Where can we stay in Amsterdam?
January 11, 2011 3:23 PM Subscribe
Myself, my partner and a two of our friends have booked flights to Amsterdam for a week's break away and we need to find somewhere to stay. Ideally, we were thinking about an apartment so we can actually live there for a week rather than just stay; hotels and hostels are all well and good but it would be great to be able to cook and have a space to relax.
If anyone has any good recommendations as to where to start looking, I would very much appreciate it! In terms of special requirements... a kitchen, possibly twin/double beds, separate rooms (possibly a family room?), balcony would be a dream come true. City centre would be preferable, but a short bus ride away would also be great. Thanks in advance!
If anyone has any good recommendations as to where to start looking, I would very much appreciate it! In terms of special requirements... a kitchen, possibly twin/double beds, separate rooms (possibly a family room?), balcony would be a dream come true. City centre would be preferable, but a short bus ride away would also be great. Thanks in advance!
Best answer: Airbnb has been recommended on this site to browse various listings of people who are subletting their apartments. It's worth a try.
posted by Pleadthefifth at 3:35 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by Pleadthefifth at 3:35 PM on January 11, 2011
Home Away is another place to check. There are also some vacation rental reviews on Tripadvisor.
posted by grapesaresour at 3:37 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by grapesaresour at 3:37 PM on January 11, 2011
In the past, we've used CityMundo. The prices depend on the number of occupants, however, so it may not be cheaper than a hotel.
posted by enoent at 3:38 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by enoent at 3:38 PM on January 11, 2011
I totally recommend renting a houseboat, I went through this site and we had lovely accommodations a little bit away from the crazy red light district. Having breakfast or a glass of wine on the deck was lovely.
posted by Duffington at 3:40 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by Duffington at 3:40 PM on January 11, 2011
Renting a shortstay apartment is lovely. But if you fail to find something you like/in your price range, hostels may have kitchen access and a lounge/living room. The Oxford Street hostel in London has a great kitchen and a nice, underuse lounge which is very livingroom like.
posted by jb at 4:02 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by jb at 4:02 PM on January 11, 2011
We spent New Years at the 95 Singel gracht house run by Maes Bed and Breakfast and loved it. There is an amazing kitchen, great view and a private balcony.
posted by autopilot at 4:12 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by autopilot at 4:12 PM on January 11, 2011
VRBO is the starting point for this sort of thing. I no longer book hotels in any city in the world where I am staying three nights or more. Having an apartment is so much better and I've never had a bad experience with VRBO.
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:52 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:52 PM on January 11, 2011
Houseboat!! We went last year and found a place online . It was perfect...private, comfortable and we could relax and cook for ourselves when we wanted to. Plus an adventure :)
posted by rvrlvr at 4:52 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by rvrlvr at 4:52 PM on January 11, 2011
Yeah, seconding the houseboat option. It is rad.
Just do not get drunk and fall in the water.
Not that that happened to me or anything.
posted by medeine at 5:50 PM on January 11, 2011
Just do not get drunk and fall in the water.
Not that that happened to me or anything.
posted by medeine at 5:50 PM on January 11, 2011
We [3 people] stayed in this excellent apartment right on the Noorderkerk square.
Found it via the shortstay amsterdam site. It was large, with a full kitchen, and in an excellent location.
They mention that the stairs are really steep, this is an understatement.
Worth noting though: the "bedrooms" are disproportionate, it's one awesome bedroom with a large bed and high roof and another small room with nothing but the bed [literally not a free centimeter past the bed]. There are no doors to close off either of these rooms. This wasn't a problem for us, and the location is really really perfect.
posted by xqwzts at 3:10 AM on January 12, 2011
Found it via the shortstay amsterdam site. It was large, with a full kitchen, and in an excellent location.
They mention that the stairs are really steep, this is an understatement.
Worth noting though: the "bedrooms" are disproportionate, it's one awesome bedroom with a large bed and high roof and another small room with nothing but the bed [literally not a free centimeter past the bed]. There are no doors to close off either of these rooms. This wasn't a problem for us, and the location is really really perfect.
posted by xqwzts at 3:10 AM on January 12, 2011
Also:
- It's split into two floors, the bottom has a nice living room with couches/tv, the kitchen, and the toilet. The top has the 2 bed rooms and the shower+bath.
- There's a lovely/largish balcony with a table and chairs set up.
- It isn't in the center, but Amsterdam is really tiny, and Noorderkerk/Jordaan is about a 5 minute walk from the Centraal station, so about 10 from Dam Square.
General recommendations: get away from the center, the Jordaan area has great pubs/restaurants/shops/cafes, is close enough to the center, and is much quieter without all the tourists running around drunk and shouting. Also rent a bike. They're cheap, very easy to use [it really feels like bikes have priority on the roads there over pedestrians and cars], and Amsterdam is easy to navigate with all the parallel canals.
posted by xqwzts at 3:17 AM on January 12, 2011
- It's split into two floors, the bottom has a nice living room with couches/tv, the kitchen, and the toilet. The top has the 2 bed rooms and the shower+bath.
- There's a lovely/largish balcony with a table and chairs set up.
- It isn't in the center, but Amsterdam is really tiny, and Noorderkerk/Jordaan is about a 5 minute walk from the Centraal station, so about 10 from Dam Square.
General recommendations: get away from the center, the Jordaan area has great pubs/restaurants/shops/cafes, is close enough to the center, and is much quieter without all the tourists running around drunk and shouting. Also rent a bike. They're cheap, very easy to use [it really feels like bikes have priority on the roads there over pedestrians and cars], and Amsterdam is easy to navigate with all the parallel canals.
posted by xqwzts at 3:17 AM on January 12, 2011
Amsterdam House is great and has apartments, houseboats and hotel rooms.
posted by elle.jeezy at 5:28 AM on January 12, 2011
posted by elle.jeezy at 5:28 AM on January 12, 2011
Definitely a houseboat for the true Amsterdam experience!
My friends and I stayed specifically on the PhilDutch houseboat. It was cute, had a great location, and was just the right amount of space.
posted by soleilMia at 8:59 AM on January 12, 2011
My friends and I stayed specifically on the PhilDutch houseboat. It was cute, had a great location, and was just the right amount of space.
posted by soleilMia at 8:59 AM on January 12, 2011
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I don't know that you would be able to fill all your desires/requests, but it's another option to consider.
posted by Windigo at 3:27 PM on January 11, 2011