Thank you, Erwin. So I would request a street side, higher up, if possible. Let me expand with m ore details, if you could help me further. My spouse and I will be in Amsterdam for a couple of days 13-15 April after finishing a one week river cruise. We want to go around and see major sights. I have booked several reservations and am obsessing/overthinking it, probably. This Ibis by Central Station (not the Ibis Styles) is the least expensive versus the others that maybe nicer accommodations (all in different locations): Hotels Vondel, Conscious Vondelpark, de Hallen, and Mercure Canal District. Stayed at the Ibis Grand Place in Brussels over 10 yrs. ago so I'm familiar with the chain. We're also Marriott Rewards members and could splurge for $200 euros more total for both nights to stay at that property; however, not sure if worth it. We don't have to go for the cheapest. We want a nice stay and the best value. Thank you in advance for your help.
If your room is on the north side, it is immediately next to the station platforms, which can be a bit noisy. On the lower floors (1st and 2nd I think) the train passengers and people on the platform can look directly into your room. So I would request a room on the south (street) side, if that is possible.
As said above by others, the location next to the Central Station is great, both for getting around Amsterdam and as a basis for trips to other areas.
Amsterdam is a city best seen on foot and there are a number of excellent walking tours led by locals who know their city inside out. You might want to look into FreeDam Tours whose guides lead 2 to 3-hour walking tours in the oldest part of the city. There are a number of other free walking tours the Tourist Information Office can refer you to. The highest concentration of sights is in the oldest part of the city- basically from Centraal Train Station through the Red Light District-where Amsterdam's two oldest churches are located- to Dam Square where the Royal Palace is. Just beyond the oldest core of Amsterdam is the beautiful Joordan Neighborhood with its 17th-century canal houses built during the height of the Dutch Golden Age. Site of the Anne Frank House and Westerkerk, the canals here are said to be the city's most beautiful. One way to absorb the beauty of this neighborhood is to take a well-earned break from walking and stop off at the historic brown cafe called 't Smalle which has canal-side outdoor seating- a great place to enjoy a light lunch with a coffee or a local beer.
I have a friend who wants to go on a guided tour of Amsterdam. She will be staying in Haarlem.She'd like some walking, some food, & some sights, & doesn't want to go on a tour bus. She is traveling solo, & will have 2 days. She is somewhat independent, but would rather be in a small group. How are the free tours? Also what areas/neighborhoods of the city would you suggest?
I drove my car though Noordoostpolder frequently last year and saw the flower fields from my car. After at least 1 hour's drive from Amsterdam. Other than the colors it looked really empty. No villages, no cafes, nothing.
Haarlem is only 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam, and that whole flower area near there is interspersed with villages, so it will be easier to find places to have lunch or coffee during your cycling tour. On my page with cycling tips you can find info about SCENIC cycling signposting systems that can help you plan a route, and also see in advance how many kilometers it is. https://obertop.wordpress.com/2017/12/19/tips-for-cycling-trips-in-the-netherlands/
And as said use Bloemenradar.nl in April.
The Keukenhof park will be crowded, not the tulip fields themselves.
The nicest way to visit them is to take the train to Haarlem (15 mins from Amsterdam), rent a bicycle at the railway station itself or nearby. The tulip fields are around Hillegom and Lisse, some 10 to 15 kms from Haarlem.
Use OpenStreetMap for the best route (zoom in for more detail). Make it a circular route: one way along the mid-17th-century Leidsevaart; the other way along the canal enclosing the huge Haarlemmermeer Polder. In Cruquius you've got the impressive mid-19th-century pumping station of the same name. A few hundred metres further on you've got a small bridge over the canal. Use it to get back to Haarlem along the Spaarne river.
We will have 4 days in Holland, April 18-22. We'd like to do a bicycle tour of the tulip fields after visiting Amsterdam. It seems that the Keukenhof area can get very crowded with tourists at this peak season, and I'm seeing some hints that we would do better in Noordoostpolder. But I can't seem to find much directly comparing the two areas, especially when it comes to ease of getting there by train, renting bicycles, finding a reasonable route, and so on. Help?