Why not go to Rotterdam this summer while visiting Holland? From the end of May until the beginning of September almost every weekend there is something going on in Rotterdam. Street theater, open air movies, dance parades and concerts on the water. You can find more information on Rotterdamfestivals.nl where you can link to the different festivals (culturele agenda).

If you're looking for a place to stay in Rotterdam the people at Use-It can help you out. Here is a list of hostels and cheap accommodation. Sleep-In De Mafkees seems like the cheapest option. For only € 10 per night (including breakfast) you can spend the night at an old skating rink near Central Station. And they have one very special suite: the honeymoon suite!

Some of your may remember my video tour of the Lloyd Hotel, available right there in the top right hand menu if you shuffle through the videos.

This week I decided it had been too long since I was last in the Lloyd Hotel Restaurant/Bar/Cultural Embassy, and as my mom is visiting, I figured it was a good time.

Middle of February is certain not the high season in Amsterdam, though I'm sure you enjoy the pun. So the Lloyd was pretty quiet... made me want to get a room and go to sleep in such a peaceful atmosphere. But dinner was the goal so we grabbed a table and perused the menu.

I chose a pasta dish of course, sticking with the vegetarian's reliable friend. Mom went for the Mackerel, sticking with our Portuguese fish culture. While the food itself was delicious, there's not too much in terms of filling up the plate. The cuisine is very designer, just as the hotel itself prides itself for being. This meant we had to order some delicious panacotta deserts. If you can explain what panacotta is, you get a cookie.. cause I can't - but I like it.

The delicious but not quite filling food gave us just enough energy to wander around the hotel and take in the super-interesting exhibition on the history of the Lloyd. An amazing history, of course.

All in all, it was nice and overdue, to be back at the Lloyd Hotel for some food, relaxation, and education. (not to mention free wifi!!)

Some recent news from the hotel/accommodation world: the hostel chain StayOkay has apparently become the first institution in the tourism industry to be given the eco-friendly label.

Yes, ecofriendly! They use cleaning products that don't contain harmful chemicals, they use hotel supplies that are environmentally sustainable, they offer bike rental, they use minimal garbage, smokefree communal spaces, etc. There is a whole long list of criteria that StayOkay and its 30 hostels in the Netherlands have fulfilled in order to be granted the European Ecofriendly Label.

So keep that in mind next time you're thinking, "Yes I want to go on vacation to the Netherlands but I want to stay in a place that cares as much about its environmental impact as I do." Now there is a place... oh if only more institutions would follow their lead.

The thing I hate about change is that cool traditions are often thrown aside. With all the changes going on around Central Station and the new neighborhood known as ODE, the latest victim is the well known Amsterdam Botel.

Yes the hotel that is also a boat will be moving soon, destination: NDSM dock. The furthest of all the Amsterdam north docks, the Botel will have plenty of cool neighbors like the Soviet Submarine, occasionally Greenpeace, and plenty of hip eateries and café's popping up in that area.

The only sad part is that the Botel will no longer be right next to Central Station. To get to it, you'll have to grab the free ferry, and destination NDSM is less frequent in the evening.

So if you're thinking of trying out the Amsterdam Botel that has for so long stood next to the floating Chinese Restaurant in Centrum, make a note that from now on, the Botel will be way up in the North. Sure there will be shuttle buses, free parking, and easy access to the A10 highway, but if you ask me, it is the end of a lovely era.

Another person visiting me, this time a family member. As per usual the apartment is way too small, so my cousin ended up at the Park Hotel, located just at the entrance of Vondelpark and the edge of Leidseplein.

Prime location of course, that was my initial thought. Then she added the fact that since its the off season, the Park Hotel compared to most others was offering the best deal in such a central location.. so she went for it.

As a proud trippist, I told her I needed the full tour and to test every part of the Hotel and I must know how her stay goes. Initially everything was ok, not special, just ok. Small rooms, normal fixings, and as always with the big chain hotels -- no free wifi. (when will they learn!?)

My cousin felt they'd misled her with their brochure and website that featured rooms that looked nothing like the small room she was in. To me it looked like a typical Amsterdam hotel. As I said goodbye for the evening she announced she would ask the front desk for another room. "Odd" I thought... "will the next room be so different?"

Sure enough the next day my cousin calls: "Come to the hotel, you'll want to see this." She instructs me to go to another room number, which it turns out is in a completely renovated and futuristic wing of the building. So futuristic in fact, that the rooms defy typical hotel room design... because the bathroom is in the room.

Seriously. Here's some form of photo evidence..

which I took from the bed, which is a few steps and no door away from the toilet or shower.

For single person this room was not only funny, it was cool. My cousin doubted any couple would ever tolerate being that close to each other, especially if someone is using the toilet.

As a visitor, I thought the design was fun and edgy, and therefore good. Though I admit, I was happy to go home and use my WC which has its own room as I believe it should be.

So.. the Park Hotel Amsterdam... now featuring new rooms and crazy bathroom features.

You won't mind the small rooms. You won't mind the narrow staircase. You won't even mind that the bathroom floor gets pretty unavoidably wet after a shower. None of this will bother you because these three aspects are nothing compared to the charm and comfyness of the Hotel de Filosoof.

Sit in one of the uniquely decorated rooms and look up: names of famous philosophers painted tastefully on the walls. Quote of the day on the front desk, and a few quotes to remember in the hallways. Greek philosphers, German philosophers.. whatever your taste.. de Filosoof has something for you.

