We were shocked at the prices of hotels (even budget hotels!) when we started shopping for a place to stay in Amsterdam.  I turned to B&Bs and even youth hostels, thinking surely I’d find some bargains, but not really…. Then I decided renting an apartment would be a more economical way to go and might fit our groups varied needs even better than any of the aforementioned stays.  Sure enough it was.  I corresponded with a number of people and after ruling out the places that were booked, too expensive, or seemed unreliable*, we settled on this apartment in a convenient location and with just the space and amenities we required. 

Amenities

We had our own private entrance with 2 keys, a 2 floor apartment plus a small rooftop ‘terrace’, 2 bedrooms with lovely French doors--one with a front view and one with a rear view, newly renovated spacious bath with soaking tub, separate wc and separate shower stall, large living/dining area with extra sleeping space on futon, modern IKEA kitchen, and long dining table. We had a dishwasher and some appliances and there was wifi.  There was no television, but that was ok with us.

Location

The neighborhood de Pijp is out of the center of town but close enough for daily excursions by tram (closest stop 3-4 blocks) or by foot. Europeans are used to walking more than many of us, so it might seem a long trek, but we did it on occasion.  We were about 2 ½ blocks from the lovely Sarphati park with playground, walking paths, dog area, duck pond, bridge and waterfall.  The Albert Cuyp Market—a local street market open daily (except Sunday) was only about 3 ½ blocks away. We were even closer to great shops, restaurants, and groceries. For me living in this neighborhood was ideal because we felt like locals during our stay.

Drawbacks

Lots of stairs!  We were on the 4th and 5th floor of our apartment building and there was no elevator.  This, however, is to be expected as most apartments and even small hotels and B&Bs in Amsterdam often have only stairs.  Taking a positive attitude I declared we’d have ‘buns of steel’ by the journey’s end! (Note: there are safety gates at the top of the steps on each floor, but getting a baby or toddler up the steps in the first place would be a real inconvenience.)

Helpful Info

You can pay deposit, balance, and security deposit safely and easily with PayPal. Everything is included in the negotiated price, including wifi. Tram tickets can be bought onboard the trams and multiple day passes at the GVB across from the central train station (easily accessed by the local tram line in about 10 mins.). Walk to fabulous museums like the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum easily. Scenic canal at end of block and fabulous bargain department store Hema at the other end! Groceries at Albert Wein supermarket about 4 blocks away.

Contact Info

Find the listing as well as others on the following web sites:

www.homeaway.com

www.homelidays.com

*I looked at Craig’s list for rentals first and, although this is not to say their listings are unreliable, I found a number of scams—rental offers where the locations didn’t check out or there were no references or legitimate listing agencies.