Trying hard to get a reasonable clean room for the 2 of us before we board a river cruise boat...23, 24th of September...almost impossible unless I want to pay $600+ a night at a Marriott, etc. which I don't. Do I want to choose a dumpier 2 star near the station, if I can find one, or do I want to simply choose a hotel in, say, Zaandam, beside the train station(Inntel?) that appears nicer? We have never been so have no bearings..

Hi H,

Have you searched the forums for suggestions for <Amsterdam hotel>?

88 options on hrs.com

Check Hotel Casa 400 on booking.com - They do have availabilities. It's a brandnew design hotel 5 min. walk from Amsterdam Amstel train/metro and bus station. Very good service.

Try here, right on one of the old canals in the heart of Amsterdam, its quriky, the floors slope etc. But its very clean, central, priced right and offers a great breakfast. Block from the trams, walking distance to central station and major shopping area, several sidewalk cafe's when warm enough. Street behind it has tons of shops. It is a 1600's old canal house converted into hotel rooms run appx. 65-90e per night, has lift.
http://www.hotelbrouwer.nl

My Grandaughter and I stayed there for 4 days..THe room was large, basic, clean bathroom, excellent reading lights,no tv,Canal view.

Good breakfast,friendly people at the desk.

Without doubt I would go back there again..

You could always try Priceline or Hotwire.
Enjoy your river cruise.
Susan

Thanks everyone...it is just that the only rooms left are in the poorer quality places or $800 for a Hilton room a night. There appears to be something going on that weekend..more than usual. Will try your suggestions.

Okay...so I tried all your ideas...awaiting a response from The Collector and hotel brouwer but nothing else empty. What in the world is going on in Amsterdam that they would ask $700 for a room at the Marriott...not that I even need a room here. Forget Amsterdam and head to another city from the airport?

Look at a map of "greater" Amsterdam, and pick out a nearby town. Everything is so close in Holland, you can get something only minutes away by train.

Go to http://www.moevenpick.com I just checked your 2 nights in September and it seems rooms are available for about 200 euros a night.

I have stayed there and it's a lovely hotel. Right at the cruise dock too. And contrary to what some will tell you only a 10 minute walk to Damrak so not out of the way.

Don't wait as in Sept I believe there are large conventions and as you've found rooms become scarce...

Rob

horatio, I too put in a request for your dates, 2 nights 9.23 & 9.24 with Priceline, the room rates are outrageous, you're right, however quite a few came up in the $200 USD range, granted probably not prime location, many were near Schiphol but but with public transportation that wouldn't be too much of a problem. good luck and I hope you find "room at the inn".
S

i checked booking.com from the UK English site this am, yes there are conferences but a good number of nice places at Euro 150

and brouwer is very nice if they have availability

what about Haarlem?

a lovely little town not far from amsterdam or the airport.

Brouwer is N/A...Thank you my next question exactly...why don't I just spend 2 days in, say, Haarlem? I will try moevenpick right now.

And I would rather stay in , say Haarlem, at a nicer place than in Amsterdam in a not so nice place. Casa 400 is N/A

Movenpick is N/A all days except for 4 in September they have room

Things change quickly... your dates were all green and available
when I checked yesterday. What about checking with the cruise line you're using? They may have some hotels they deal with...

Our cruise line has a 2 day extension using a NH hotel but just said the other day that they can't even get rooms there that weekend...