B&B Paula
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Here is the front of my house with the door wide open. Out in front is the "spider tree" and a couple of typical Dutch bicycles, plus a typical American mail box. Huh? Unfortunately not all days in Holland are so bright and sunny. The rooms are at the top, up two flights of steep stairs. The smaller double windows face out from the apartment's sitting room. Description B&B Paula is a fully furnished apartment in the attic of a typical Dutch home. It is ideal for 1 or 2 adults plus a small child or two. Details The rooms consist of a bedroom, a sitting room with cable TV, a completely equipped kitchen, and a shower room. There is a double bed in the sleeping room, with an additional single bed available. The couch in the sitting room opens to a third bed. The toilet is exclusive for guests and is back down one flight of stairs, all of 5 seconds. The kitchen includes a refrigerator, stove, and microwave with pans and complete table service. Photos of the rooms. Included in the room price is a typical hearty Dutch breakfast of cheese, meats, eggs, bread, fruit, and yogurt, with coffee or tea. If you have other dietary preferences please let me know when you confirm your reservation. After daily breakfast other meals are not included, but you can go to the market and shop for something to bring home and prepare yourself. Virtually every variety of international cusine and beverage is available in Haarlem or Amsterdam. Other Items - Cat in the house, but minds himself. - No smoking inside please. Smoking is OK in the garden. - A small English language library, novels and travel guides. - WiFi Internet access. Unlimited and free. - A 220 volt hair blower is provided. - Plenty of free street parking 5 steps from the front door. Rates The base rate is €50 per night for one person. The rate is reduced retroactively to €45 if you stay a 2nd night and to €40 for three or more nights. The rate for a second person is €25 per night. See the calculation sheet for total prices.
For children the cost per night equals age. Example, €10 per night for a 10 year old child. Sorry, I am not set up to accept credit cards. The nearest bank automat cash machine is the ABN-AMRO in Overveen, approximately 1,200 meters north. Reservations To request a reservation please send an email with 1.) your arrival date 2.) your departure date 3.) number and ages in your party to: See you in Holland!!, Paula Transportation Strippenkaart The Strippenkaart was previously the ticket to ride trams and buses throughout the Netherlands. It has been discontinued. OV-chipkaart The new OV-chipkaart has replaced the Strippenkaart. If you are familiar with the Oyster Card in London then the OV-chipkaart will not be a mystery. However it is a bit complicated to explain. Basically you swipe it over a reader when you board a metro, tram, or bus, AND swipe it again as you get off. The GVB, Amsterdam's public transit company, has a good website to get you introduced. Go to GVB Amsterdam for all the details. Transport drivers will be happy to assist you if you have a question. If someone offers help it would be prudent to say you are OK. Pickpockets can smell a tourist blocks away and will do their thing before you know it. Train tickets The train system in Holland is one of the best in Europe. Service is frequent and fast. It covers all of the major cities, most of those along the way, and many platforms in the middle of the fields. Maps and schedules are posted in every station. The web site Holland by Train has schedules and prices for trains throughout the Netherlands and a link for international services. The train system is officially called the Nederlands Spoorwegen, abbreviated NS. The NS is trying to get people to use the ticket machines rather than buy rail tickets at ticket windows. They have put a penalty on ticket window sales of €0.50 for every ticket. So it is cheaper, and usually faster, to use the ticket machines. The machines accept cash (euros only) and "chip cards." Unless you have a bank account in Europe you probably do not have a chip card. Credit cards and debit cards will not work in these machines. You can also use the OV-chipkaart instead of train tickets on the trains in Holland. From Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to the Haarlem train station: To take the train from Schiphol Airport you buy a ticket in the airport outer lobby area, go down to the underground station, and catch any train which stops in Amsterdam Sloterdijk (pronounced 'sloat er dike') station. There are 6 trains per hour which stop at Sloterdijk. Get off, go down two levels to spoor (platform) 7, then catch the next connecting train to Haarlem. You shouldn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for the connecting train. Total travel time is 40 to 45 minutes depending on how long you have to wait at Sloterdijk for the connecting train. The one way cost is €5.30 in 2nd class and €9.00 in 1st class from the airport to Haarlem. 