Host gift for Amsterdam innkeeper and colleagues
 

Hi All,
I will be headed to AMS soon and would like to take a small gift from Texas for the innkeepers and as well as a few local colleagues.
Typically I take a food specialty, like Margarita jelly or Mango Lime salsa, produced locally here in DFW.
I'm not sure if these things are appropriate for this area and thought I might get some suggestions.
I agonize over items to take to LHR every year and as it turns out, they want peanut butter and Jolly Rancher candy. I take locally produced peanut butter and huge bags of Jolly Rancher candy for the office.
In Singapore, my colleagues want Fruity Pebbles cereal!!!
Anything come to mind?
Thanks!!!

Beef jerkey or turkey jerkey or any jerky!

Really? I never considered meat!!!
They do not sell it there?

We have awesome jerky here... Bison, Beef, Ostrich, Pork and Turkey!

Well they of course have meat in Holland - but jerky is basically unknown in Europe and having had family in France everytime I sent jerky it was a novelty and a hit - look at airport shops in American international airports and you will see a fair share of beef jerky hanging about - a favorite with Europeans to take back - something not sold in Europe or even heard of.

And most Dutch I know would also appreciate some fine Kentucky Bourbon!

Don't take peanut butter - the Dutch have their own and generally prefer it to American PB. Jerky may or may not go down well - probably not I'm afraid. Plus you are not officially allowed to import meat products into the EU.

The salsa sounds good to me. But I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Innkeepers? where are you staying? Unless in a tiny personally run B&B or similar, where you already know the owner I wouldn't bother with a gift for them - you are paying them to stay there after all.

A gift for the innkeeper?
Please add ME to your list. I'm deserving.

....you will see a fair share of beef jerky hanging about - a favorite with Europeans to take back - something not sold in Europe or even heard of....

So what's that stuff that's sold in Tescos?
You can buy biltong in several places too

Hahaha!
Innkeeper/owner because I plan to get a lot of local info from them :) A 5.00 tip would be tacky, so I like to take a small token of appreciation from here.
Unless someone comes up with something better, I think the Margarita jelly may be nice. At 4.00, it's affordable and small enough to transport easily.

I'd still take hetismij's advice.

You are travelling to a different culture, so I would trust the assessment of the people living there.
I don't mean to rain on your parade, but when I asked my Dutch colleagues, they looked at me as if I was pulling their leg..
I'm sure the hotel owner will take the jelly in good humour, but I'm also sure that he/she will find it a bit odd.

You can show your appreciation by simply saying "dank u wel" and give the establishment a good rating on the usual websites.

don't take jerky, it's full of sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat. It's only appropriate for people lost in the wilderness or something like that.

Colleagues is one thing. Take whatever you'd take to co-workers/colleagues in other places. But honestly - don't take gifts/food/chotskies to hoteliers/innkeepers. That would normally just seem weird to them.

We sometimes get this question (mostly from Americans) and really -- don't do it. They don't have room for 'stuff' and don't want/need your food. Personal friends - sure, innkeepers - nope.

>>Innkeeper/owner because I plan to get a lot of local info from them<<

Then tell them you're in the business and would like to pick their brains over a drink or a meal in their favourite local bar or restaurant.

what's that stuff that's sold in Tescos?
You can buy biltong in several places too>

well josser I said Europeans not Brits

Innkeepers don't want or expect a gift from you - that's just weird. They're providing a service for you that you're paying for, including offering recommendations for restaurants, sightseeing, and so forth. That's built into their price. And if you do decent research ahead of time, you won't need to "pick their brains" about every last detail. Leave a tip for the housemaid and one for the concierge if there is one - beyond that, the whole notion is just strange.

Would you bring beef jerkey to a Hampton Inn in the USA? Nuff said.