Disembarking Amsterdam - Sept. 1

Does anyone here know what is going on in Amsterdam at the beginning of September? My husband and I will be disembarking from our Viking cruise on Sept. 1, and we are spending a couple of extra days on our own. Almost every hotel in town is booked! Finally managed to reserve a room, but not at a hotel I would have chosen given a choice. Are we there during some major international event or something?

We arrive Sep. 6 for 3 nights and are staying at the Ambassade - recommnded by Frommers and Rick Steves. They have rooms also for Sept 1 for 3 nights. Price too high??

cb

You are encountering the IBC which is a huge annual conference. We encountered booked hotels in 2012 when we stopped in AMS on our way to Tanzania. You may need to take what you can get. Good luck.

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You might check out staying in nearby Haarlem--easy and fast to get to by train from Amsterdam central station.

abredt, thanks for the recommendation. I actually tried the Ambassade, and all rooms are "not available" except the apartment which shows as "on request." I'm actually not sure what "on request" means, but the price for this 80 sq. meter suite is a bit more than I want to spend.

abredt, thanks for the recommendation. I actually tried the Ambassade, and all rooms are "not available" except the apartment which shows as "on request." I'm actually not sure what "on request" means, but the price for this 80 sq. meter suite is a bit more than I want to spend.

Are you looking at the Ambassade website? Often there are rooms available there, but not show on other websites.

OOPS - you are right. There were rooms available the day of my post, but now are not there. We made the reservation a couple of weeks ago.

cb

Jeep61,

A friend also mentioned the IBC, but according to their website the IBC is later in September (12-17). The mystery continues . . .

However, we have a room reserved, so I'm not worried.

Jensten

Hi all

Yes the Uitmarkt is happening in Amsterdam. The biggest cultural event in Europe bring 500,000 people to Amsterdam. Because it is all free. Now if you are disembarking off of a Rhine river cruise and all you wanted to see was the Amsterdam area. It will be jammed with the cultural seekers. So we shall see much culture and plan on walking. No bus tours for us,

From August 31 till September 3 a major congress about cardiology takes place in Amsterdam.

So it will be difficult to find a room in Amsterdam or only very expensive.

Maybe in Haarlem, Zaandam or an airporthotel you can find rooms.

We were also wondering what is going as it was very difficult to book a hotel room. In addition to what has already been noted in the replies, I found on an Amsterdam visitor's website that advised that the Uitmarkt is taking place in the Museumplein and the Leidesplein. Reading the website about this much anticipated event, it seems there are something like 450,000++ visitors. This year it runs the last weekend of August, ending on Sunday evening. It is apparently (to quote the website) ‘the mother of all cultural activities in Amsterdam’....it provides a platform and a podium for virtually every cultural institution in the area ...400 free previews and 2000 artists performing and it’s open mass concerts. There are solo singers, famous and less famous groups, or sing along musicals. But this is only the most visible part of the festival If you take a closer look, the Uitmarkt also provides the curious bystander with exhibitions, performances, different art studios previews and countless workshops. The Uitmarkt Junior concentrates on cultural activities for children and is organised on a particular location.(end quote). I think it will be very busy in Amsterdam!

Yes it will be busy in Amsterdam during Uitmarkt (which is a preview on various cultural events) on and around the places you mentioned. But those people donot stay in hotels. It is the big convention that takes up most hotelrooms.

Well with 500k of people coming in for the big cultural event...they have to stay somewhere!

Well with 500k of people coming in for the big cultural event...they have to stay somewhere!

Most of them will be people living in and around Amsterdam. They will travel by public transport as parking is difficult and expensive in Amsterdam.

Thanks for clarifying on the hotels. With the conventions and cultural events it will be bustling!!! I've seen on the internet that there have been line ups even for those with pre-purchased tickets for the Rijksmuseum! Perhaps the best thing to do will be relax and meander about without firm plans? and just enjoy these events! Sounds like they are much anticipated!