Good news, everybody: tomorrow will be warm and sunny! In fact, temperatures will be so high that they’ll break a 20-year-old record.
Yup, you read that right. According to NU.nl, Thursday’s weather will bring us sun and temperatures of up to 18 degrees Celsius.
This would make it the warmest March 14 ever measured, breaking the current record from 1991.
Warm air heading our way
But the reason for all this is not (just) down to climate change.
In fact, we’re currently experiencing a very average Dutch March, since temperatures of around 10 degrees (with some rain and lots of clouds) are very common for this time of year.
Our tip? Enjoy tomorrow’s sunshine as much as you can. Sit on a terrace, lie back, and soak up the sun’s rays — because it’ll all be over before you know it. 😭
On Friday, we’ll return to lower temperatures and, of course, rain.
How will you enjoy tomorrow’s weather? Let us know in the comments!
The rise of the international student population in the Netherlands has always been a hot topic, especially concerning housing, language and social dynamics.
With study applications going through the roof and nowhere near enough housing, the Dutch attitude has shifted to actively discouraging international students.
This makes a change from the narrative politicians and universities have been putting out there for years, pitching the Dutch life to internationals to expand innovation and education in the Netherlands.
They have taken action to control the overpopulation of international students: certain courses will now only be taught in Dutch, or provide an additional Dutch-only option.
School’s out (for some)…
These changes intend to prioritise Dutch students’ access to their preferred courses without battling the international influx.
But this is where the unfriendly atmosphere is growing. Less than half of the surveyed students still feel welcome in the Netherlands, and they worry about the way they are perceived by Dutch society.
One Bulgarian student enrolled at the University of Maastricht suggests that the Dutch “do not recognise the added value that foreigners bring to this society.”
He’s not alone in believing that international students are “unfairly” blamed for draining resources and disappearing cultures.
…But don’t expect a mass exodus
Though the number of international students has already decreased slightly, Master’s applications are still on the rise. It will take a lot to get rid of the international students entirely.
This is because the appeal of the Netherlands— and affairs of the heart, as many students find love during their time here — still outweigh the negatives.
The silver lining? Overall, most of the international students said they were happy with their decision to study here, despite the issues with housing, homesickness, and hostility.
Are you surprised by the results of the survey? Have your say in the comments below.
Don’t you hate it when your VERY wealthy neighbour builds a VERY ugly €1.5 million house right next door?
Sorry, not relatable? That’s because this crazy behaviour belongs in the world of the Dutch elite.
In the gezellig village of Lage Vuursche in Utrecht, there once stood an idyllic country mansion that was radically modernised into a flashy villa a little over a decade ago.
The minimalist design wasn’t the only shock at the time — soon after it was unveiled, a mysterious car wreck appeared at its gates.
Image: Screenshot/Google Maps
Driving the neighbours crazy
The abandoned Citroën BX is far from forgotten — it is the centre of a conflict between crazy-rich Dutchies.
The rumour? The family next door found the new villa so ugly that the decaying car was left as a sign of their disgust. Talk about Dutch directness!
And the family in question? They are believed to belong on the so-called Quote 500, AKA the list of the richest people in the Netherlands. 😫
The villa owner apparently no longer cares about the wreckage, PureLuxe reports. It seems it has become part of the decor. 👀
You might know the perpetrator…
The plot thickens! The strip of land between the villa’s fence and the public road is owned by none other than the De Rooij family, who are the famous founders of the Remia sauce brand.
This high-profile involvement and private land ownership complicate the municipality’s right to remove the car.
For now, this means the sad-looking Citroën stays where it sits. However, recent developments have revealed that the dumped wreck is actually a very rare classic car. With only 60 of its kind left in the Netherlands, it is reportedly worth a lot of money.
Does this make it the most generous act of revenge out there?
What do you think of the petty perpetrator — hilarious or ridiculous? Let us know in the comments!
We’re still waiting for the Netherlands to get its act together and start accepting credit cards and Visa- or Mastercard-branded debit cards.
Cast your minds back to January 2023, when Mastercard announced they would stop issuing Dutchies’ beloved Maestro debit cards.
