falstaff From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 5671 posts, RR: 29 Posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 2468 times:
This coming summer I am planning a vacation to Europe with my parents. I am taking them to Throton Le Dale, England for a week. I am staying at a Pub that is next to a friend's house, where I have stayed before. After our week in England my mom and dad would like to visit Amsterdam for a few days. I have transited through AMS six times and have even spent the night at the "Yotel" inside the airport. We would like to stay in the old part of the city. Where would you recommend we stay? We don't want to spend and arm and leg, but we aren't looking for super budget price either, and would like to stay in something neat and old. No hostels please!
falstaff From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 5671 posts, RR: 29 Reply 1, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 2463 times:
Another thing... What are some good things to do? Mom, dad, and I enjoy drinking, so we plan to visit the Heineken Experience and the House of Bols. We would like to do a boat tour the city and hit an art museum too. I have always heard the flowers in Holland are beautiful. Are they any places in Amsterdam to seen beautiful tulips?
signol From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2007, 2948 posts, RR: 7 Reply 2, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 2449 times:
The Heineken brewery tour is definitely a must!
Boat tours leave from the canal in front of the main station, as far as I remember there is little difference between them.
I've only stayed in the "Amstel Botel", a ship moored near the station, I'm not sure if this would be suitable though - there were plenty of groups of young visitors there.
On a previous stopover, we visited the Van Gogh museum, a tram ride from the centre (or a longish walk) - well worth the visit.
Sorry I can't be of any more help!
falstaff From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 5671 posts, RR: 29 Reply 3, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2431 times:
Quoting signol (Reply 2): On a previous stopover, we visited the Van Gogh museum
That seemed like a good museum for us to go to. The map I have shows the House of Bols is across the street.
Quoting signol (Reply 2): there were plenty of groups of young visitors there.
As long as they aren't the backbacking hippy type I think we would be ok. I do like ships so that might be cool.
falstaff From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 5671 posts, RR: 29 Reply 4, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 2376 times:
Quoting signol (Reply 2): I've only stayed in the "Amstel Botel", a ship moored near the station, I'm not sure if this would be suitable though - there were plenty of groups of young visitors there.
I showed their website to my mom and she looked up pictures on Google. She thinks it looks like a fun place to stay. My dad likes the look of it too.
I see there is a Submarine and sailing ship nearby, are they open for tours?
FlyingHollander From Netherlands, joined Jul 2011, 214 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 2369 times:
You mentioned you want to visit an art museum. I'm not sure what your interests are but the Van Gogh museum is paintings only. If you are really interested in paintings or Van Gogh than I recommend going there. If not I would recommend the Rijksmuseum. It has a much larger variety of pieces (including Rembrandt's Nachtwacht) displaying the Dutch history.
If you're interested in the Dutch seafaring traditions then I would recommend the newly renovated Scheepvaartmuseum.
falstaff From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 5671 posts, RR: 29 Reply 6, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 2357 times:
Quoting FlyingHollander (Reply 5): If you're interested in the Dutch seafaring traditions then I would recommend the newly renovated Scheepvaartmuseum
That looks like something we would enjoy. My parents and I are interested in ships and the history of the people who worked on them.
HT From Germany, joined May 2005, 6472 posts, RR: 27 Reply 7, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 2357 times:
At the western end of Amsterdam's Central Station there is an IBIS hotel.
Nothing fancy, but can be worth a check of rates when comparing to hotels across the street.
It also will mean that you are within most easy walking distance to the hotel when taking the train from the airport.
Across from the station is Hotel Victoria of Park Plaza chain. It is build into a number of old buildings. Corridors go up and down a few steps ever so often - and sometimes you need to go down 3 steps into your room.
Most unique room I had had there (travelling for business), was streched over 2 floors: Bathrooms and a small living/dressing room on entry level and a bedroom up one floor.
Surely a nice hotel, but also a costly one. And there always were problems with getting proper business adresses onto the bill, so I discontinued using it for business (and also because I later used to drive by car to the Amsterdam area when being on assignment for a whole week or longer).
