willit

I am hoping to spend a 3 day weekend in amsterdam in early September. I have been given a couple of recommendations, but they are all boked up. Does anybody have any suggestions?
Budget of around €120 a night

Thanks

bardo1

willit,

Early September, huh? I guess it's never too early to book a room...

Here are some to look into - all well located and all within your budget.


Art Gallery Hotel
http://www.artgallery-hotel.nl/

Asterisk
http://www.asteriskhotel.nl/

Hotel Keizershof
http://www.hotelkeizershof.nl/

Hotel Prinsenhof
http://www.hotelprinsenhof.com/hotel/info.html

Hotel Atlanta
http://www.atlantahotel.nl/

Rembrandt Centrum
http://www.rembrandtcentrum.com/

Nadia Hotel
http://www.nadia.nl/

turnip

We liked the Museum Square Hotel a lot.

willit

Thank you for the replies, I will investigate further.

Bardo1 - I was very surprised when I was unable to get a booking for the first hotel I tried for the weekend. Even more so at the 2nd, and 3rd hotels that were unable to offer me a room.

I am wondering if there is an International football match on or something similar.

WillTravel

This has come up before as an issue. I can't remember what it is, but it's a major business trade fair.

gomiki

We recently stayed at the Hotel Piet Hein, www.hotelpiethein.dl and loved it. It is in your price range (or less) and included breakfast. There is free internet (laptops) in the lobby. It is next to Vondel Park and near the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museums.

Travelnut

September is the IBC conference, no rooms to be had if you wait too long. I think it's Sept 11-16 this year.

Try Haarlem ...

Ida101

Last year September there was the same problems, conventions going on!
If you cannot find a place in the city, try an airport hotel or places like Haarlem, Zaandam, Leiden. All with good trainconnections.

willit

Thanks again to all. gomiki - that hotel was one of those that I tried, but thanks for the suggestion.

I have eventually found somewhere. I will report back in late September and say if it was any good.

malvarez730

Willit - I'm very interested to hear how Amsterdam was with the IBC going on. A friend and I are planning a trip in 09 and have discovered the conference is taking place the exact days we were planning on going. Please let me know how your hotel was, Brouwer, right? And also if you found the city to be exceptionally busy. Thanks very much!

hetismij

Malvarez book early and you should have no problems. The city is no busier than otherwise - in fact during the day it is probably quieter as everyone is at the IBC. It is from 11-15 September next year.
If you really can't find anywhere in Amsterdam then try Haarlem.

My son went to the IBC and had a great time playing with lots of expensive new toys!

willit

malvarez730 - The Friday night seemed really busy, but as this was the first time I had been in Amsterdam I cannot say whether this was normal or not. Certainly as we sat in a bar near the Dam, many of the passers by had name badges - often from big IT companies.

I gave up looking for hotel rooms shortly after posting the original message - I just found hotel after hotel was fully booked. This was confirmed when we were walking around the city and time and time again hotels had "no vacancy" signs up.

What I did as an alternative was book a one bedroom apartment for 3 days through the Homelidays site. It was not too far from Vondel park, and exceptionally well furnished. Trams to the city centre went from about every 5-10 minutes, but we found ourselves walking most of the time (It was about 20-25 minutes to the city centre).

The apartment cost us €340 in total.

I really liked Amsterdam, which surprised me a little as it has never really high on my list of places to go. The only major site I went to was the Van Gogh museum (Still , IMO, one of the most overrated painters of all time).

Most of the rest of the time we wandered around, strolling besides canals, stopping off for the odd beer (Normally Belgian - Heineken and Grolsch arn't really my taste).

malvarez730

Thank so much. Did the museum seem busy? Did you have to wait long to eat at places? I'll definitely check out the apartment as an alternative. Even a year out and I'm still finding places booked! Thanks again, it's great to hear from someone that was there during the event. Really appreciate it.

willit

The museum was fairly busy - difficult to get near some of the pictures. I have to add that the day I went it was pouring with rain, so maybe many people were looking for an "indoor attraction".

malvarez730

Willit, do you happen to know the name of your apartment or the location?

willit

http://preview.tinyurl.com/4fdy44

Or if this link doesn't work, go to www.homelidays.com and search for reference 172632

1cmc1

Just returned from Amsterdam.

Stayed in the Hotel Estherea one night. It's a beautiful hotel in a fantastic area and it was 125 euros for two of us. The advertised rates are much higher, but they gave us a 'very special deal.' Not sure why.
http://www.estherea.nl/

valerie218

I stayed at the Hotel Brouwer in August/September 2008 and they have new flat screen TV's. Free Internet, good breakfast and friendly staff. They also have an elevator! I paid 60 euros for a single room.

danu_dallas

Anyone with experience staying at the Hotel Museumzicht? Steep stairs, no lift, no problem for me. Will stay 4 or more days in early April (no a/c necessary, right?). Any reviews are appreciated; as well as advice!