Instead, “the new debit cards,” branded with Visa or Mastercard and can also be utilised as credit cards, would take their place.
Over 14 months later, we’re still wondering when it’s really going to happen.
That leads us to a sticky bit of truth: banks are making the switch — but are the stores?
When progress isn’t progress
Approximately 98% of all payment machines are able to accept the new debit cards, reports NU.nl.
The remaining 2% are mostly in unmanned payment machines, like gas stations, parking garages, vending machines, or public toilets.
Yet local Albert Heijn’s still have a big “NO CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED” sticker over all payment terminals, which applies to any bank card with a credit card logo on it — even if it’s still a debit card.
Maybe it’s a simple issue: the machines can accept the new cards, but stores are choosing not to?
Small banks leading the way
Those who bank at Van Lanschot, Triodos, and bunq already have new debit cards in their wallets.
Revolut, N26, and Openbank are also up to date.
However, major Dutch banks like ING and ABN AMRO promise to start issuing the new cards only this year.
This lag is causing problems, with Dutchies who own the new cards reporting that they simply can’t pay in some places.
The plague of Maestro
Many internationals in the Netherlands have felt the pain, confusion, and embarrassment of attempting to pay with their home bank card upon arrival in the Netherlands, only to receive a resounding and disappointing “BEEP” from the payment terminal.
Hoyte van Hoytema is officially the first Dutch cameraman to win an Oscar. During Sunday night’s star-studded ceremony, he claimed the top prize for his cinematography for Oppenheimer.
The epic spectacle about the so-called father of the atomic bomb was the big winner of the night, picking up seven awards. 👏
Remember his name (it’s pretty catchy)
Hoyte van Hoytema has already won a BAFTA and the American Society of Cinematographers prize for his work in Oppenheimer — but who is the decorated Dutchie?
Born in Switzerland to Dutch parents, van Hoytema mastered his craft at the Łódź National Film School in Poland after being rejected by the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam (👀).
This is not the only time the Oscars recognised his incredible cinematography. He earned his first nomination for Dunkirk in 2017, also directed by Christopher Nolan.
The frequent collaborators are adventurous cameramen, choosing to shoot on heavy but SUPER high-resolution IMAX cameras. These were placed on top of the actors’ faces for the ultimate cinematic intimacy. 🔍
Was it worth it? Well, the Oppenheimer trophy cabinet is certainly gleaming.
In addition to being crowned Best Picture, the Oppenheimer team also won awards for Directing (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr. — surprisingly his first ever!), Original Score (Ludwig Goransson) and Editing (Jennifer Lame).
Reaching new Hoyte-s
If van Hoytema is one of the few Dutchies to take home an iconic statue, what else can be said for the Netherlands’ silver-screen success?
In total, 11 Dutch nationals have won an Oscar. The most recent was Erik-Jan de Boer for his work on visual effects for Life of Pi in 2013.
The first Oscar ever won by a Dutchie went to King of Jazz art director Herman Rosse all the way back in 1930 — and did you know Rosse also designed the interior of the Peace Palace?! 🤯
Cinema styles of old were coincidentally on van Hoytema’s agenda last night — he took his acceptance speech as a chance to encourage more celluloid filmmaking in this digital age.
Congratulations to Hoyte, and here’s to more Dutch cinema silverware in the future! 🤞🎬
Did you watch Oppenheimer or other van Hoytema projects? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Multiple arrests were made following demonstrations in Amsterdam against the Israeli President’s visit to the opening of the National Holocaust Museum.
President Isaac Herzog, who has controversially claimed that “the entire nation” of Gaza is responsible for Hamas’ October 7 terror attack, attended the opening ceremony of Amsterdam’s National Holocaust Museum yesterday.
As you can imagine, it wasn’t a quiet affair.
Hundreds of demonstrators
Nearly 1,000 demonstrators awaited Herzog’s arrival, and demonstrations took place in multiple locations, including outside the museum’s doors.
And they made their presence known.
As the opening ceremony took place, boos, whistles, and the shouting of slogans could be heard.
