Amsterdam Hostels/Hotels and nightlife

I've been checking out different places to stay when in Amsterdam. As far as hostels go, I've been looking at the Cosmos, The crash, and The Bulldog. Now I've seen shit for The Bulldog all over the place, and I think I heard someone say that it's overrated or something. But it looks decent on the webpage. And for Hotels, I've been looking at The Quentin. It's looking pretty nice for a cheaper hotel, and I like the idea of having my own room to keep my stuff in. But I am going alone so I'd be more likely to make some friends if I stayed in a hostel, and that's kind of the goal.

Any recommendations?

Names of some must visit coffee shops or clubs that play hip-hop are welcome also.

Well, the Quentin would be my choice but if you're tryin gto save money and meet people... of the Hostels you posted Crash or Cosmos would be way better than the Bulldog. First off, if I remember correctly, the Bulldog Hostel is in the Red Light district. While that may be fascinating to Americans for such a thing to exist, it's littered with shit and crime. And as an American you're a good target. I wouldn't recommend the Bulldog. Crash and Cosmos I know very little about. I'm pretty sure they're kinda close to each other though. And within close range of the train station. Which kinda puts you in the middle of the city... though not really. As far as Hostels, either of those would be a good bet. The Quentin Hotel is on the outskirts of all the hub-bub but still in the mix of things. You're close to the park and the Van Gogh museum and a train line to get you into the mix of the city within a stop or two. Or you could just walk. The city itself is pretty small so getting around is a breeze... as long as you have a small map handy.

The coffee shops... well, I don't do the "coffee" myself but I can tell you that the ones you want to go to are the ones that don't have the glitz and lights and shit. The smaller mom-and-pop coffee house are better. Of all the times I've been there my friends would find the off the beaten path coffee houses and it was way more chill and the people were way more interested to talk to you and chat it up about their product. As well as offer advice on where to go and what to see. Most of the coffee houses have Americans working in them as well. Imagine that.

I'm not a Hip-Hop kinda guy so I wouldn't know where to tell you to go for that. There's a shop in Amsterdam called Henxs that would more than likely have all that information for you, as well as plenty of flyers for shows and clubs. They're website is http://www.henxs.com/ and should have an address listed. They're located by Rembrants house if I remember correctly. They're in the mix by all kinds of shops and stuff.

I've been there many times so if you have any other questions... just ask and I'll see if I can answer them.

plus, the mum and dad shops as joker put it tend to have better/stronger "coffee"....

vondell park youth hostel dont know bout the others, my friends always stay in vondell park so theres a suggestion......night life you cant go wrong just wondert as you do when your drunk, theres plenty of cool bars around, grab some febo munch as well :king: , also you have to go windowshopping :innocent: , theres a bar im sure someone will know the name, its hit up with tags all over the bar and your allowed to drop a few cheeky hits, cool bar........good luck ;)

fabulous pants

the bar is called hill street blues.

I can recommend The Flying Pig hostel... they have two - one in the red light disctrict (or on the edge of it perhaps) and a much nicer one next to Vondel Park, which is a short walk from the city centre. ---> http://www.flyingpig.nl/resolutie.htm

A decent budget hotel right on Damrak (you'll come out of the train station and walk straight for 3 minutes) is here http://www.oranjetulp.nl/

The Greenhouse Effect ( http://www.greenhouse-effect.nl ) have excellent accomodation too.. and staying there will get you a discount on weed and cheap drink all day in their bar and coffeeshop.

Watch out for the dark side of the church!

ooooohh AE! you're actually going?? lucky bastard. its a fun city with a lot to look at. but im sure that i've already told you that.

(i just rhymed too) ;)

hope all is well!

The Bulldog Cafe (there's a few if I remember correctly) is nice, but as stated the 'mom and pops' places tend to be more for deals/ hooking you up on account of being nice. I've been there 4 times and had several adventures without really trying so I can promise you'll have a good time without too much planning. You probably won't want to spend too a lot on a hotel beings that there's no point in staying indoors, so look into youth hostiles.. I ran into a lot of cool people staying at those.

Check out the Grasshopper, I remember them distinctly hooking me up with free products.

My boy and I were followed by about 20 homeless Turks for 4 hours while we were on ushroomsmay... but they seemed reasonably peaceful/harmless so I wouldn't sweat the crime too much.

Good luck, have fun.

Don't buy drugs off the 5,000 dealers in the red light -- supposedly they're mostly cops

Flying Pig is where the party's at

yup.

Everyone's posted wonderful tips...

My two cents:

I think the red light district can be fun for a night or two..but try going to a smaller Dutch town for muuuch cheaper and sometimes better pot, less random Africans trying to sell you 'coke' (laundry detergent) or E, and wonderful food and peoples! I highly reccomend Utrecht. I always stay with friends so I can't reccomend any hostels...

