Amsterdam, Netherlands (Take2!)

Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Who: Mr & Mrs Wanderlust together with lil miss wanderlust and the whole fam gang
When: October 2019
What: Amsterdam 2nd time around together with our little miss and the whole fam

Once again we were lucky enough and be able to be back in Amsterdam twice within the year! The universe truly is kind with MR as he loves the freedom in this country. That being said, we did a little research as well as took notes from our previous experiences to make sure that we get to make the most out of our trip there.

How To Get There:

Getting to Amsterdam where we came from, which was Hamburg in Germany was around 6 hour train ride with 1 stop in Osnabruck, Train was a pretty chill ride. Then after our arrival in Amsterdam Central it was easy as you just have to go outside for the taxi. Our hotel was actually really near, but since we have kids and seniors with us and hauling 2 luggages (amd others with 2 strollers for their kids) you can imagine that it aint possible them to walk around 500meters.

So what happened was around 50 Euro worth of taxi to just go around couple of blocks with traffic to get to our hotel which was actually just 500meters from Amsterdam central station.

Getting around Amsterdam is easy as well, aside from taxis which you should also be careful, they also have tram and most of all, bicycles. 

We were actually looking for e-scooter but weirdly enough there are none, must be a city ordinance or something that bans them.

Where To Stay:

Mr & Mrs Wanderlust's Review

N.H. Collection Amsterdam - Krasnapolsky

+ Hotel looked classy old small on outside. Actually spacious, classy beautiful on the inside.
+ Staff were all helpful
+ Clean, Spacious and nice room, comfortable bed with huge window with city view
+ Bathroom was also spacious and has everything we need
+ Bathroom was clean and no leaks from shower
+ Breakfast was lovely, so many choices, staff were all helpful and suggest what to get
+ WiFi was working great and fast 
+ Open 24/7 reception
+ Excellent location in the middle of Amsterdam
+ Near lots of shops, and even the attractions nearby are within walking distance.
+ Really great value for money

- Check in was a bit slow but to be fair they were processing 4 rooms for our group

***Rating:

Price:  €€ €200 - €350  / night for a room
Service: 5 Star - Service & staff were all very helpful, special thanks to Filipino staff who helped
Facilities & Amenities: 5 star - Very classy and beautiful hotel, looks old on the outside
Restaurant (foods): 5 star -breakfast in the hall was amazing, many choices &  delicious!
Bar: 5 star - There is a nicebar in the hotel
________________________________
Overall: 5 /5  A quiet and classy hotel in the middle of it all, with 5 star facilities and service. Love their food, their room, the view and even their staff

What To Do:

1. Walk around the city

Of course the first on the agenda after arriving at the hotel and freshening up a little bit is to walk around the area from our hotel and familiarize ourselves with the city. We were lucky enough that our accommodation is just in front of the national monument which means it is truly in the middle of it all, near the shopping areas, bars, restaurants, nightlife places, tourist spots and many attractions. The city is very walkable however really found it weird that it doesnt have the e-scooter sharing app available in the area.

2. Have a taste of Amsterdam's Nightlife

You are already in Amsterdam, so might as well make the most out of it. No tiredness from walking all day from tours and shopping is going to stop us from having a taste of the city's night life. Tried a bar in front of the hotel near national monument where many are people watching. It was a bit cold so there are heaters available for those who prefer to drink outdoors. We tried another bar with the view of Oud Kerk which was actually in the middle of the red light district, yet a totally different vibe, with the canal and people then you hear the musical sounds of church bells playing different melodies every hour which was really lovely. There are also plenty of bars, some with adult shows, you name it! 

Just a reminder on the red light district, photos aren't allowed esp for working the girls there or your phone might end up in the canals

3. Coffeeshop & Smart Store Galore!

Some may want it and some won't but for whatever reason you can't deny that the herb is healing of the nation but somehow many countries still get blinded by other industries with affected interests or lobbied to turn the blind eye and keep it illegal. On the other hand, progressive countries such as Netherlands have since legalized it for recreational use, so it is really famous tourist spot for those who want to try it without the hassle of being illegal.

Coffeeshop in Amsterdam means they are licensed to sell cannabis and coffee of course and is different from a Cafe which only sells coffee. Do not confuse them when in Amsterdam

Smart shop is where you buy psychedelics / magic mushroom/truffles

On some of the photos above (slideshow) you can even see prices of cannabis. 

4. Museums

The country has a lot to share with a rich history and culture from the old times up to the modern ones. There is an area where most museums can be found. It is advisable especially in peak tourist seasons to book early, however it wasnt peak season and we weren;t really that cultured of people so we chose to skip the museums and just explore the streets. These photos above, however are by @lexi so credits to her.

Other Photos:

5. Trip outside of the City

There are many options to choose from if you want to trip outside of the city such as Volendaam and Zaanse Schans, which more info can be found on our previous post. Click here to see our older Amsterdam blog post.

6. Day Trip to Brugges

We created a separate post for Brugges as it truly deserves to have it.

We probably missed a whole lot more, because we were creating this post in haste. As we are too much back logged with posts. But still thank you for your time in reading our post and hope we were able to give you ideas on your next trip.