As the Israeli president and King Willem-Alexander entered and exited the museum, they were met with more booing.
Stones thrown and arrests made
While the police have described the protests as going “well and peacefully”, not everyone stuck to just booing.
According to RTL Nieuws, stones were also thrown, and police vans were climbed and attacked.
As a result, riot police were deployed, and they made 13 arrests. The demonstrations were disbanded shortly afterwards.
It’s a Friday, it’s sunny, and nothing could possibly go wrong today… right? Wrong, say the NS and ProRail.
We apologise in advance to all commuters, but the NS expects “significant adjustments” to the timetable on various rail routes around Schiphol today.
Just how significant is “significant”? Well, as a ProRail spokesperson tells the NOS, around one hundred trains will be cancelled between the hours of 5:20 AM and 3:15 PM.
As such, this timetable adjustment will not only affect Schiphol, but almost the entire Randstad, too.
But… why?
The reason for this Friday morning mess? Rail work, of course.
Over the past two weeks, ProRail has been renewing some tracks around Schiphol Airport.
Among other things, the workers have replaced switches in the railway tunnel and checked the lighting and technical installations to make sure everything works smoothly.
This is all part of bigger renovation work being done on the Schiphol tunnel. 👇
The only problem? Since no trains have run over the tracks for the past two weeks, ProRail cannot immediately let normal trains run over them.
Instead, they’ll need to remove the rust from the rails — and that’s what’s happening today.
Whatever brings you to the Dutch capital, whether it’s an epic stag night or a romantic couple’s getaway, we’ve got the list of the best hotels in Amsterdam.
If you’re looking for affordability, a luxury stay, or a unique experience, finding a hotel in Amsterdam can quite a task. With over 500 hotels in and near Amsterdam’s city centre, choosing the perfect one can be a challenge.
Luckily, as Amsterdam locals, we’re here to spare you the time. Here are the greatest hotels in Amsterdam!
And let me tell you: these beds are so comfortable! Image: Lyna Meyrer/Supplied
Located in the charming Oud Zuid district of Amsterdam, The Alfred offers you the perfect mix of city hustle and relaxation. Though located in a quiet area, everything your heart may desire is right at The Alfred’s doorstep: a gym, little shops, cafés and restaurants.
If you want to delve into some of Amsterdam’s tourist hotspots, the stunning Vondelpark and the big museum square are just a 12-minute walk away. Don’t feel like walking? Easy, just rent one of the hotel’s bikes, or opt for public transport.
The Alfred Hotel was recently renovated, and now sports modern, clean, and spacious rooms in various sizes, from the classic double to big family rooms.
TIP: To save 20% on your room, book directly on The Alfred’s website!
Zoku’s innovative hotel rooms are an architectural dream. Image: Zoku/Supplied
A hotel that functions like an office-away-from-home, Zoku is a relaxed place to live, work, and socialise while you work in the city (and do a little bit of exploring while you’re in the Dutch capital!).
Zoku offers shared dorms, private rooms, and even personal lofts, so there’s sure to be a way to stay in comfort while getting that remote work done.
Want to make it feel a bit more personal during your stay? Zoku offers to add a finishing touch to your room by choosing your preferred artwork from their art swap, making it really feel like home.
TIP: To save 15% on your room, book directly on Zoku’s website!
3. Aparthotel Adagio Amsterdam South: Enjoy your own studio
Inside the hotel, you’ll find luxury apartments with plush equipment. Image: Aparthotel Adagio/Supplied
If you’re staying in Amsterdam, but prefer to have more of your own space, then Aparthotel Adagio in Amsterdam South is just the place to go!
With comfortable studios and one or two bedroom apartments on offer, these flexible living spaces just outside the city centre are perfect for longer stays.
Each studio or apartment comes with an equipped kitchen, including an oven, hob, and counter space for meal prep, as well as a comfortable bed and free Wifi. They also have a private car park, a 24-hour reception, and an onsite gym. 🤸♀️
Even the lobby in this hostel is comfortable and welcoming. Image: ClinkNOORD/Supplied
ClinkNOORD in Amsterdam is a youth hostel offering a budget-friendly solution to staying in the city, but with the added bonus of having built-in exploration buddies extra of easy socialisation.