2nd class is fine. You can also change at Amsterdam Centraal Station (after Sloterdijk) making the journey in about the same time and for the same price, BUT !! the Amsterdam Centraal Station station is more confusing for first time visitors and it is a rat's nest of professional beggars, pickpockets, baggage thieves, street druggists, and other lowlifes. As the signs in Amsterdam say, "Let op zakkenrollers!" "Watch out for pickpockets!" Also be careful on the train, especially just before it starts. Baggage thieves can grab your laptop and jump through the closing doors. This may sound alarming, however violent crimes like muggings and murder are almost unheard of in Holland. An alternative is to take the train to Overveen. You'll see the station toward the top of the map, about 1½km (one mile) to the north. However, there is no bus or taxi service from the Overveen station so you have about a 20 minute walk. If you come to Overveen by train buy the complete ticket at Schiphol. There are two trains per hour to Overveen with the Sloterdijk connection. The cost is €5.60 in 2nd class and €9.50 in 1st class. It is more convenient to take the bus to Haarlem train station from Schiphol, and you get a better view of the Dutch countryside as you travel. Connexxion bus number 300 from Schiphol (pronounced 'skip hole') Plaza to the Haarlem train station is a big red comfortable reticulated bus and departs every 10 minutes. It is marked Zuidtangent on the front. Make sure that the bus you get on is going to Haarlem and not Amsterdam. This bus only accepts the OV-chipkaart. You can buy this on the bus but it is cheaper if you buy and *anonomous* OV-chipkaart at a public service desk or the VVV tourist office in Schiphol. The cost is €4.00. Travel time is 41 minutes. When you get to the Haarlem station you need to take bus #4 to the Dekamarkt on Ramplaan near B&B Paula. A faster, and thus more expensive choice, is a taxi straight from Schiphol Airport. The best choice is probably the Ozon Taxi at €29.00 one way for one person or more who can fit in. Luggage space in taxis is probably OK for 2 or 3 carry-on bags maximum. You can reserve on the website http://www.ozontaxi.nl/english/home.html. Or you can phone 023-844-7777 from the airport. From the Haarlem train station to B&B Paula: The Haarlem bus terminal is in front of the station. Walk across the street and locate the bus stop, line 4 direction Heemstede. If you have trouble ask someone. Everyone speaks English and several other languages. You want to take a bus to the corner of Ramplaan and Rollandslaan. There is a very small strip mall there and a Dekamarkt grocery store across the street. That's where the bus stops, 300 meters from my front door. Walk south to the end of Ramplaan and then left 1½ blocks on Leendert Meeszstraat to 104. Click the map for details of the neighborhood. If south is not evident, ask someone on the street for directions to the well-known cafe restaurant Wapen van Kennemerland. There is also a taxi rank in front of the Haarlem train station. A taxi typically costs less than €15 to B&B Paula. Ask the driver for his estimate before getting in the cab. Bring a copy of the map because some drivers do not know the area. To visit Amsterdam from Haarlem: There are 8 trains per hour for an 18 minute trip from Haarlem station to Amsterdam Centraal Station. The cost is €6.70 from Haarlem for a round trip, 2nd class. From Overveen there are only two trains per hour (hh:24 and hh:54) and the cost is €7.40 RT. In summer there are four trains per hour. Buy your ticket at one of the ticket windows in the east hallway of the Haarlem train station, or from one of the ticket machines and save €0.50. Tickets are not sold on the train and you are subject to a €35 fine if you are found on a train without a ticket. To view the schedules and other options throughout the Netherlands go to Nederlands Spoorwegen. There are also schedules and a map in the station corridors and on each platform. When using the OV-chipkaart you are charged 19 units for the trip between Amsterdam and Haarlem. For International Tickets and Holland Discount Tickets: Go to the NS (Nederland Spoorwegen, Netherlands Railways) International Tickets office in the Amsterdam station. If you are scooting around Holland a lot you can buy a pass that will save