Amsterdam accomodations getting thin... I'm getting paranoid!

I hoped to find a place next week w/o reservations ahead...
Actually/Boldly was looking for offers of local private accommodations
at Centraal Station.... Is this feasible any more or am I being misled
by 'ancient' 60's lore?

I intentionally booked arrival for after Queen's Day (5/3) to avoid the
'orange crush'; but look like I stumbled on some Thu/Fri holiday that
has the town virtually booked out in my price range (hostel @$30per).
Should I try and snap something up now online or might I still do well
after arrival? Staying 5/3-7, Wed through Sat night, then on to Brugges
Sunday where I'm already set up.

Tim K

Timothy Kroesen [on Fri, 29 Apr 2005 22:27:06 GMT] wrote:

[...] the town virtually booked out in my price range (hostel @$30per).
Should I try and snap something up now online or might I still do well
after arrival?

I suggest you start making phone calls right now.
Of course, you *could* challenge your luck and see if you find an open
spot due to somebody not showing up, but be aware that you might end up
sleeping in the dirt under a bridge.


--
Low Countries By Bike - http://lowcountriesbybike.info
Riding on two wheels in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany

Timothy Kroesen wrote:
I hoped to find a place next week w/o reservations ahead...
Actually/Boldly was looking for offers of local private accommodations
at Centraal Station.... Is this feasible any more or am I being misled
by 'ancient' 60's lore?

I intentionally booked arrival for after Queen's Day (5/3) to avoid the
'orange crush'; but look like I stumbled on some Thu/Fri holiday that
has the town virtually booked out in my price range (hostel @$30per).
Should I try and snap something up now online or might I still do well
after arrival? Staying 5/3-7, Wed through Sat night, then on to Brugges
Sunday where I'm already set up.

Tim K

A lot of people in Holland have next week off. Today is Queen's Day,
Wednesday is WWII memorial day (with lots of officials attending the
ceremony in Amsterdam), Thursday is Liberation Day / Ascension (?), Friday
is a mandatory vacation day for most people. Most offices etc. are closed.

The weather is pretty good too. Tomorrow it's going to be 26 celcius. Beach
day

I bet a lot of locals booked a week / weekend in Amsterdam. Saw lots of
Germans too.

Yorick.

Robert Clark [on Sat, 30 Apr 2005 09:46:34 +0200] wrote:

Thursday is Ascension Day across most of (Catholic) Europe, but
celebrated annually as Liberation Day in the (Protestant) Netherlands,
these are pretty well-known annual major holidays.

Are you Absolutely Sure about that?

--
Low Countries By Bike - http://lowcountriesbybike.info
Riding on two wheels in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany

Yorick wrote:
Timothy Kroesen wrote:

I hoped to find a place next week w/o reservations ahead...
Actually/Boldly was looking for offers of local private accommodations
at Centraal Station.... Is this feasible any more or am I being misled
by 'ancient' 60's lore?

I intentionally booked arrival for after Queen's Day (5/3) to avoid the
'orange crush'; but look like I stumbled on some Thu/Fri holiday that
has the town virtually booked out in my price range (hostel @$30per).
Should I try and snap something up now online or might I still do well
after arrival? Staying 5/3-7, Wed through Sat night, then on to Brugges
Sunday where I'm already set up.

Tim K


A lot of people in Holland have next week off. Today is Queen's Day,
Wednesday is WWII memorial day (with lots of officials attending the
ceremony in Amsterdam), Thursday is Liberation Day / Ascension (?), Friday
is a mandatory vacation day for most people. Most offices etc. are closed.

The weather is pretty good too. Tomorrow it's going to be 26 celcius. Beach
day

I bet a lot of locals booked a week / weekend in Amsterdam. Saw lots of
Germans too.

Yorick.


On top of it being the normal WW2 Liberation celebrations, this is the
60th Anniversary of the Liberation, so, like the Normandy celebrations
in France earlier this year, it is a VERY BIG THING in the Netherlands.
Progressively throughout these 2 weeks there are parades and
ceremonies in various towns marking the dates of their liberation by the
Canadian Army, culminating in the major Liberation Day ceremony. There
are Canadian Army veterans, VIP government delegations, and normal
people out to honour the Canadians and the Liberation ... so no surprise
that accomodations will be in very short supply.

Thursday is Ascension Day across most of (Catholic) Europe, but
celebrated annually as Liberation Day in the (Protestant) Netherlands,
these are pretty well-known annual major holidays. It's a bit like
going to New York on 4 July, and being surprised that the locals are
celebrating some quaint holiday.

In any case, as you leave the Amsterdam train station, walk directly
across the road to the Visitor/Tourist centre (it might be open, not
sure) as they have listings for hotels, hostels, B&Bs, private rooms,
etc., on offer.

RGC

"nitram" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 22:27:06 GMT, "Timothy Kroesen"
wrote:

I hoped to find a place next week w/o reservations ahead...
Actually/Boldly was looking for offers of local private accommodations
at Centraal Station.... Is this feasible any more or am I being misled
by 'ancient' 60's lore?

I intentionally booked arrival for after Queen's Day (5/3)

Queen's day is today. 30 April.

Liberation Day is 5 May.

But will us brits get liberated that day ?

"Miss L. Toe" wrote:


"nitram" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 22:27:06 GMT, "Timothy Kroesen"
wrote:

I hoped to find a place next week w/o reservations ahead...
Actually/Boldly was looking for offers of local private accommodations
weat Centraal Station.... Is this feasible any more or am I being misled
by 'ancient' 60's lore?

I intentionally booked arrival for after Queen's Day (5/3)

Queen's day is today. 30 April.

Liberation Day is 5 May.

But will us brits get liberated that day ?

Trying to get a day off from work are we ? Nice try I say...

Kristian

....or in Haarlem...g

Tim K

"Erick T. Barkhuis" wrote in message
...
Timothy Kroesen [on Fri, 29 Apr 2005 22:27:06 GMT] wrote:

[...] the town virtually booked out in my price range (hostel
@$30per).
Should I try and snap something up now online or might I still do
well
after arrival?

I suggest you start making phone calls right now.
Of course, you *could* challenge your luck and see if you find an open
spot due to somebody not showing up, but be aware that you might end
up
sleeping in the dirt under a bridge.


--
Low Countries By Bike - http://lowcountriesbybike.info
Riding on two wheels in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany