail links everywhere, if coming from Brussels get off at Leiden for Haarlem.