Hotels in Antwerp, Bruges, Amsterdam
Oct 19th, 2018, 10:58 AM
#41
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I always use booking.com. I have had, according to them, booked 143 properties with them over the past 3 years and have had no problems with any of them. Why would you be concerned that if you need to make changes to your reservation, you'd need to do it through the agency you booked it with? Isn't that obvious? You'd rather be left on your own with the property owner who might not even speak your language or offer you an airtight contract? I do not understand the problem. You book through agency A, you deal with agency A, at least until you're installed in the property. Whom would you expect better customer service from, the agency you booked with or their client the actual property? Maybe both, but your contract is with the agency at this point.
Your confusion is confusing.
You wanted a canal view, so you contacted the agency you are booking with, as you should have. They are now working with the actual owner of the property to see if there is one. And they will let you know. If the owner of the property doesn't have a room with a canal view, you'll hear from them. If the owner does, it will probably cost more - be prepared for that. I personally wouldn't pay extra to be able to look out my window at night in A'dam at a sliver of dark water with occasional passing boats when you can spend entire days in the city surrounded by canals, if that's what intrigues you.
Your confusion is confusing.
You wanted a canal view, so you contacted the agency you are booking with, as you should have. They are now working with the actual owner of the property to see if there is one. And they will let you know. If the owner of the property doesn't have a room with a canal view, you'll hear from them. If the owner does, it will probably cost more - be prepared for that. I personally wouldn't pay extra to be able to look out my window at night in A'dam at a sliver of dark water with occasional passing boats when you can spend entire days in the city surrounded by canals, if that's what intrigues you.
Oct 20th, 2018, 04:45 AM
#43
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I always use booking.com. I have had, according to them, booked 143 properties with them over the past 3 years and have had no problems with any of them. Why would you be concerned that if you need to make changes to your reservation, you'd need to do it through the agency you booked it with? Isn't that obvious? You'd rather be left on your own with the property owner who might not even speak your language or offer you an airtight contract? I do not understand the problem. You book through agency A, you deal with agency A, at least until you're installed in the property. Whom would you expect better customer service from, the agency you booked with or their client the actual property? Maybe both, but your contract is with the agency at this point.
Your confusion is confusing.
You wanted a canal view, so you contacted the agency you are booking with, as you should have. They are now working with the actual owner of the property to see if there is one. And they will let you know. If the owner of the property doesn't have a room with a canal view, you'll hear from them. If the owner does, it will probably cost more - be prepared for that. I personally wouldn't pay extra to be able to look out my window at night in A'dam at a sliver of dark water with occasional passing boats when you can spend entire days in the city surrounded by canals, if that's what intrigues you.
Your confusion is confusing.
You wanted a canal view, so you contacted the agency you are booking with, as you should have. They are now working with the actual owner of the property to see if there is one. And they will let you know. If the owner of the property doesn't have a room with a canal view, you'll hear from them. If the owner does, it will probably cost more - be prepared for that. I personally wouldn't pay extra to be able to look out my window at night in A'dam at a sliver of dark water with occasional passing boats when you can spend entire days in the city surrounded by canals, if that's what intrigues you.
Oct 20th, 2018, 06:03 AM
#44
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Usually use websites for reservations. Airlines, cars and accommodation. Did you purchase those concert tickets via an agency? They are usually known as one of the biggest rip-off merchants on this planet.
Oct 20th, 2018, 07:41 AM
#45
Hotel de L"Europe. https://www.deleurope.com
This hotel looked awesome. It would be a splurge. We stayed across the street, at the Hotel Residence le Coin.
This hotel looked awesome. It would be a splurge. We stayed across the street, at the Hotel Residence le Coin.
Oct 20th, 2018, 09:58 AM
#46
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in 2007 i paid $1,000 for two seats front row for my fav band Genesis fairwell tour YOLO !!!!!!!!
saw StevieWonder and Paul McCartney too
Last edited by kgveteran; Oct 20th, 2018 at 10:05 AM.
