Steph_Haas

Hi everyone! My husband and I are traveling to Amsterdam as a part of a Belgium-Amsterdam-Paris trip at the end of August. We will be in Amsterdam for 3 nights, August 28-31. We are probably going to use Airbnb to book our place to stay, but what I need help with is orienting ourselves with Amsterdam. I'm having a difficult time understanding which neighborhoods are which (each website/book/map gives me different details, districts, neighborhoods, etc) and where the best place to stay is.

Here is what we are interested in/looking for: We are late 20's, no kids, LOVE food, beer, wine. Enjoy art (me, more than him), like getting the "local flavor" as well as the good touristy things. We would like to stay in a residential area that is close to any markets, bars, restaurants, social areas.

It would be very cool to stay on a houseboat, but to know which ones to look at, I just need a better idea of the layout of the town. Resources would be helpful (good websites with maps and neighborhoods) and stories and anecdotes are always wonderful too. Thanks in advance!

spaarne

Two days ain't much for the Dutch. There are great art museums. The Rijksmuseum (National Museum) is one of the tops in Europe. The Leidseplein is a very lively touristy cafe/bar area.

Amsterdam is relatively small and very easy to navigate by foot. Take the tram if you want to make a long trip, say from Centraal Station to the museum area.

Can't help you with room advice. I stay at a B&B in Haarlem. Others here will want to know your budget before giving recommendations.

Guidebook authors like to cut and paste Amsterdam to their liking. I suggest that you get the Michelin Green Guide and/or Lonely Planet and/or Fodors guide books. I think those are the most objective and least opinionated.

Steph_Haas

Oh yes, our budget is less than $80 per night, tight budget. We will have 3 full days.

hetismij2

That is only about €60 a night. You will really struggle to find anything in Amsterdam for that amount, even on airbnb I would think. Look at hostels too.
Basically you want somewhere within or very close to the Canal Ring, Oud Zuid, de Pijp Oud West are also OK. You do not want to be too close to the station, or anywhere near Warmoesstraat/Zeedijk (Wallen). You also do not want to be in Staatsliedenbuurt if you can avoid it. Some parts of that are less than delightful.
No doubt Menachem will be along shortly to give you more, and netter suggestions.

Rastaguytoday

Where is your B&B located?

You can't be helped if you don't know where you are.

PatrickLondon

Here's the public transport map, with some neighbourhood names as used by the locals:
http://en.gvb.nl/reisinformatie/plat...kaart2013.aspx

menachem

De Pijp would be my choice for you. But 60 euros/night isn't much. That's hostel territory.

@hetismij2 LOL

easy hotel is in de Pijp, if you must and have no other option

have a look at these

http://www.budgetplaces.com/5564/de-...e-2345-9.html?

spaarne

<i>
Steph_Haas on May 6, 13 at 1:29am
Oh yes, our budget is less than $80 per night, tight budget.</i>

Tight budget? Nearly impossible! That $80 is about &euro;60. You can almost do that for the two of you at my favorite, B&B Paula in Haarlem. It is in a residential neighborhood and close to one market and almost on top of one very nice cafe/restaurant, but about two miles from the city center and the train station. Paula has bikes available or take the bus to town. PalenQ has a favorite B&B in Haarlem. I forget which one. There are several more closer to the center of town. There are six trains per hour to Amsterdam which take about 20 minutes max.