to think Amsterdam is ridiculously expensive?

[Maghribia]

OK, my first venture on to AIBU from my usual place on the conception board!

In Amsterdam over the weekend and was absolutely shocked how pricey everything is.

The pound and euro are almost the same value now (when did that happen?) But even converting into pounds it's all really expensive. For example one night in a crappy Ibis is 170 euro! Back home in Morocco I think you can get it as cheap as 250 dirhams which is about 25 quid, and the quality is better. Ditto food - very expensive for microwaved not v good quality stuff. Taxis are terrible as well.

Has anyone else noticed this or is this the norm now in Europe?

Amsterdam is expensive ( I live there), hotels are extortionate and the food (especially in touristy places) is pretty poor.

The pound is actually better than it has been against the euro though for ages it was really bad but I'm sure it'll go back down as summer approaches...

To be honest I'm not great with currency exchanges, but I can see it's a lot.

The food is just abysmal around that central area.

I'm sure living there is different from visiting. I have some family who live there. They are not particularly liked though, being Moroccan immigrants but that's a long story.

At least it wasn't raining!

The Winston hotel is good, it's now a St Christophers hostel, but they have en-suite rooms that are really interestingly decorated for under 50quid a night still, and in a very good location.

Food in holland is pretty poor throughout, expensive for bad quality.

I think they saw you coming. 2 minutes on google and I've found myself a small, nice looking hotel in the centre of Amsterdam. Double room, including breakfast 58 euros.

YABU

The pound is a lot better against the euro now and Amsterdam is a major city.....its never going to be cheap!!

I would have thought you would have researched all that before you went anyway!

My dd just went for three days and stayed in a beautiful hostel with en suite for fifty pounds for three nights including breakfast she said they had great food sang thought it was cheaper than UK

It's the same in most major cities. London is extortionate if you stay in the centre, next to Leicester Square, and eat in the tourist areas. There are travel lodges and Premier Inns etc a mile or two from Trafalgar sq that are much cheaper.
The number of people who stop me and ask for the nearest Pizza Express or Garfunkels amazes me. There are some lovely family run Italian eateries near me in Soho and if I recommend them , most don't want to know. A shame as the food is invariably better and cheaper.