Oct 20th, 2018, 10:02 AM
#47
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Hotel de L"Europe. https://www.deleurope.com
This hotel looked awesome. It would be a splurge. We stayed across the street, at the Hotel Residence le Coin.
This hotel looked awesome. It would be a splurge. We stayed across the street, at the Hotel Residence le Coin.
trying to get acclimated to the food culture too
Oct 20th, 2018, 10:18 AM
#48
You found a hotel in Amsterdam?
Where is your concert? Our kids went to the Paradiso and liked it a lot.
For restaurants in Amsterdam, we were pleasantly surprised at the options.
One we liked in particular was called "Stout!" Home - Restaurant Stout!
We just happened to find it, and it was awesome.
Where is your concert? Our kids went to the Paradiso and liked it a lot.
For restaurants in Amsterdam, we were pleasantly surprised at the options.
One we liked in particular was called "Stout!" Home - Restaurant Stout!
We just happened to find it, and it was awesome.
Oct 20th, 2018, 11:00 AM
#49
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tryed to get the LeCoin, it was booked, and im 7 months out !!!!!! Glad i got an early start, got our concert tickets, flights, and lodging, now i’m looking at restaurants, reading menus ect, got our travel insurance too.
trying to get acclimated to the food culture too
trying to get acclimated to the food culture too
I hope the link works, but this is now the best reviewed:
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant+insider+amsterdam?sort=RATE_DESC&filter s[PRODUCT_LINE][fe67bd60-a1af-4c75-9199-78c26758556c]=on&filters[TAG][restaurant_tag%7C2311%7C17]=on
Iens is the go to site for restaurants. You can book through them too. Couldn't be easier.
I ate here 2 weeks ago and loved it
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant/moshik/248589#reviews
And I've been coming here for years
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant/hemel...220285#reviews
Both are very popular though so book ahead. You won't see tourists there.
Last edited by menachem; Oct 20th, 2018 at 11:07 AM.
Oct 20th, 2018, 11:40 AM
#50
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You found a hotel in Amsterdam?
Where is your concert? Our kids went to the Paradiso and liked it a lot.
For restaurants in Amsterdam, we were pleasantly surprised at the options.
One we liked in particular was called "Stout!" Home - Restaurant Stout!
We just happened to find it, and it was awesome.
Where is your concert? Our kids went to the Paradiso and liked it a lot.
For restaurants in Amsterdam, we were pleasantly surprised at the options.
One we liked in particular was called "Stout!" Home - Restaurant Stout!
We just happened to find it, and it was awesome.
our concert is EltonJohn in Antwerp, i was really hoping for a show at the Paradiso, but no such luck, we missed EltonJohn in Buffalo NY :0/
Last edited by kgveteran; Oct 20th, 2018 at 11:45 AM.
Oct 20th, 2018, 11:50 AM
#51
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The food culture is just very international. But don't expect "Dutch cuisine". We're a nation of traders and it shows. Perhaps the only example of Dutch cuisine is Indonesian food, a remnant from our colonial days.
I hope the link works, but this is now the best reviewed:
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant+insid...E_DESC&filters[PRODUCT_LINE][fe67bd60-a1af-4c75-9199-78c26758556c]=on&filters[TAG][restaurant_tag%7C2311%7C17]=on
Iens is the go to site for restaurants. You can book through them too. Couldn't be easier.
I ate here 2 weeks ago and loved it
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant/moshik/248589#reviews
And I've been coming here for years
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant/hemel...220285#reviews
Both are very popular though so book ahead. You won't see tourists there.
I hope the link works, but this is now the best reviewed:
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant+insid...E_DESC&filters[PRODUCT_LINE][fe67bd60-a1af-4c75-9199-78c26758556c]=on&filters[TAG][restaurant_tag%7C2311%7C17]=on
Iens is the go to site for restaurants. You can book through them too. Couldn't be easier.
I ate here 2 weeks ago and loved it
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant/moshik/248589#reviews
And I've been coming here for years
https://www.iens.nl/restaurant/hemel...220285#reviews
Both are very popular though so book ahead. You won't see tourists there.
