The first week of the school holidays is never a great time to travel due to the ridiculously over-inflated prices, but package deals seemed to be coming up abnormally expensive, so we decided to try and put together our own DIY package. Anyone that knows me well will know that I am extremely annoying and pretty much borderline obsessive when it comes to saving a couple of quid (with special thanks to my dad for embedding it into me, I think he is one of the stingiest men on the planet!). We checked Skyscanner for the cheapest flights and then booked our London Stansted to Schiphol return tickets direct with Easyjet. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea where to start with location so I turned to TripAdvisor. It's an absolute godsend for finding hotels as the filters make it so easy to find the right hotel for you by budget, location and star ratings. After scrolling through the various options we found that Hotel Arena caught our eye, so we used TripAdvisor's price comparison tool and Trivago to find the best room rates. In the end we booked with Booking.com (and of course, I put this through trusty Quidco to get some cashback!). Booking everything separately saved us a couple of hundred between us, so it's definitely worth doing.
I think it's fair to say that Stansted Airport on a Friday evening is nothing short of absolute chaos. We'd checked in online as soon as we booked, but bag drop took ages, security took ages, duty free purchases took ages, and by the time we'd actually made it through to the departure lounge it was heaving and we had 15 minutes to find something to eat. After a couple of minutes stressing, a new status appeared on the departure board showing that our flight was delayed, so luckily we had enough time to grab some pizza and cocktails at Coast to Coast.
With a flight time of around an hour, it's easy to see why Amsterdam is such a popular choice for short breaks. We were on and off the plane in what felt like no time at all, and getting out of Schiphol Airport was fairly easy, with the small exception of people not reading the signs advising what passports can be used at the electronic passport control machine and then spending ages trying to figure out why the gates aren't opening. On the whole though, so far, so good!
We made our way to the shuttle bus area to find out that we'd actually missed the last one to our hotel because of our flight delay. Lets be honest, it wouldn't be a trip with me if something didn't go wrong - I'm 99% sure I attract bad luck like a magnet. With my phone battery completely dead and Ryan's on 2%, we had no other option but to head over to tourist information in true 'I'm a confused tourist, please help me' style. The lady kindly scribbled some train and metro numbers down on a bit of paper and sent us on our way to Schiphol train station. We took a bit of a gamble with the trains and somehow managed to make our way to Central Station and then navigate the metro system. We exited the metro system at Weesperplein station and began our walk to Hotel Arena. Now, it wasn't a particularly long walk (in actual fact, only 650 metres according to Google Maps), but as we discovered, if you're walking in the middle of the night when it's very dark and raining heavily, with a suitcase that weighs 20kg and directions that you're struggling to read it's very easy to make a wrong turn, and turn your leisurely stroll into a treck around the canals. (We later discovered that the tram stop is literally right next to the hotel, and this would've been a much easier route to take. Thank you tourist information. Top tip #1 - don't run your battery down playing Bejewelled Blitz on the plane, and make sure you've downloaded the GVB transport app. It will find your current location and give you directions for the quickest route to your destination on public transport. I.E. THE TRAM OR NIGHT BUS).
Better late than never, we finally arrived at Hotel Arena, and aside from the external building works which are part of the 2015/2016 regeneration project, my first impressions were very good. The building is a truly stunning piece of historical architecture. The reception area is spacious and quirky with a giant staircase and high ceilings. There is a very interesting leaflet in the rooms about the history of the building (which you can read here), but to summarise, the building was a mental institution for children and women from WW1 and right throughout the 20th century. Check in was quick and easy, so we grabbed some sweets from the hotels vending machine and went to locate our room.
We made our way along the corridor (all white curtains along the wall, more tall ceilings - feels a bit like a hospital) and up the rear staircase which closely resembled the one we saw in reception. The interior design is very clever throughout and helps to retain the historic feel. It's white and airy throughout the corridors and stairs, but you then exit onto a dark corridor with low ceilings leading to your room. If any of you have been watching Pretty Little Liars, it felt very much like being in a real life A's Dollhouse!
Our room was modernly decorated and split over two levels. I had a quick nose around the room, freshened up (AKA detangling my soaked ratty hair and drying off in attempt to not look like a completely drowned rat) and then got straight into bed for some much needed beauty sleep.
The bed was massive and sooooo comfy which would've made waking up on Saturday very difficult if the room wasn't so bright and airy. The light beamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I loved the room as it was so cute and pretty.
Day one
Once we were up and ready we went down to reception to see if we could hire an umbrella (€25 euro deposit) as it was still raining. Once we'd sorted that, they kindly pointed us in the direction of the nearest tram stop, which is literally across the road from Hotel Arena. It's safe to say we felt very silly for walking so far the night before...