-HT
Carpe diem ! Life is too short to waste your time ! Keep in mind, that today is the first day of the rest of your life !
airport1970 From United States of America, joined Apr 2011, 62 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 2327 times:
"Banks Mansion" is my favorite... Small hotel with friendly helpful staff. Free/Open bar with snacks 24/7. Great lobby for lounging and reading piles of newspapers there. Free internet on lobby computers. Rooms are on the small side for American standards. Request a canal side room.. street side can be loud. Its on a tram line and canal so easy to remember and not get lost. Around the corner from Rembrandt Square and half way between Central Station and Rijksmuseum. Rooms have been priced pretty good but I've stayed always in the off-season. Questions.. email the hotel directly and they get back to you quickly and have negotiated when booked directly... so they don't pay commission to online booker. Pictures on their website are true. Good breakfast with made to order hot stuff and usual European stuff.
And take the Chunnel between England and Amsterdam, changing in Brussels. 300 kph at ground level is fun.
If you want wi-fi in the room or Airport or locations in the city...sign up for BOINGO Europe Plus before you go and cancel it when you get home. Cheaper to sign up here than there.
airport1970 From United States of America, joined Apr 2011, 62 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2314 times:
Quoting airport1970 (Reply 8): And take the Chunnel between England and Amsterdam, changing in Brussels. 300 kph at ground level is fun.
I just looked up where you are staying in the UK... taking the Channel tunnel train may not be the best as you would have to get to London. I have no experience but instead of flying over to Amsterdam look into a ferry ride... like the Chunnel, its not something us Americans are used to!
MEA-707 From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 4117 posts, RR: 37 Reply 10, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 2307 times:
I'd ignore the Botel thing. It's now in a far away location on the 'wrong' side of the north sea canal, even while free ferries go all night it's not really cozy.
I'd look at a hotel booking websites like booking.com and check the map where the available hotels are; ignore the hotels around Damrak and the Wallen streets closest to the station as these can be a bit tacky. But go 500 meters further, the hotels around the 4 main canals Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht are classy, and also the area around Anne Frank house. The area between the canals south to the museums and Vondelpark or eastwards around the Artis Zoo is also more classy.
nobody has ever died from hard work, but why take the risk?
falstaff From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 5671 posts, RR: 29 Reply 11, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2296 times:
Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 10): I'd ignore the Botel thing. It's now in a far away location on the 'wrong' side of the north sea canal, even while free ferries go all night it's not really cozy
After doing some more research I discovered the place lacks air conditioning, or so say some reviews. I also looked at the place on a map and it isn't as close as they make it sound.
Quoting airport1970 (Reply 9): I have no experience but instead of flying over to Amsterdam look into a ferry ride
That would be cool, but oddly it is cheaper if we add the MAN-AMS flight than it would be if we flew DTW-AMS-MAN and then AMS-DTW. By adding the extra flight it makes it cheaper, go figure!
Quoting airport1970 (Reply 9): I just looked up where you are staying in the UK... taking the Channel tunnel train may not be the best as you would have to get to London
Out in the country isn't it? A nice place to visit, very relaxing.
Quoting HT (Reply 7): IBIS hotel.
Nothing fancy, but can be worth a check of rates when comparing to hotels across the street
I have stayed in IBIS hotels before and I find them to be just fine.
nonimaus From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2011, 82 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2295 times:
Quoting airport1970 (Reply 9): I just looked up where you are staying in the UK... taking the Channel tunnel train may not be the best as you would have to get to London. I have no experience but instead of flying over to Amsterdam look into a ferry ride... like the Chunnel, its not something us Americans are used to!
Eurostar offer through ticket connections from other major UK cities, so aside from the travel time on the east coast mainline to Kings Cross St Pancras which is where the main eurostar hub is, it's not too bad a journey.
In terms of sea travel there's a ferry from Harwich, which is off the coast in the south east, so you'd have to travel to London to connect to another train out to the coast. Alternatively, there's a ferry from Hull (closer to Thornton Dale / Throton Le Dale) to Rotterdam, but that'll be a longer sea crossing...something like 6-ish hours from Harwich vs. 10 hours from Hull according to the Stena Line site.
PITingres From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 957 posts, RR: 12 Reply 13, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2265 times:
For lodging, you might want to consider the Amrath if you get a decent price. It's within walking distance of Centraal Station and it's definitely not the usual chain hotel experience. Eating, drinking, shopping are all close by. I quite enjoyed it the one time I stayed there.
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