h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A friend and I are trying to find somewhere to stay in Amsterdam this weekend but to no avail. Upon phoning the tourist office I was told that this was because of (what sounded like) the duck races! Obviously this isn't exactly right but after asking the nice lady to repeat it for the third time and still not understanding, I decided to save any more embarrassment and give up.

Is there anybody out there that can tell me what's going on that's causing Amsterdam to be full to bursting? Have you any top tips on finding some accommodation?! Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

This will probably come too late for you, but if it's any help at all, here's a couple of hints for finding somewhere...

1 - If you're not afraid of spiders, try camping. It's definately the cheapest form of accomodation, I stayed at Zeeburg and it has a mellow atmosphere and affordable food (being out of the centre of town, they could exploit you with their prices, but they don't). You can get close to it by bus or tram, then hike over a bridge to get to it. They also have a lovely animal enclosure, with happy, greedy goats, hens and ducks and at dawn, the water by the side of the campsite looks like misty quicksilver [sigh].

2 - Slap bang in the centre of town near Central station is the Beurstraat Hotel. This was the cheapest central place I found. Although the rooms are - ahem - basic, they are clean. You have to pay a deposit for your key though, but they do give it back if you don't drop said item in the canals.

3 - Somewhere in the red light district, opposite the giant knob fountain and pink elephant (I don't have the address ok!) is the Hotel Torenzicht. This place was a step up from the Beurstraat, but was strangely alot nicer, as long as you don't mind being in the centre of the Red Light district... Quite cheap too..

4 - If you're really don't care where you stay, try the Dam Hotel on the Damrak, clearly visible as you stagger out of Centraal station. The rooms are basic (money wasn't the strong point of my last trip here), but clean, come with a bathroom and it's central and you get breakfast in the neighbouring restaurant too. Also, we came in after midnight once and they signed us in no problem, having someone on the door 24 hrs a day (but don't expect anyone to smile at you.)

5 - If you're really rich, stay at the Pulitzer. It is beautiful and quiet, beamed roofs of canal houses, splendid breakfasts and choccies on your pillow, cable TV and Air conditioning, own bathroom, free toiletries. Lovely.

6 - Don't go to the Holiday Inn. It's expensive, plastic and the food is s**t.

That's it really.
Hope it helps
BB