Some of my favorite coffee shops in the Dam are

BABA - Excellent pot and chocolate milkshakes. The staff is nice if you are polite to them..and there is a cute cat that hangs out in there. After a while you might get sick of the sometimes loud drum and bass music. Right in the heart of Redlight District.

ROKERIJ II - Cool little place, no hats allowed, and wonderful hash. You can sit on cushions on the floor if you like. Its a good place to relax. Reggae, house, classic rock music and low lighting. Near centraal station along the canal.

HOMEGROWN FANTASY - Highly reccomended but I didnt get to go in...

You have to go here..it's in the Redlight district. Its kind of expensive..but holy shit. Everything they sell is so so so soooooo good. (sandwiches, icecream, pastries, cookies, waffles)

Well, thanks for making me miss Holland. :love2:

Thanks everyone, some useful info here.

Iceland air has some deals going on now. I got tickets for $300 round trip. ($400 after tax) But I live in a "gateway city" so that has something to do with it. I've decided to stay at the quentin, it's only an extra $20 a night, as opposed to the bulldog. I'm willing to pay extra for the privacy as I may need it, whether it be for a lady friend or just being too distorted on whatever and needing a place to hide for a while.

Okay i just have to also throw my 2 cents in!!

Having lived in Amsterdam for the last 15 years...i think i can add a few tips as well!!

DON'T even go to the Bulldog or their hostel..Don't stay at the Cosmo or the other place you mentioned in the Red Light!! You don't wanna sleep in the Red Light!! The Quinten is a bit dirty! The Flying Pig is a cool Hostel...but you wanna stay at the one on the Nieuwendijk in the center of the city!! The Vondel park hostel is also a nice clean hostel...but again a bit off the beatin track!

I've heard a few heads that came over from London stayed at the Hans Brinker Hostel and said it was bombed with graff!!

Cool Coffeeshops...well like it was said..."Mom and Pop" style...although none are really owned my mom and pop...but the smaller are best!

Hill Street Blues on the Warmostraat is very writer friendly!!

Home Grown Fantasy is also a place for good herb and frequented by artists!

Da Dampkring has by far the best gear although it's hella expensive!!

Don't go to the Green House!! They're all about MONEY!!! Not Green House Effect, that's a different shop...not the best menu though!

You should try and make it to the Ammnesia coffeeshop...they have a great vaporizer there and are very friendly!! Get some MK Ultra!!

For Hip Hop nightlife...

The Duivel (the Devil bar) is the only bar in the city that plays only Hip Hop and is the place that every rap star playing in town has to check out... so you never know who's gonna stop in!!

They have DJ's everynight after 12:00 and are open untill 3:00 or 4:00 a.m.!!!

The Bittersout (bittersweet)...is a club that sometimes has Hip Hop nights sponsored by Fat Beats (yeah we got one of those too!!) I think it's wed. nights...but they will know at the Duivel!!

Okay that's all off the top of my head!

If you got any more question feel free to ask 'em!!

And DON"T BUY DRUGS ON THE STREETS!!!

Their not cops...but part of the reason the dealers can stay on the streets...is that they have a whole pharmacutical of fake drugs!!

Asprin=E's

Baby Laxitive= Coke

Matchbooks=Acid

this way if the police ever do catch 'em...they can't get busted for anything but harasment!

And besides it's all a scam to get you cash out of your pocket, for the old snatch and run!!

I'm not glorifying this.. but I didn't have any problems with the street vendors. Of course I'm not talking about drugs, as drugs are stupid to talk about.

all you americans that went there... how easy are the women?

did you score at all?

:lol:

all you need is $50 tease.

i stayed at some pretty cool hotel, some guy handed me a flyer at the train station. i was kind of sketched at first but it was perfect... right in the city center. But for some reason or another I don't remember exactly where its at.

Originally posted by T=E=A=S=E@Dec 6 2004, 09:42 PM

all you americans that went there... how easy are the women?

 

did you score at all?

 

:lol:

Quoted post

For piece of mind, Tease:

If you're looking for cheap whores go to Germany, namely Hamburg. They're regulated by the government in giant fun-house looking complexes and your money will go further than in Amsterdam.

I didn't sample the vagina but the blowjobs come highly recommended, I'm told.

If you talk to the right people you can find a Russian brothel that for a flat rate you can hang out at, play pool, drink, and sex prostitutes all night.

do you really want to go to a russian brothel? those aren't known for their safety..and most russians are not fond of americans....^^

You just ruined the 'tease gets shanked at a russian brothelola' thread.

ive never really enjoyed amsterdam too much. ive been about 4 times now, and places like eindhoven, utrecht, rotterdam are much more livley, and have less stoned frat kids. stay for a night in a shithole for 20 euros, then pay 10 euros and head to rotterdam or the hague. better weed, chill yards, better people. you may even make friends or meet up with a dutchman, which seems hard to do in ams.

oh, and get some turkse pizza met kaas, and buy a bike from a junkie.

yo i didnt mean 2 ruin anything sorry. now if i could only edit the fucken post i would. but the site admins have disabled thread editing :(