Yes, part of the Rijks is closed but all major works have been moved to one wing so you can see it all in a shorter period of time...just arrive early as the crowds are also concentrated in that one wing. Be sure to see the Van Gogh museum, anne Frank Huis, Our Lord in the Attic and Dutch Resistance Museum in A'dam for sure. In brugges, I would highly recommend a tour of Ypres with Quasimodo tours - they pick up at your hotel and its run by an Australian couple. I hope you like bryghia - its close to the main square yet quiet and on a very pretty canal. When you go to the 'other square' - walk thru the alleyway and you'll come to a lovely canal, cross over the bridge and there are several restaurants there that are wonderful. Look down the canal and you'll see a quaint little canal=side restaurant for either lunch or dinner. MainLine is the BEST for chocolate!!!

Go to any of the search engines and type in "Amsterdam Hotels" and you'll get several websites offering discounts. Then if the hotel has a website, check that against the other quotes. AMS is a very expensive city and you don't get get much bang for the buck there. Just wonder why AMS and clueless as to what to see and do? You must have had some idea why you wanted to go.

Thanks Cmeyer--have copied down your suggestions for Brugge and Ypres. How many new things you can learn from people sharing on this site.

Any thoughts on a stop-over in Antwerp during train trip from Brugge to Amsterdam?

When we were in Brugge, Prince Philip was visiting! There was a huge parade with bands so we stopped to watch and there he was...doing the royal walk about and shaking hands. I guess the tall black fur hats that the royal guard wears originated in Brugges so he was there to commemorate it. Also - there is a wonderful art museum in what used to be an old (very) hospital. Excellent paintings and the upstairs area is a hospital museum. I'd never seen an iron lung!

Recommend the Owl Hotel in the museum district. We stayed there two nights about two weeks ago. Very convenient to transportation and interesting walks.

I believe the rates were consistent with what you are looking to pay.