Booking a hotel in Amsterdam
Oct 10th, 2013, 10:43 AM
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We booked on Priceline and got a hotel room for $100-NH Doelen- a bit old world but the location was perfect. Be careful if you bid to select your preferred location-our hotel was very central and we could walk to most places. A tram stop was near the hotel to access areas too far to walk to.
Oct 10th, 2013, 11:00 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,969
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For Amsterdam, I don't see the legacy airline type of pricing where the same room goes up or down in price in a major way. The prices only seem to go up as more desirable rooms at good prices get snatched up. Looks like you are from the US? Think how Southwest Airline prices the seats.
Don't rely on any one timing "rule." Start looking at room rates once they start publishing the rates for the October 2014. Observe pricing on different days for October 2014.
While I don't observe market based price fluctuations based on the time of booking, there is a market based pricing for the time of the stay. The prices can shoot up 2x one week, if there is a major even going on and goes back to normal level a week before or after. I was in Amsterdam last weekend. I moved my schedule one week back because hotel prices during the weekend of Sept 28 was twice the normal rate along with poor choices. One of the major event going on was the European Cancer Congress. You don't necessarily need to know the major event schedules. The abnormal hotel prices and availabilities you would see at booking engines would clue you that something big is going on in the city. Even though it costs a little bit more, I usually book rooms with no cancellation penalties. Sometimes, I find later on, as an example at this forum, a hotel at a good location at better rate.
Don't rely on any one timing "rule." Start looking at room rates once they start publishing the rates for the October 2014. Observe pricing on different days for October 2014.
While I don't observe market based price fluctuations based on the time of booking, there is a market based pricing for the time of the stay. The prices can shoot up 2x one week, if there is a major even going on and goes back to normal level a week before or after. I was in Amsterdam last weekend. I moved my schedule one week back because hotel prices during the weekend of Sept 28 was twice the normal rate along with poor choices. One of the major event going on was the European Cancer Congress. You don't necessarily need to know the major event schedules. The abnormal hotel prices and availabilities you would see at booking engines would clue you that something big is going on in the city. Even though it costs a little bit more, I usually book rooms with no cancellation penalties. Sometimes, I find later on, as an example at this forum, a hotel at a good location at better rate.
Oct 10th, 2013, 06:18 PM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,541
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Go to TripAdvisor.com Go to the netherlands forum. Look up the threads "Bidding on a 4 star" and "Bidding on a 5 star". They are usually in the first few pages. They are hundreds of posts long so start with the newest. You'll find you can get a 5 star hotel for $100 USD per night using Priceline's Name Your Own Price. Ask questions... people are glad to help.
Also check out BetterBidding.com and look at "Other Cities". You can also ask for advice on strategies there as well.
Also check out BetterBidding.com and look at "Other Cities". You can also ask for advice on strategies there as well.