We purchased a 72 hour GVB transport pass for €16.50 which gives you unlimited access to public transport 24 hours a day. The tram takes a bit of getting used to. We were supposed to get off at Dam Square, but didn't realise we needed to swipe our pass for the barriers to open and let us off - oops. Instead, we ended up getting off at Central Station and walking towards Dam Square. It was raining, so we walked around for ages looking for somewhere to eat as everywhere was full. In the end we stopped and waited for a table at All Star Steak House to shelter from the rain. They do a selection of foods including a full english breakfast.
Once we'd finished munching we wandered along to the Sex Museum. It was worth the €4 entry just to keep ourselves out of the rain for a little while. We wasn't expecting much but it was actually really amusing and we laughed a lot. Here we are with a life sized statue...
After letting out all of our inner immaturity at the sex museum, we continued our walk down to Dam Square. I thought it was quite funny how many people were in the type of ponchos you see at water rides in a theme park. The rain got heavier and the wind got up, resulting in our umbrella blowing inside out. We were a bit miffed about the €25 down the drain, but hey ho, we thought we'd buy some more. Another €20 euros later and 30 seconds down the road the next two did the exact same. Ok, so it's safe to say the joke was on us now. As we carried on walking it appeared that everyone was in the same scenario and the path was practically a game of dodge the broken umbrella. Top tip #2 - Don't waste your money on rubbish umbrellas when it's raining. Pay €2 for a silly poncho.
Dam Square is a lively area filled with photo-snapping tourists. Despite the weather there was a man juggling fire on his unicycle. We had a wander around the shops and the food stalls before stopping to make a plan of action (unorganised as ever). We decided on visiting Anne Frank House. We walked there as trees had fallen on cars and trams making the road inaccessible. The queues were very very very long and I am not at all patient, so not ideal We waited 2 hours in the rain (thank you ugly poncho) before finally getting inside. It's not crowded as the number of people allowed in at once is restricted. Top tip #3 - Book your ticket in advance online. They sell out very quickly, so the sooner you book them, the better. A ticket costs around €9.50.
Photo credit: Anne Frank Stichting, Tekening: Eric Van Rootselaar
History is one of the only academic subjects I've ever shown a huge interest in, and in year five I was a massive fan of Anne's diary so it goes without saying that I found the whole experience very interesting. All of the furniture has been removed except the bookcase which hid the secret rooms but there are loads of photographs, fact sheets and quotes as you walk around. The staircases are very steep throughout and as you can see from the drawing above it's actually very big. It's amazing how they managed to stay hidden in the darkness for so long.
Our next task was to find somewhere to eat. We were both cold, tired, wet and starving so we opted for Guachos. We felt a little scruffy when we went in soaking wet as it's all candle lit tables but it's one of the best meals I've had in ages. The all you can eat ribs were €23 (although I could only manage the one!). The waitress came over immediately after we'd finished the first ones and offered us another portion. The meat was good, but I don't think I could've managed another rack!
After our tea we had a wander further down (past Guachos) to where the bars and clubs (such as Air) are before deciding to go for a nose at one of Amsterdam's highly rated coffee shops, Dampkring. Don't get me wrong, Amsterdam has a lot more to offer than just coffee shops but they are an extremely big part of the culture, so even if you don't usually smoke, I think it's worth going along to experience the atmosphere. It's a very cannabis tolerant city and at first it seems very bizarre that people are buying soft drinks whilst sparking up a joint or munching their way through a brownie. It's very different from your typical Saturday night in a rowdy pub but the relaxed atmosphere is nice. I think it's a good thing that it's legal and controlled. I also think Dampkring's cat is practically famous! We made our way back to the hotel using the night bus. These run every half an hour to an hour and are easy enough to use.
Day two
Neither of us remembered to set an alarm so we woke around 11am and the sun was finally shining through the big window in our room (although don't be fooled, it lasted all of about three hours). We made the most of the sunshine and got some chips from Manneken Pis. These are amaaaazing and they do so many different sauces. We both opted for cheddar cheese and ate them whilst dangling our legs over the canal.
It started to rain again (shock) so we decided to hop on the canal boat cruise. I think we paid about €10 each for a one hour journey. The views of the city and the buildings were really good and it was nice to see different parts of Amsterdam. Ryan obviously found it really relaxing, as he actually nodded off at one point. We went past a Chinese restaurant on the water called Sea Palace which looked good, so if you ever go and get chance, definitely pay it a visit for me!
After the canal ride we had a wander through the shops in Dam for a couple of hours and stopped for a waffle at Ice Bakery. I had been eyeing these up since we arrived, and it definitely lived up to expectations. The worker did look a little surprised when I asked for Nutella, ice cream AND strawberries but I had no problems demolishing the lot. Food 1 - 0 Diet.
