Hello again!

[madamtrashheap]

Hi Libby! And a belated welcome back! I've been off the Boards for a few weeks - hectic time at work, 18 hour days, etc, and they really interfere with quality GFE time!

Those price fluctuations are nuts, but I guess if you lost out on that you're bound to gain somewhere else on the trip

Some suggestions of places worth visiting in the Netherlands and Belgium (I'll include those already listed by the others as I agree):

Netherlands: Amsterdam, Delft, Den Haag/The Hague, Edam (take a short bike tour, it's a little town and fun to ride in), Volendam (poffertjes on the waterfront - yum), Maastricht, Groningen. That's just a sample, and some can be easy day trips from Amsterdam, but it will depend on what you end up planning in terms of routes and time. Let me know if you would like more ideas for sightseeing in Amsterdam. The StayOK in Vodelpark is good, also have a look at any of the following to see if they fit your requirements:

Inner Amsterdam Hotel
Budget hotel/hostel blend, located 3min walk from van Gogh Museum and 5min walk from Rijksmuseum, plus only 15mins by tram from Centraal Station. Again, deals with groups but is clean and basic. Non-smoker friendly policy, although you sometimes find guests break this rule (as they try to do everywhere) but they are quite strict here. Good breakfast too!

Budget Hotel Tourist Inn
Despite the dodgy name, it's actually quite nice and caters to single travellers as well as families. Really excellent location and nice property.

St Christopher's at the Winton
Keep hearing about this one as it's a mix of budget hotel and hostel in a really central location with themed rooms and good facilities. Can be a bit too close to the Red Light District for some.

Shelter Jordan
located in one of my favourite areas of Amsterdam, the Jordaan, it's easy to access the sights (walking or tram) from here. Non-smoker friendly policy is strictly enforced as it bills itself as a Christian Hostel.

Stayokay Hostel
one located near Vodelpark and also not too far from the Museum Quarter; another one (Stadsdoelen) is located near Waterlooplein, so quite central. They are both huge hostels but have good facilities. Vodelpark has less of a party atmosphere than the Stadsdoelen property.

For Belgium (hoorah!), look at visiting places like Brussels, Brugge/Bruges, Ypres/Ieper, Antwerp, Ghent. Ypres is a good point for visiting WWI Battlefields and can be done as a day trip from Brugge if you prefer.

And accommodation:
Brugge
B&B Marieke
users.skynet.be/marieke/

Brussels
Hotel Ibis Grand Place www.ibishotel.com/ibis/fichehotel/gb/ibi/1046/fiche_hotel.shtml Might suit your budget if you get a special deal; located 2min walk from the Grand Place and about 5min from Gare du Midi train station; great location but is often booked out

Ibis Brussels Centre St Catherine
www.ibishotel.com/ibis/fichehotel/gb/ibi/1454/fiche_hotel.shtml also might suit budget even though it's not a hostel; located in the centre of town, not far from the train station and the Grand Place.

2GO4 Hostel
Haven't stayed here but heard it's not a bad place (apart from bathroom issues) and in a good location.

Brussels Hotel Continental
Not as grand as it sounds as it's a budget hotel. Well located and basic.

Generation Europe Hostel
Know exactly where it is but again haven't stayed here. Not a bad location, seems OK, but is quite big and deals with groups so may be crowded when you're planning to be there.

Hopefully that gives you a little to work with Libby, let us all know what you end up planning.

[Eagle]

MTH, there you are!

I was kind of puzzled by your absence, but figured it must be "work related". I know the feeling, as my work situation has been very hectic lately. Thank goodness retirement is in sight!

Cheers!

[mslibrarian]

Thanks for all the information. I've got lots of decisions to make and I fear I'll have to make them soon. Even this far ahead, some of the hostels I have been looking at are booked on weekends. That's crazy!

I think I'll go with the STayok in Amsterdam. I was looking hard at the hotel that Will mentioned (the one run by Monks) but I've heard some really positive things about the hostel so I think I'll give it a try. I'm just not sure how long I'll spend in Amsterdam.

I'm also trying to decide how to approach Brussels. Should I park it there and day trip ti Ghent and Bruges? Or should I try to stay in the towns themselves.

[mslibrarian]

hehehe...no, I'm most definitly not Marian the librarian. But I once worked on a production of the Music Man with Fred Pennar as the star. The good, old days.

I guess the real question is how worth my time is Brussels. There are two museums I want to visit and I'd like to walk around the city some but it's not at the top of my list. Maybe Ghent should be my base. I wonder how much the train costs between ghent and Brugges.

