Lambuster
Member
Hi there nattynattygurrl! 
For the exchange rates, if you're seeing the prices advertised in € Euros, you'll need to convert from € Euros to $ Dollars to get the correct figure.
For example, if a hotel was advertising room rates at €100 a night, that's equivalent to about $133 , using xe.com for the conversion...
If you do it the other way round, you'd end up with $100 = €75 - this could lead to confusion - especially during those stoner moments we all have!!!
It's a bit tricky defining the area where all the coffeeshops are, simply because there are so many scattered around Amsterdam, but generally anywhere in the center of town will get you within easy walking distance of the main attractions. Dam square is fairly central, with lots going on around the immediate vicinity...
The maps here are pretty good and show the majority of the shops in relation to the rest of the town...
I like to stay fairly close to the action, and within easy staggering distance of the train station and most of the food vendors, but a lot of my friends prefer the quieter places closer to the Vondelpark area - sometimes a little cheaper as well!
I had to stop in a hostel type dorm the very first night I visited the 'Dam, because my friend and I hadn't booked anything in advance and we arrived very late on a Friday night - not the best time to be hotel-hunting! It was clean enough and friendly, but there were people coming and going ALL night long, and the more security conscious you are, the less you'd like it... The following morning, we set out to find better accommodation and tried a little place on Beurstraat (Hotel Beurstraat - very close to the Grasshopper) - same price that we paid for the dorm room the night before, and with a private bathroom as well! Bonus!! Very clean room - very small also, but hey, it's not like you're entertaining guests there, so....
I'm going again with a larger group of people in February, so I'll be checking them out for rooms as they don't book over the internet... Heard good things about the Flying Pig hostels too - they have private rooms in addition to the dorm rooms if that doesn't appeal.
If you get lost, either geographically or otherwise, find your way to Seedsdirect at Singel163, close to the Grey Area, and Dutchgrown and the fine folks there will sort you out, I'm sure... They have a great atmosphere in there, probably helped by the no-tobacco rules(!!!) and you can ask them what's happening around the place.
Have fun!
For the exchange rates, if you're seeing the prices advertised in € Euros, you'll need to convert from € Euros to $ Dollars to get the correct figure.
For example, if a hotel was advertising room rates at €100 a night, that's equivalent to about $133 , using xe.com for the conversion...
If you do it the other way round, you'd end up with $100 = €75 - this could lead to confusion - especially during those stoner moments we all have!!!
It's a bit tricky defining the area where all the coffeeshops are, simply because there are so many scattered around Amsterdam, but generally anywhere in the center of town will get you within easy walking distance of the main attractions. Dam square is fairly central, with lots going on around the immediate vicinity...
The maps here are pretty good and show the majority of the shops in relation to the rest of the town...
I like to stay fairly close to the action, and within easy staggering distance of the train station and most of the food vendors, but a lot of my friends prefer the quieter places closer to the Vondelpark area - sometimes a little cheaper as well!
I had to stop in a hostel type dorm the very first night I visited the 'Dam, because my friend and I hadn't booked anything in advance and we arrived very late on a Friday night - not the best time to be hotel-hunting! It was clean enough and friendly, but there were people coming and going ALL night long, and the more security conscious you are, the less you'd like it... The following morning, we set out to find better accommodation and tried a little place on Beurstraat (Hotel Beurstraat - very close to the Grasshopper) - same price that we paid for the dorm room the night before, and with a private bathroom as well! Bonus!! Very clean room - very small also, but hey, it's not like you're entertaining guests there, so....
I'm going again with a larger group of people in February, so I'll be checking them out for rooms as they don't book over the internet... Heard good things about the Flying Pig hostels too - they have private rooms in addition to the dorm rooms if that doesn't appeal.
If you get lost, either geographically or otherwise, find your way to Seedsdirect at Singel163, close to the Grey Area, and Dutchgrown and the fine folks there will sort you out, I'm sure... They have a great atmosphere in there, probably helped by the no-tobacco rules(!!!) and you can ask them what's happening around the place.
Have fun!
I will try some of that and going over to Willies sounds like a trip I could get into. I have not visited Haarlem as yet. 