Oct 20th, 2018, 02:15 PM
#52
Elton John will be fun! We have tickets when he’s in Denver this winter. Can’t wait.
I found my old trip report from our family visit to Amsterdam:
“We loved our first visit to Amsterdam last June (family of four)and really liked our rooms w/kitchenette at the Hotel Residence le Coin.
You always hear of the Red Light district and the coffee shops and the laissez-faire attitude, but you don’t hear how open and friendly the people are, how lovely the canals and side streets, how wonderfully trendy the restaurants and cafes, how people are out strolling at all hours of the night and you feel safe everywhere. I think I’d expected it to be quaint and charming (which it is), but in a dark wood-paneled cliché way, not in the young and contemporary way it is.
The standard reply we were given in Amsterdam, when we asked for anything, was always “Of course!” How refreshing.
We stayed in a fabulous location, at The Hotel Residence le Coin, which was directly across a small street from the Hotel de l’Europe, down the street from the Hotel Doelan, on Nieuwe Doelenstraat (sp?). A great neighborhood in the heart of old Amsterdam.
Two cafes on the same block as the hotel were wonderful: Café Katoen for a university atmosphere, and Café le Jaren, for great table seating on the canal.
Amazing dinners at two restaurants in particular:
“Stout!”, at Haarlemmerstraat 73 (www.restaurantstout.nl). Fabulous ‘foamy asparagus’ soup with shrimp, chateaubriande, fresh fish, dessert course, wine list. Very trendy lighting. Great service. We’d gone to the neighborhood in search of a restaurant called “Lof” which we’d seen written up. We didn’t like its atmosphere, but were lucky that Stout! was just across the street.
Also at “Restaurant Dining Eleven” we had a great dinner. It’s at Reestraat 11. Also trendy and contempory, well-presented and beautifully-served meal.
Another nice dinner at “frenzi”, at Swanenburgwal 232. Very simple and contemporary. We arrived shortly after 10:00p.m., when most restaurants close in Amsterdam, but the owner put together a nice Caesar salad with cooked-in-the-shell shrimp and mango. Very nice.
Also a good brunch at a place across the street from frenzi—called “Puccini”. Creative salads and sandwiches. Very nice also.
We took a canal cruise one evening. Toured the Anne Frank Huis and the Van Gogh Museum. Visited the Nieuwe Kerk (sp?) Our teens went to a concert at the Paradiso and loved it.
One afternoon we did the 2:30 “Best of Holland” excursion to Volendam and Marken, with a stop to see wooden clogs made, Gouda cheese created, and to visit windmills. It was by bus, with a boat from Volendam to Marken. A lot of fun. Even our two teens liked it.
Our teens also liked shopping at one street in particular, between our hotel and the museum district. Also a Zara shop there, and many others like it. They thought the selection and prices were better in Amsterdam than what they’d seen in London and Paris even.
A detail about Amsterdam if you go there-- carry enough Euros in cash, because many places won't accept a credit card for a 'small' purchase (i.e. under 25 EU).”
I found my old trip report from our family visit to Amsterdam:
“We loved our first visit to Amsterdam last June (family of four)and really liked our rooms w/kitchenette at the Hotel Residence le Coin.
You always hear of the Red Light district and the coffee shops and the laissez-faire attitude, but you don’t hear how open and friendly the people are, how lovely the canals and side streets, how wonderfully trendy the restaurants and cafes, how people are out strolling at all hours of the night and you feel safe everywhere. I think I’d expected it to be quaint and charming (which it is), but in a dark wood-paneled cliché way, not in the young and contemporary way it is.
The standard reply we were given in Amsterdam, when we asked for anything, was always “Of course!” How refreshing.
We stayed in a fabulous location, at The Hotel Residence le Coin, which was directly across a small street from the Hotel de l’Europe, down the street from the Hotel Doelan, on Nieuwe Doelenstraat (sp?). A great neighborhood in the heart of old Amsterdam.
Two cafes on the same block as the hotel were wonderful: Café Katoen for a university atmosphere, and Café le Jaren, for great table seating on the canal.
