See Amsterdam for less
Right now is the off season for Amsterdam so flights are affordable and you should be able to find good deals on hotels.
Amsterdam is a great place to visit and is relatively easy to get around in with travel pass options from 24, 48 to 72-hour tickets. All give you unlimited use of the trams, buses and metro. They cost about £6, £10 or £14. You can buy the passes on the trams or get them from the main GVB transport office outside Central Station.
Bikes are £11 for a day, including insurance, from MacBike (www.macbike.nl). Be sure to lock up your bike, even for the shortest stop.
Hotel room rates are good right now. You can indulge yourself at Banks Mansion, an early 20th century bank. The rate for a double room starts at £166, which includes breakfast, unlimited access to the mini-bar and drinks decanters in the room, day and evening snacks and drinks at any time from the bar in the lobby.
The Estherea is a classic canal-side hotel, with plush, relaxing lounges. Room start from as little as £92 on Sundays and £101 on weekdays.
If you are on a budget, the Hotel V Frederiksplein is the place for you. Very trendy, but friendly and just off the Canal Ring, the rooms here start at £83, including breakfast, unless you choose one of the rather dark rooms in the basement.
It is best to buy tickets in advance for the museums. If you buy them on the museums’ websites, there is no waiting in line and you go right in. There can be hour-long waits at the Van Gogh Museum.
There is generally additional entertainment at the Van Gogh Museum in the evenings, such as live music.
There are several great restaurants in Amsterdam. De Bakkerswinkel serves great quiches and fruit shakes. De Taart van m’n Tante or ‘The Cake of my Aunt’ tearoom is great fun with mismatched furniture and crockery. Café Loetje is generally packed due to their delicious steaks which cost £19 with chips and a salad. No reservations are taken, so if you don’t want a wait, get there early.
The Press Release was written by: Juliet Smithson who is an expert in Smithson