[madamtrashheap]

If you want to see the two museums in Brussels (out of curiousity, which ones?) then perhaps plan to travel from Amsterdam to Brussels first thing (it's only a 2hr 30min journey), visit one of the museums that afternoon, have a great meal in the centre, wander the Grand'Place at night and walk down to see the Mannekin Pis. The next day you could either stay the whole day, visit the museum and other sights (Chocolate Musem!) then travel to Brugge in the late afternoon (only 1hr away) or spend the morning in Brussels and then travel to Brugge early afternoon, and base yourself there for the rest of the time and take day trips. It's a gorgeous city and trains to other places are frequent - Gent/Ghent is 20-30mins (correct jack?) and a ticket is around Euro5-6 one way, and Antwerp is about 1hr20 away, so all easily accessible. Here's the Belgian National Rail site: www.b-rail.be/main/N/ One thing, the Bruge/Bruge train station is a fair walk from the city centre. As jack notes, Gent/Ghent is also a great city so either would be a good base - doesn't help I know, but at least you can't go wrong either way! ;D Another accommodation suggestion for Gent is Alphabed B&B www.alphabed.be/eng/locatie.html so see if that suits your requirements too.

[mslibrarian]

*sigh*...I just heard on the news that Air Canada is reviewing their fuel surcharges. If they do that, it looks like I could have spent nearly $300 less had I waited to buy my ticket. That does suck

I'm also shocked to learn that it costs 150$ to change my dates!!

I can't believe that.

[mslibrarian]

I'm thinking that Gent might be the best place to stay. I've been told Brugge is worth a day, Gent two and Brussels a day. Sound right? I also thought a trip out to Ypres might be nice but I'm not sure how hard it will be to get there and if it's worth it to see one museum.

The ticket price has almost dropped $200 now. So, that's the cost of me cancelling the ticket I booked to change the dates. I'm half temped to do it. That way I won't feel so bad since the other ticket, for the original dates, was so much more expensive when I bought.

I'm trying not to let this get o me, but my obsessive personality is getting in the way. LOL

Has anyone here stayed at the HI in Gent? Also, has anyone had a problem with bed bugs? How did you deal with them?

[WillTravel]

Libby, I know two separate people who have gotten bedbugs (one possibly hostel-related and the other not) at home. I hate to say how horrible it's been for them, and being in apartments, it's been almost impossible for them to get rid of the creepy-crawlies.

I think you should give yourself the better dates, because ultimately you will be spending a lot of money on the trip, and you might as well not punish yourself for the "mistake" of not being a perfect prognosticator on fare prices.

[mslibrarian]

The bedbug thing is what freaks me out the most. Really, completly freaks me out to the point where I almost considered not travelling anymore. I'm in an apartment too so I'd no idea what I'd do if they came home with me. The only thing is I suspect I'd figure out I had them before returning and if leaving everything behind is what is required, so be it. But still...*sigh*

the only thing I can do is try to be smart about it. Check beds over right? and not be scared to walk out.

[mslibrarian]

Oh...btw...the two museums I want to visit in Brussels were the City museum and the costume museum.

I do medieval re-enacting so I'd like to see more of the clothing exhibits. Much of medieval Belgium survived the wars.

[WillTravel]

I think that's all a good idea about checking the beds, but it's also possible to catch bedbugs on planes, trains, buses, really anywhere. I was just reading an article about infestations on the London tube system.
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/2622565/Bedbugs-on-public-transport-spreading.html


I'd take reasonable precautions when traveling, and then when you return, do some sort of strategy where you isolate out your stuff and launder it immediately. One person I know who has them never travels anywhere - most likely she got them from another neighboring apartment.

I just read this online, but you probably cannot employ this strategy!
"During the 19th century, gentlemen going on their Grand Tour would typically take a pig with them while staying at hotels - sending the animal up into the bed so it could be bitten, before getting in themselves."

[madamtrashheap]

What a great quote WT! Love it!

Libby, the Museum of Costume & Lace is only a 2min walk from Grand'Place and although it's small, you'll enjoy the displays. The Broodhuis/Maison du Roi/City Museum is also worth a visit for the art on display (tapestries, paintings, stautes) as well as the costumes for the Mannekin Pis!

Also, make sure you check the opening hours/days of museums before you plan your days as some are closed on Mondays (or Tuesdays, just to be differen) which can throw a spanner in the works.

[WillTravel]

Sadly, the San Luchesio hotel has shut down for good, as of yesterday.