[ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event)] How to Choose a Hotel to Make the Most of Every Event-Filled Day

Every October, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, a leading dance music nation, hosts Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE).

Events and lineups are gradually being announced, and ADE2018 is probably something many of you really want to attend.

I attended in 2017 and stayed for seven days in total, learning a few things about choosing hotels and flights.
This time, I will share information about hotels. If you are interested, use it as a reference.

1. Hotels in Amsterdam Are Expensive

I love traveling in Southeast Asia and am accustomed to inexpensive hotels, which partly explains my impression, but hotels in Western Europe are expensive, and Amsterdam is no exception.

My impression is that during ADE you should expect an average nightly rate of at least ¥5,000 for a dormitory if you are accustomed to backpacking-style travel, or at least ¥10,000 for a hotel if you are not, or if you are a woman.

Attending ADE from opening to closing means five nights, so you should understand that it will cost at least ¥25,000–50,000.

2. Accommodation Tax Is Extra

The prices in point 1 cover accommodation only; there is also a separate accommodation tax (tourist tax or city tax).

As a guide, accommodation tax is €1–5 per person per night (¥130–650 as of June 5, 2018), so a five-day stay adds ¥650–3,250.

Unless you are on a tour, you will probably pay it at reception when checking in or out. It depends on the hotel, but most accept credit cards.

3. Book Early

Book your hotel for ADE as early as possible.

Beyond the usual travel advantages of having more good hotels to choose from and finding one within your budget, ADE's visitor numbers grow each year, so hotels are selling out faster too.

Booking.com offers many hotels with relatively low-risk options such as “reserve now,” “pay at the property,” and “free cancellation,” so if you find a promising hotel, there is little downside to reserving it for now.
(Please note that free cancellation can have conditions, and payment may be taken at booking. If charges kick in after a certain period, use Google Calender to set a reminder.)

4. Use Airbnb

I wrote earlier that hotels in Amsterdam are expensive, but there is a way to stay in a comfortable room while lowering your accommodation costs: Airbnb.

Of course, there are disadvantages too.

The issue is that costs only fall if you stay with a reasonably sized group (three to five people). The tradeoff, then, is firmly confirming three to five friends who will attend ADE for exactly the same dates.

Another drawback is having to pay a deposit when booking.

In Japan, more people still consider ADE “far away, expensive, long, and time-consuming.” With even three people, some may struggle to commit to dates, so I think organizing it could be quite difficult.

But if you can stay with close friends, you could have a wonderful time, like a camp during your school days.

5. Dormitories Depend on Your Fellow Guests

I am basically a low-cost traveler who thinks a hotel is fine as long as I can sleep there, so I chose a dormitory when I went in 2017.

In the end, that was a mistake.
Here are three reasons.

For reference, the Asian guests were from China and Korea; the others were Westerners.

It is not something I think much about in daily life, but many Japanese people really do have a sense of civic responsibility and consideration for others, and a preference for cleanliness.

It was a failed hotel choice, but it did give me an excellent opportunity to appreciate Japan and Japanese people again.

6. Check In the Day Before ADE Begins

If possible, arrive in Amsterdam the day before ADE begins and stay that night.

Going to events still tired from a long flight and suffering from jet lag was quite taxing physically.

I was also exchanging information in a Facebook ADE group (English only), and apparently there was a meetup the day before ADE started.

I made the day after the final day entirely a sightseeing day, but depending on the events you want to attend, it may be better to put it around the third day, midway through ADE.

Going out night after night is fine, but it can start feeling repetitive, and above all it takes a physical toll.

7. No Hotel Location Is Especially Advantageous for Events

Most people choose events based on their content, but when you look at the schedule, the clubs themselves are usually spread out.

For clubbing in Tokyo, choosing a hotel around Roppongi or Shibuya is generally efficient, but Amsterdam has a huge number of clubs, widely scattered.

However, Amsterdam itself is compact, so if you can find taxis, I do not think any hotel location has a particular advantage.

Unlike Japan, there are almost no late-night businesses where you can kill time after leaving a club midway through, such as izakaya, karaoke places, family restaurants, or convenience stores. Plan on either taking a taxi back or staying until the end.

[Conclusion] Airbnb Might Be Best

It did not happen this time because I arranged a hotel alone and never got as far as discussing sharing accommodation, but if you can use Airbnb, you really should.

I have to say hotels in Amsterdam are quite expensive, but Airbnb allows you to stay relatively cheaply somewhere reasonably comfortable.

Besides, several music lovers staying together in an Airbnb sounds fun, like an adult “sleepover”.

Booking Airbnb through the link below gives you ¥3,700 off stays costing ¥8,000 or more, or ¥1,388 off experiences costing ¥5,280 or more.