bed & breakfast in Amsterdam
 

We will have three free days in Amsterdam in April 2003. Any suggestions for a bed & breakfast place to stay in the region?

If by bed and breakfast you mean a small dutch hotel (8-12 rooms) with a dutch breakfast included you will have many choices. The Kap Hotel and the Brouwer are to great ones. Go to www.channelsamsterdam.nl and look at their reviews of places to stay, etc. They have a booking site there also.

I have stayed at 5 different small dutch hotels over the years and have enjoyed each one. But if you are going at the end of the month I would not put off looking for a reservation too long...Queensday occurs then and it will be very crowded.

Ask if you have any more questions.

Sorry, it is www.channels.nl.

Most small Dutch hotels provide breakfast each morning, larger chain like hotels (Holiday Inn etc.) generally charge extra for breakfast. In Amsterdam there are many fine small family run hotels. A couple of things to be aware of, they generally do not have an elevator and the stairs will be narrow and steep. Most do not have air conditioning. Some have shared bathrooms. But any hotel rated 3 stars or more will have rooms with private baths to offer. Make sure the time you are going is not around Queens Day (Queens's birthday celebration) From what I've heard, Amsterdam is already sold out and you'll have to stay outside of the city. Enjoy my most favorite European city.

I have enjoyed staying at the Hotel van Onna in Amsterdam.

see www.vanonna.com

Advantages:
* Cheap (US$ ~ 32 for single with good breakfast)
* Pretty Clean (far cleaner than the Hampton that I've going to each week)
* Modern
* Quiet neighborhood
* Non-smoking only
* 11 minute walk from the Centraal rail station with frequent runs to AMS (tram also runs near hotel)
* Outstanding owner/manager (Loek van Onna)

Disadvantages:
* No phones in rooms (Loek doesn't want a switchboard to work)
* Basic furniture
* No lift
* I think that no credit cards are accepted, but you can pay cash on check out

I think that the advantages far exceed the disadvantages and love going back there!

When I arrive early in the morning from AMS, Loek sends me in for my free arrival breakfast while they ready a room for me.

I just call Loek on the phone and he saves me a quiet room without even a CC number! From the US, dial 011-31-20-626-58-01

I have not stayed at the Hotel Van Onna but have heard good things about it.

I would not be afraid of going during Queensday. If you book anytime within the next month or two you should have no problem finding a great place to stay. My wife and I are going for the first time in 2003. My dutch friends say that it is the best time of the year to visit. The weather is getting much better...the tulips are out...and a great street party. Don't worry about the lack of airconditioning in April...July and August maybe but not in April.