Amazing dinners at two restaurants in particular:
“Stout!”, at Haarlemmerstraat 73 (www.restaurantstout.nl). Fabulous ‘foamy asparagus’ soup with shrimp, chateaubriande, fresh fish, dessert course, wine list. Very trendy lighting. Great service. We’d gone to the neighborhood in search of a restaurant called “Lof” which we’d seen written up. We didn’t like its atmosphere, but were lucky that Stout! was just across the street.
Also at “Restaurant Dining Eleven” we had a great dinner. It’s at Reestraat 11. Also trendy and contempory, well-presented and beautifully-served meal.
Another nice dinner at “frenzi”, at Swanenburgwal 232. Very simple and contemporary. We arrived shortly after 10:00p.m., when most restaurants close in Amsterdam, but the owner put together a nice Caesar salad with cooked-in-the-shell shrimp and mango. Very nice.
Also a good brunch at a place across the street from frenzi—called “Puccini”. Creative salads and sandwiches. Very nice also.
We took a canal cruise one evening. Toured the Anne Frank Huis and the Van Gogh Museum. Visited the Nieuwe Kerk (sp?) Our teens went to a concert at the Paradiso and loved it.
One afternoon we did the 2:30 “Best of Holland” excursion to Volendam and Marken, with a stop to see wooden clogs made, Gouda cheese created, and to visit windmills. It was by bus, with a boat from Volendam to Marken. A lot of fun. Even our two teens liked it.
Our teens also liked shopping at one street in particular, between our hotel and the museum district. Also a Zara shop there, and many others like it. They thought the selection and prices were better in Amsterdam than what they’d seen in London and Paris even.
A detail about Amsterdam if you go there-- carry enough Euros in cash, because many places won't accept a credit card for a 'small' purchase (i.e. under 25 EU).”
Last edited by MoBro; Oct 20th, 2018 at 02:29 PM.
Oct 21st, 2018, 04:24 AM
#54
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A detail about Amsterdam if you go there-- carry enough Euros in cash, because many places won't accept a credit card for a 'small' purchase (i.e. under 25 EU).”
I don't know when you were there, MoBro, but that is not my experience.
I don't know when you were there, MoBro, but that is not my experience.
Oct 21st, 2018, 07:34 AM
#57
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Oct 21st, 2018, 09:10 AM
#58
It's possible for people to discover whether or not things have changed, by following the links and information I provided. For instance, Stout!, Pucchini, and frenzi have websites for anyone to examine their menu, location, style, reviews, etc. The posted places were very good when we visited them.
Do you think only places visited within the last year should be recommended?
Should we not mention the places we liked years ago?
kgveteran, you probably saw their fixed price menu, which is per person, and is often a very good deal. See Dining Eleven: http://www.diningcity.net/diningeleven/en/index.html
Do you think only places visited within the last year should be recommended?
Should we not mention the places we liked years ago?
kgveteran, you probably saw their fixed price menu, which is per person, and is often a very good deal. See Dining Eleven: http://www.diningcity.net/diningeleven/en/index.html
Last edited by MoBro; Oct 21st, 2018 at 09:27 AM.
Oct 21st, 2018, 09:43 AM
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It's possible for people to discover whether or not things have changed, by following the links and information I provided. For instance, Stout!, Pucchini, and frenzi have websites for anyone to examine their menu, location, style, reviews, etc. The posted places were very good when we visited them.
Do you think only places visited within the last year should be recommended?
Should we not mention the places we liked years ago?
kgveteran, you probably saw their fixed price menu, which is per person, and is often a very good deal. See Dining Eleven: Restaurant Dining Eleven
Do you think only places visited within the last year should be recommended?
Should we not mention the places we liked years ago?
kgveteran, you probably saw their fixed price menu, which is per person, and is often a very good deal. See Dining Eleven: Restaurant Dining Eleven
Oct 21st, 2018, 09:47 AM
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If a business changes ownership or even some key staff then a business will certainly change. Even in a year. It has already been brought to your attention that the exchange of money has changed. I have even seen the use of phones being used to make payments. What a world!
