Stag do in Amsterdam

Jamesdeer001

Hello!

I'm getting married next May and am wanting to have my stag do in Amsterdam next March/April. I've never been and am looking for advice to get the cheapest prices and to stay in decent places!

Half of my friends live near me, not too far from Leeds/bradford airport and half live in London, so in terms of flights to Amsterdam, it would be best to book half from leeds and half from London.

I've used Martin's cheap flight checker and the best I can find from London are about £60 each away and from up north, flight seems to be even more expensive.

As a result I'm asking for any advice as to the cheapest way to get there on a friday afternoon/evening and return on a sunday evening. Secondly I'm asking for advice on the best place for a group to stay when visiting Amsterdam. We have no problem with a clean hostel or anything like that, but equally a cheap hotel with large rooms would be considered. We like to have a beer but aren't trouble makers so wouldn't want anything like that!! Also any advice on what to do there or places to go out would be appreciated! I like the idea of going to the beer factory and also an Ajax game!

Asking a group of friends to go somewhere liek Amsterdam for a stag do is a lot in these "troubled times" so I'd like to get the best prices and give them as much notice as possible!

Thanks in advance

Pee

Would it be possible to vary your dates at all? Saturday until Tuesday might result in cheaper flights, although it may be difficult for everyone to take time off.

Another option is whether there is somewhere slightly more Eastern European which might be cheaper to get to and cheaper once you got there, I'm thinking Prague or Tallin.

The flightchecker can be good if you put in I'll go anywhere and see what cheap options are out there.

There is a ferry that you can get to Holland, from up north I thought, so that might be worth looking into.

stw48

Amsterdam is a great city but in no way can it be considered cheap.
A beer is over 4 euros, sometimes considerably over.
Hotels are not cheap and finding large rooms is rare, for the hotel booking I recommend easytobook.com, room prices often drop near to the booking time but choice can be limited. If there are a lot of you you could get one big room in a hostel possibly.
The heineken brewery is worth a visit, there are many museums and a visit to the Anne Frank house is worth it, don't worry about the queue as it moves along quite quickly.
The red light district is a must see and is a very safe area, normal big city precautions are required as there are pickpockets as there are in many places.

L.L_2

Flying pig is worth a look if you all don't mind slumming it for digs!

http://www.flyingpig.nl/

The Ibis is a bit more expensive but is still a budget hotel

http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/home/index.shtml

Amsterdam would be reasonable for a stag do but it certainly isn't cheap. Spring time is the best time to visit.

Prague must be worth a shout or Riga with all the low cost airlines and the low cost of beers.

McKneff

Anne Franks house is the most depresseing place i have ever been in. Youre on a stag do so dont suppose for a second you would think about visiting there.

On the main drag from Central Station to Dam square with the river on your left there is a must do visit. The Sex Museum. Informative and absolutely hilarious at the same time. Just right for a stag do and only about 4 euros. One of the river cruises is a must, You will see more of Amsterdam in an hour than you will ever see on foot in a week.
A short tram ride away is Rembrandt Square. Full of pavement restaurants and entertainment. I can personally recommend L'Opera for the excellent food and service. My OH and i go twice a year on a Hull-Amsterdam for a break and a stock up IYSWI and always have a brilliant time. Amsterdam Rocks !!!!!
Have a good time.

louise3965

Not 4 euros, but 6 euros a pint it is (went last month) Amsterdam is a beautiful city, but a royal ripoff.

esuhl

The best thing I've seen in Amsterdam is the Van Gogh museum. Maybe a bit too cultured for a stag weekend, but the diversity of styles and his complete scattergun approach to art is amazing (and I thought I'd be bored senseless in an art gallery!)

The red light district is bustling and interesting (and safe, so long as you're on your guard for pickpockets). Oh, and if you get in a taxi, there's probably a 50% chance that you'll be driven in circles for half an hour.

As McKneff says, the Sex Museum isn't as seedy as you might expect and would be a good laugh.

Whatever you do, avoid the junk food restaurants on the main roads around Centraal station. Prices are extortionate (and not always advertised). There are a lot of restaurants near the Leidseplein. These tend to be excellent value and have pretty good quality food.

Hope this helps...

esuhl

Oh, and getting around in Amsterdam is easy by tram, but buying the tickets on board is expensive. You can buy a strip of tickets (called a strippenkaart) from newsagents, which will work out a lot cheaper.

McKneff

esuhl wrote: »

Oh, and getting around in Amsterdam is easy by tram, but buying the tickets on board is expensive. You can buy a strip of tickets (called a strippenkaart) from newsagents, which will work out a lot cheaper.

Yes, i forgot about the trams, the strippenkaart, as esuhl says is about half the price of paying as you get on.
Buy it and then show it to the driver, Amsterdam is in Zones, tell the driver where yur going and he will stamp the SKaart with one zone etc.
And you just use it up like that off and on trams.
Cant remember whether you can carry them forward to next day though

esuhl

McKneff wrote: »

Cant remember whether you can carry them forward to next day though

You can (or could in late 2007 when I last went).

Oh... and there's a train station directly under the airport - so rather than paying 30-40 Euros for a taxi to the city centre, you can get the train direct to Centraal, then jump on a tram/bus.

diable

I used to be a window cleaner in Amsterdam lol