We really should've got a bike or a tram back to the hotel but instead we walked back in the pouring rain admiring the views of the city on the way (not at all romantic as it may sound). We had a little nap before getting ready for a meal at Hard Rock Cafe. It's very close to Leidseplein Square, but we still had to Google Map the location as it's tucked away off the main road. Leidseplein Square is a lively area with lots of bars, restaurants and a Bulldog coffee shop right in the centre, making it a popular area for visitors.
I'm not usually a massive fan of eating at chain restaurants on holidays and trips but sometimes it's nice to know what to expect and you can guarantee you're likely to enjoy the food that you're served. In our case, it was gone 10.30pm and we were starving so we just wanted a good meal. We were shown to seats on the lower floor. These were right next to the window and had a great view over the canal. I can imagine these seats get very busy earlier in the night.
I had a voucher for 2-4-1 cocktails, but Ryan ordered a Corona so I had no option but to order two drinks (I was devastated, honestly). We ordered the Jumbo Starter which was insanely good. There were sticky BBQ wings, onion rings, tupelo chicken tenders, cheese and bacon stuffed potato skins and a spinach artichoke dip with parmesan flatbread. It was served with a couple of dips - I think they were honey mustard, sour cream and blue cheese.
I don't think we actually needed a main after the starter, but they were equally as good. I had the chicken fajitas and Ryan had BBQ ribs and wings. It was a really good meal.
Once we'd eaten we decided to pay a visit to the Red Light District. It's one of the most famous areas in Amsterdam's and leaves nothing to the imagination. Everything you've heard about it being seedy is probably true. Many windows are lit up with red lights as prostitutes parade around in their underwear waiting for paying customers to come in. They certainly aren't shy, but it goes without saying, don't take any photographs of them or you'll be in trouble.
There are also many bars, coffee shops, sex shops, full on sex-shows, strip clubs and €2 peep shows. There was a real mix of people in the area when we walked through, from drunken lads and hen-do's to hand-in-hand couples. I had mixed thoughts on the prostitutes and felt a little sad for them, especially as there seemed to be a lot more tourists than customers.
The RLD wasn't anywhere as near as big as I thought it would be but nevertheless, it was a new experience to add to the list! These are the very final shops along the RLD, you can see a window lit up. The main bit of RLD is pretty much illuminated the whole way through.
Once again, we were completely drenched from the rain so we made our way back to the hotel using the night bus.
Day three
On our third and final day we woke up early to pack our things and head to Pancake Corner for brunch. I'd heard good things from friends about this place so it was on my to do list. There is a massive selection of sweet and savoury pancakes to choose from. I opted for bacon. Perhaps I should've photographed my food before drenching it in syrup and powdered sugar as the photo doesn't really do it justice. It was soooooo good. It's a small little cafe but it's definitely worth a visit and I wish we had time to go twice.
We spent the afternoon wandering Leidseplein Square and the surrounding streets which home a number of shops as well as a create your own magnum place before wandering the canals back to the Red Light District.
It was quite late when we visited the night before so we missed out on visiting the prostitution museum. After seeing it in all it's glory the night before, I thought we should go and visit in the day as I'd read online about it being a very different atmosphere.
Aside from the coffee shops and the sex shops, the Red Light District was actually pretty quiet during the day and we had a chilled afternoon.
We made time to visit the prostitution museum which was another interesting experience. I love facts! It's a small little museum but it gives you a really good insight into life as a working girl. There was lots of interesting videos, photographs and facts throughout. My favourite bit was the confessions board - some of them were hilarious!
After spending the last few hours mooching around souvenir shops we stopped for some Churro's and a quick drink. Top tip #4 - ask for a pot of Nutella instead of having it poured over them. Much tidier for anyone that is as messy as I am.
It was then time to head back to Hotel Arena to collect our luggage and make our way back to Schiphol Airport. This time we had no problems finding the metro or the train as we used the app. Schiphol is actually quite big with a good choice of shops and restaurants. I liked the globe which showed what time it was in different areas of the world (easily pleased!).
Check in seemed to take forever. The lay out of the actual airport is weird because you don't need to go through security until you're nearing your boarding time. We went to Burger King thinking we had ages to go. At 8.18pm Ryan asked me what time our gate was due to close. I joked that it was 8.20pm before checking the Easyjet app. It turned out that our gate did actually close at 8.20pm so we ran through the airport and hoped for the best. When we got to security it was ridiculously busy and once we got our bags through the scanner Ryan was then pulled over and full on searched. I queued in the border control queue only to realise that Ryan had our passports! He eventually joined me and we ran for our flight, which we luckily were still allowed to board just 6 minutes before the flight was due to take off.
So, my final tip at #5 - it's easy to lose track of time in such a great city, but try not to lose track of it in the airport. New plane tickets are expensive (source: easyjet app, whilst stood in a long queue giving myself anxiety at border control).
Vaarwel lezers!
