Need some suggestions on B&B's or "good value" hotel in Gouda. We will have a rental car so parking is an issue.
Thanks!

tt

mk-

I can't recommend a hotel in Gouda, but, I can recommend one in Delft that has a car park.

Herberg de Emauspoort
Vrouwenregt 10-11
www.emauspoort.nl

It's located just off Market Square, behind the Niewe Kerk, with a canal out front. They also offer free bikes (albeit a tad wobbly) and they have a bakery on site, yum!

When we stayed there in 2003 the prices were very affordable, E72.50 single and E82.50 double, which included a decent breakfast. Peace.

Robyn

nor can I, but I higly recommend a visit there-the chance to have some aged goat cheese Gouda (pronounced HOW-DAH by locals) is too good an opportunity to pass up! it's quite easy to get to from Am'dam by train, as I'm sure you know-and while you're in Gouda, you might as well visit Leiden, as well, it's pretty close to Gouda, as I recall. Lovely university town.

I agree with airlawgirl. Even if you don't stay in Gouda, you should visit it. Their stadhuis is fairy-tale like, and the St. Janskerk has some beautiful stained glass windows (they survived WWII only because they were removed). And you can pick up a Gouda clay pipe or other pottery from Adrie Moerings Pottery (Pepperstraat #76).

Utrecht is only 25 minute train ride from Gouda and is also worth a stop. The Domkerk and Domtoren (c.14C) are wonderful and if you are so inclined you can climb the 465 steps to the top for a great view. The National Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement is an interesting little museum devoted to clocks and caliopes.

And if you do decide to stop in Leiden, check out the Molen de Valk (windmill museum) where you can climb the 7 steep dutch staircases to the top and view the city of Leiden from the outside platform (if you're lucky, you will be there when the sails are turning). Enjoy the Netherlands...Peace.

Robyn

You know, I'm glad someone has finally mentioned Utrecht- it is DECIDEDLY WORTH A VISIT. I emphasize this, because I had occasion to spend some time in the town of Zeist in the year 2000, a lovely green town in central Holland-Utrecht is quite near by-bigger, a University town-really great to wander its canal areas, and to see its DomTower-which dates from the 1300's I believe. But their art museum with their collection of medieval and Dutch Masters in a former convent-really fine. I'm a great fan of Holland-everything's so laid back, easy to get to, and lovely! The only drawback is its food-absolutely nothing to email home about-good apple cake, though.

Thanks for your suggestions. I've booked one of the two B&B's found in Gouda! Obviously it's a very small town. I'm very much looking forward to visiting there and the surrounding towns and villages. I'll do my best to consume large quantities of Gouda cheese and apple cake. Should I expect to find a good beer to accompany the cheese and fine coffee for the cake?

Well, just make sure you also get yourself to Delft-but all of these places we've mentioned, as I'm sure you know, can be reached easily-just great day tripping-Gouda is a very nice place to stay-as for me, I can live very well off of aged Gouda and apple cake!-with some Dutch beer-also nothing to email home about-some average beers Brand, Grolsch and Amstel come to mind-I think they're still all made by Heineken.