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Beautiful restaurant in original 1950's lounge. This former passengers lounge almost goes unnoticed as it is located on the 2nd floor and has a rather anonymous appearance.
Don't miss it if you are in the neighbourhood, the 50's atmosphere, outside terrace and the food are definitely worth going up the stairs.
KNSM laan 311 (KNSM eiland)
Near end station of tram 10 (Azart plein)
amsterdam.inlovewithit.com/categories/Kompaszaal-eat-article-0001.html
I stayed in Amsterdam for 5 days, and for you birders out there this is a very nice thing to do.
Go with the train from Amsterdam central station to Almere Buiten. It takes 30 minutes to get there. On the internet i booked a local bird guide to show me the Oostvaardersplassen. A nature reserve with lots of birds and mammals. You can go by yourself but you need a rental car and the right places to go.
I have booked the birdwatching tour with Flevo Birdwatching (www.birdsnetherlands.nl)
Vegetarian restaurant near Museumplein, but a world away from the crowds. It serves cuisine themed from different parts of the world, which apparently changes every couple of weeks.
We had a lovely meal sat outside in the tree-lined street. Inside, the decor was fairly modern. Service was friendly and efficient.
My partner and I had a main, desert and wine for €60 and would definitely go again.
Only open between 17.00 and 21.30 and closed on Mondays. It's probably worth booking.
www.waaghals.nl/
29 Frans Halsstraat, 1072 BK Amsterdam
020 6799609
You probably wouldn't associate the usually serious and austere city of The Hague with unfettered summer hedonism, but at the adjacent resort of Schevingen is the Dutch answer to Blackpool beach.
Check out Crazy Pianos, for example, for an irrevent mix of live music, comedy and the drunken teenage antics you know oh-so-well from back home. Frankly, it's just a great bit of harmless fun in an otherwise slightly dull part of the world.
Strandweg 21-29, Scheveningen
+31 703227525
www.crazypianos.com/pageENG.aspx
Something like the Dutch answer to Wetherspoons, this Eetcafe on the Spui enjoys a fair variety of Belgian beers and bar snacks. In the summer, sit out on the covered terrace and observe the daily battle between the trams and the cyclists - like watching a pack of sharks taking on a school of darting fish.
Spui 30
(0031) 20 6225110
www.beiaardgroep.nl/
Finding a hotel in Amsterdam during peak season can be a drag. This converted canal house has a prime location bang in the town centre on the Singel - but doesn't yet suffer from the curse of the Lonely Planet. The road at the back can be a bit noisy at night, and the stairs are steep, but that goes for a lot of places; the very efficient staff and most acceptable prices (single from 60 Euros) make up for it. There's also apartments to hire if you like.
Singel 310
(0031) 20 6266043
info@hotelhoksbergen.nl
www.hotelhoksbergen.com/
Sometimes you want to experiment, sometimes you want to splash out - but on other occasions you just need somewhere safe and simple (especially if the family's in tow). This tidy little restaurant just off Prinsengracht does the job, with friendly service and main courses from about 12 Euros. A lot of locals hanging out here, so it must be decent. There's a fair selection of fish dishes; check out also the pork sate.
Berenstraat 12
(0031) 206232373
restaurant@zwaantje.demon.nl
www.zwaantje.demon.nl
I love to go to Duinrell in Holland. I go by Ferry. Duinrell is a theme park and there's lots of scary, lovely, fun and wet rides to go on. If you stay at the park you can go on the rides as many times as you like every day. I love to go to
the Tiki Pool there. It's a very big pool with lots of slides. My
favourites are Moonlight and Starfright which are both fast, dark slides with lots of lights inside them. You have to ride in a boat
shaped like a number eight. There is also a Lazy River which goes
very slowly. You have to ride in a special ring.
From Niall Scruton (age 7)
Duinrell is located in Wassenaar, South Holland a short drive from the Hook of Holland ferry terminal. There are daily crossings from Harwich to the Hook of Holland by Stena Line.)
www.duinrell.com
Very friendly small restaurant serving traditional Dutch food. Great chef gives good tips, not only on food but places to visit! Delicious three course meal for two costs 33 Euros!
The food, a sophisticated blend of Caribbean and Tex-Mex, is worth waiting for here - but waiting is what you'll have to do since the service is diabolical.
Bring a book or two to keep you going if conversation flags, and maybe a snack in case you get hungry.
Reguliersdwarsstraat 47-49
+31 (0)20 6230707
www.margaritacaribbean.com/
People tend to covet two images of Amsterdam: one is of the sleepy city of culture and canals; the other is of one of Europe's hottest party venues. Rarely do you find a place that encompasses both together, but De Zotte is it.