you significantly for a week of travel. If you want to make a day trip to Brussels or Antwerp, buy a Super Dagretour (pronounced 'dahhg re tour') ticket and save a hefty percentage. Super tickets are valid for departures after 9:00 AM weekdays, but are not available on weekends or during July and August. Seniors, students, and children up to 11 years are eligible for other discounts. In Haarlem Haarlem is a beautiful and interesting city on the Spaarne River. Canals, of course, several famous museums and cathedrals, a medieval town square, plenty of restaurants in all categories, and a jovial nightlife make this city a jewel for visitors. Most of the people speak excellent English, plus at least French, Spanish, or German. Haarlem is very convenient to the popular North Sea beaches of Zandvoort and Bloemendaal, and the world famous Keukenhof Garden which comes alive for eight dazzling weeks in April and May. If you are into this kind of stuff, it also has red lights and weed houses like Amsterdam, its big brother just down the road. Haarlem rates two stars, "worth a detour," in the Michelin Green Guide. In the surroundings of B&B Paula: - Several wooded areas with public access are within walking distance for those who enjoy nature. - A classic Dutch cafe featuring a decor of antique bourbon bottles is only a one minute walk. - Zandvoort on the beach is an easy 20 minute bike ride through the dunes or on a flat bike path. Bicycles are available at B&B Paula with advance notice for an additional 2 euro per day. You can also catch the train at Overveen or bus #81 to go to Zandvoort. Two world class events take place in Holland every spring. One is the blooming of Keukenhof Garden, magnificent acres and acres of tulips and other bulb flowers. The other event is Queen's Day in Amsterdam and throughout Holland. If you click the links you'll see part of my trips to each in 2008. People come from around the world. Queen's Day is only one day, April 30, unless it is a Sunday. Keukenhof is open for about eight weeks but you never know which week is the best for tulips or which day is the best for your visit because the weather is so variable in Holland. For more information about Holland: Visit John Bermont's web page Prime Travel Data, The Netherlands with information on a number of basic things to know or have at hand. This page also includes a list of recommended guidebooks, maps, and dictionaries for visitors to Holland. I have a few of these in my library available to guests. For more information about the city of Haarlem: Chapter 30 of John Bermont's How To Europe: The Complete Travelers Handbook presents a short introduction at Haarlem. When you arrive, the VVV Tourist Information Office for Haarlem can provide you with maps and information brochures for the city and surroundings. There is a charge for the city map but it is less expensive than other maps available in bookstores. Try to arrive during the day since the VVV is only open during business hours. The VVV is located in front of the V+D department store, in the middle of the Gedempte Oude Gracht at the intesection of the Grote Hout Straat. That's about 750 meters south of the train station or 200 meters south of the Grote Kerk ("Big Church"), Haarlem's landmark. |
Where is B&B Paula?
My home is located in a quiet pastoral neighborhood on the west side of Haarlem, circa 3 km (2 miles) from the city center. Click Haarlem for a Michelin map of the neighborhood. Look for an open blue circle with three panhandles to locate my home near the bottom of the map. You can use the zoom out negative sign to see a larger area and the compass points to move around in any direction. Print the map for your reference! If you get lost ask someone for directions to the Ramplaankwatier (rahmp lahn quar tee air), the district where I live and it may help. If not, they should know the cafe restaurant Wapen van Kennemerland, just 50 steps from my front door. How's the weather? Current weather conditions in Holland can be found on several sites: Wunderground.com Michelin Additional weather information and sites. What is a euro worth? The euro, €, is the official currency of the Netherlands and neighboring countries. The value changes constantly. Visit Exchange Rates for information on the euro and links to up to date conversion rates. Type Ctrl d to bookmark this page. The original do-it-yourself travel guide to Europe. SM 
How To Europe The Complete Travelers Handbook by John Bermont enjoy-europe.com
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bbpaula@enjoy-europe.com Keywords for this page:
b&b bnb b and b holland haarlem
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