On the ground floor, the lobby and the connecting restaurant/lounge are so cool looking. Even cooler is to sit down and relax with some friends.. ponder life.. or maybe where you'll go tomorrow. What would Socrates do?

Prices are normal to reasonable, location is just a few blocks from all the action at Leidseplein. Availability, on the weekend - you never know, so book early.

Some good friends from New Jersey were in town last week and they called me to come hang out at the hotel.. since they know about trippist.

I've often zoomed by the Radisson-SAS on Russland, and wondering what it was like in there. Located right smack in the middle of the city, a stone's throw away from the wonders of the Red Light district and some of the city's finest coffee shops, the Radisson looks pretty impressive from the outside.

From the inside it is EVEN MORE impressive... with a lobby that is actually a huge atrium that lets in wonderful natural light for anyone to enjoy while they wait or sit and relax. It was interesting to see that they don't do the front desk thing in the traditional sense, instead you find little stand-up desks with employees ready to help you.

A quick zoom and zigzag through the halls and I was in the so called "deluxe" room. Which is a fancy name for a normal room. Although normal in size, the room did feature things like a super-comfortable bed, and some very futuristic yet useful furniture for storing your stuff or just sitting. Bathroom was shiney and new, as is most of the hotel.

SAS is a pretty quality airline and along with Radisson they've done a pretty impressive job with this hotel. My friends showed me that the price is not always right, so be ready to pay some solid prices for your quality stay. But if its super-comfort and extremely-central location, the Radisson-SAS does it better than most.

The third hostel of the Stayokay chain in Amsterdam is officially open: Stayokay Amsterdam Zeeburg. The hostel is located in a residential area 15 minutes by tram or bike from the city center. It has 99 rooms, all with private bathroom facilities, and rates starting at 21 Euro per person including breakfast.

It has a restaurant, a bar, internet access and a big outdoor terrace. The hostel shares the building with Studio K which is a café, restaurant, movie theater and concert venue.
Timorplein 21

This one goes out to the students, regardless of what level or how long you're staying.

Typically you arrive early, as in- before your student aka "Dekey" housing is available in the first days of September. Tradition is that the average student arrives early, stays in a hostel for a few days while trying to get things in order before the official move in. The reasoning behind doing this is solid so the tradition to some extent, makes sense. Still, I'd like to extend 4 tips:

1 - Don't arrive too early. A few days, sure, that gives you some time to handle getting a phone, bike, a map, and generally getting used to the simple things, like how to handle the grocery store. (?) Show up weeks in advance and you may find your money disappearing into thin air. Without a kitchen to cook for yourself or an apartment to live in, you'll be paying quite alot for all those early days you arrive. To make matters worse you may find alot of stuff still moving slowly as it is still vacation for alot of people around town.

2 - Don't buy books. Even on the first day of classes you shouldn't buy books. They're expensive and surprisingly, you often don't need them. There could be a reader or a book at the library that will do the trick, and you won't know that if you go buying books early in the game. Plus even after the first day, you may decide not to stay in the course, so go easy on the book buying.

3 - This is for before you arrive when you pack. If there's something you think you won't need but you're bringing anyway - STOP. Shed the extra stuff and the excessive baggage. You don't want to get the excessive-weight baggage charge, and equally annoying is navigating a new city with way too many bags dragging behind you. Most clothes and odds and ends that you'll need as the year goes on you can buy right here for relatively cheap. Sweaters, for example, take up lots of room, as do towels, leave them home and pick some up here.. the local economy thanks you!

4 - Do what you can to never take a cab in Amsterdam. It is expensive, drivers can sometimes be irritable if you're not going "far enough" for their taste. But most importantly, again, it is very expensive so if you must do it... be prepared to fork over the cash.

4 is enough for today. There's still alot more to talk about including bikes... a topic close to my heart.

In the coming weeks I shall be doing more and more posts for new arrivals in Amsterdam as late August early September is a time where many students, tourists, and working people arrive in Amsterdam to stay for some amount of time.

Fact- Lots of people arrive in Amsterdam and their first idea for calling home involves getting a prepaid mobile phone and dialing their loved ones.
Fact- This is very expensive. You will eat through minutes faster than you can say "Yes, I saw a drunk guy fall into the canal." And worst of all, many people think that is how it has to be. Which is absolutely not true.

Simple Solution - In this day and age it is very likely you're coming to town with your laptop. Therefore you're bound to get some internet time, either in your hotel, apartment, or one of the neverending list of places in town where you can use wifi. And if you're using the internet than you may as well use the beautiful voice over IP programs out there to make a free or almost free phone call. That's right, Im talking about skype. You've probably used skype or use skype regularly but did you remember that the rates for calling land or mobile numbers in the US is dirt cheap? By dirt I mean .017cents per minute.

.017 cents a minute! Thats 1 hour for about 1 euro that you can talk with aunt Sally or your secret boyfriend back in Chicago. And if you don't like skype for some odd reason, there are plenty of other choices out there... including the open source Gizmo project. Once again, dirt cheap rates and you can call anyone with a phone! And of course if you call someone who's sitting at their computer back home.. well that is free. And FREE is good.

YOu'd think everyone knew this by now. But I must tell you... with every new season I see the same pattern over and over... buying the prepaid mobile to make pricey international calls... only to get very angry at the cost afterwards.

Friends don't let friends make expensive international calls.