Tucked away in a side street, there are hundreds of Belgian beers on offer to satisfy the connoisseur, yet the hip young crowd and funky sounds keep away the crusties and coach tours.
If you have to drink mass-produced Heineken, don't worry, there's hundreds of other cafes to choose from.
29 Raamstraat
+31(0)20 6268694
Vyne is a fantastic Wine Bar recently opened on the Prinsengracht. We were there in their first week and they had great "wine flights" and food to match.
Very cool (but not "too cool") and the staff were friendly.
Prinsendgracht 411
1016 hm Amsterdam
020 344 64 08
info@vyne.nl
Irish Pub on Rokin popular with Expats and boorish tourists on lager and Guinness fuelled tours through the town and the Red Light District. Food is average and overpriced. The room with a fire is quite nice in the winter. There are much better places in Amsterdam, if you want to go to an Irish bar go to Tig Barra on Overtoom.
In a quiet canalside location a stone's throw from the Anne Frank Museum, De Prins is a lively English pub-style eatery with a limited number of tables and a warm, friendly atmosphere on a cold winter's night. The menu is limited but the food is top quality and perfectly prepared. The fondue is well up to Swiss standards and is a perfect protection against Amsterdam's cold winds. As in many restaurants in this enlightened city, smokers are still welcomed, so if you are not addicted to tobacco you may be better elsewhere.
Plancius, in the former Jewish quarter next door to the excellent Dutch Resistance Museum, is a busy modern restaurant popular with locals. We lunched on superb home-made soup and lighter-than-air omlettes, and had swift and friendly service.
De Prins: Prinsengracht 124, Amsterdam 1015 AE
Public Transport - Tram: 6, 13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt and a short walk.
www.diningcity.nl/deprins/
Plancius; Plantage Kerklaan 61a, 1018 CX Amsterdam.
Tel: (020) 330 94 69
Public Transport - Tram 6,9, 14 (stop: Artis)
www.restaurantplancius.nl/
TaxiRotterdam.com have looked after me for the last year. Every week I have to travel to Amsterdam and then down to Rotterdam and every week Wil is there, as promised, no matter how late the plane or how bad the roads. The car is always gleaming, Wil is always immaculate, the service is great and the price is incredible - much cheaper than any of the taxis on the rank outside.
www.TaxiRotterdam.com
+31 (0) 651 335755
Like anywhere in Holland, hiring a bike is easy and cheap and it's safe because everyone is used to bikes. In Delft you can just pedal to and fro alongside the canals and the side streets, see the whole town not just the main squares - then head out into the country - cycle paths everywhere.
Bike hire from next to the railway station - very cheap for a day, a week.
I came to Amsterdam, a cynic of all things jazz and bohemian. I left 'Cafe Eijlders' with great memories of friendly locals, attentive barstaff, nice beer, good music and a promise to return
Café Eijlders
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 47
1017 PW Amsterdam
telefoon: 020 - 624 2704.
www.eijlders.nl
The Inner Amsterdam Student House is a great budget place to stay. It has dorm rooms, but I stayed in a twin-room with ensuite bathroom for 40 euros for the night (November). Unfortunately I left too early for the free buffet breakfast. It is situated behind the Concert Hall, with the Van Gogh museum nearby. From Centraal Station take tram #5 to Museumplein (the tram starts from Centraal so that's the only direction it's headed). Trams takes about 15 minutes, it's then about 2 minutes walk away.
Wanningstraat 1, 1071 LA Amsterdam, Tel: +31 (0)20 662 5792, www.innerhotel.nl
We have an 8 and a 5 year old, and really enjoyed half-term in Amsterdam. Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum are reduced scale due to building work, but that means all the best "must-see" stuff is more easily accessible, and 90 mins in each was sufficient. The Artis Zoo and Nemo science place are both worth seeing. Canal boat trips ease tired feet. Great food, lovely people, very child friendly and family orientated.
Fly with KLM, only c.£30 + tax each, but no hassle, really nice people and none of that easyjet scrum. We stayed with City Mundo (recomended in the Guardian) in a private apartment on the outskirts by the Vondelpark and a beautiful canal - very affordable, easy by tram into town. Good local amenities.
This is an informal and welcoming bed and breakfast. It's 20 minutes on the 53 metro line to the centre, making this a quiet place to stay.
The hosts Jan and Cecile make every effort to make your stay a comfortable and enjoyable one. The breakfast is particularly recommended.
Bed & Breakfast Apostrophe
Geerdinkhof 258
1103 RA Amsterdam
www.apostropheamsterdam.nl
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