Stay in a shared dorm of up to ten people and make some new besties, or choose a private room and bond over dinner in the canteen.
Prefer the bottom bunk? At ClinkNOORD, you have to option to book ahead of time, and make sure you’ve got the right bed for your stay.
Love unique experiences? Well, this hostel is located in a 1920’s converted laboratory in Amsterdam Noord, a gratis (free) five-minute ferry ride from Amsterdam Central Station.
The interior of Boat&Co is to die for. Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen/Supplied
Boat&Co is an apartment hotel right on the water of Amsterdam. Each apartment has a fully-equipped kitchen, a living space, a dedicated work area, bathroom, and, of course, comfy beds!
Want to hit the bike paths like a real Dutchie? An added perk of booking directly with Boat&Co is that you can get free use of a bike during your stay.
Even better, because popular Amsterdam areas like Westerpark and Jordaan are only a few minutes cycle away, you’ll be all the more grateful for your speedy wheels.
TIP: Book directly on Boat&Co’s website to get 25% off!
If you’re a lover of high-rise views, the Marriot Leidseplein is the best choice to see across the city. A 5-star luxury hotel, your stay here will be nothing short of fabulous.
Within walking distance of iconic museums such as the Anne Frank House or the Rijksmuseum, it is in an ideal location. The Marriot also has a 24-hour fitness centre and a sauna for extra comfort.
The hotel offers a range of different room types, from the classic double to the huge family room.
The bedrooms inside this long-stay hotel are just wonderful. Image: Hotel Wittenbug/Supplied
With a grand 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, Hotel Wittenburg is a modern hotel with contemporary Dutch interior design.
Situated in the Plantage district, a great area for tourists who like to be close to the city, and built into an 18th-century building, you’re sure to feel the rich history of Amsterdam during your stay.
The hotel has a minimum stay of seven days, so if you’re planning on packing up and getting away for a week or more, it’s a perfect choice. Plus, the hotel has a 24-hour reception, a gym, a garden, courtyards — and is even dog-friendly! 🐕
When you started searching for hotels in Amsterdam, we’re sure staying in a renovated crane wasn’t the first idea that came to mind, but even so, the Faralda Crane Hotel has completely redefined the meaning of five-star accommodation.
With three luxurious suites inside the crane, you’ll feel (quite literally) on top of the world during your stay. The hotel also offers a tonne of luxury experiences: private dining, private boat tours, and even a champagne breakfast! 🍾
At SWEETS hotel, you can actually stay inside Amsterdam’s bridges — another unique hotel concept in Amsterdam.
These bridge homes once housed the city’s bridge keepers, who opened and closed the bridges for passing traffic. Today, 28 of the homes have been converted into short-term stays for tourists in Amsterdam, each one with its own quirks and design features.
The bridge houses are best suited for couples or stays for friend groups, as only those over the age of 21 are allowed to stay. Inside each house, you will find a comfortable bed and bathroom, alongside a mini-fridge and safe for security keeping. Some even have kitchenettes!
📍 Location: Each bridge house has its own, separate location. 💰 Price range: €125 – €222 per night
10. Kimpton DeWitt: Sleep in at a boutique hotel
Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen/Supplied
Kimpton DeWitt is a luxury hotel in the centre of Amsterdam. The hotel has over 250 rooms, and as a five-star hotel, the amenities in their luxury rooms can’t be beaten.
Each room comes with a Nespresso Coffee Machine, bathrobes, a smart TV, and even a Bluetooth speaker.
With a cocktail bar on site, you can end a night out with a few final drinks with friends, and collapse into a soft bed before you start all over again the next day. Or, if wine is more your style, check out one of their hosted wine evenings. Cheers! 🥂
11. Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam: In the heart of De Pijp
Image: NH Hotels
Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam is your stylish retreat in the heart of the city’s vibrant cultural district and is just a stone’s throw away from iconic museums like the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.
The sleek, modern design of each room is complemented by warm, welcoming touches, creating a cosy oasis after a day of exploring Amsterdam’s artistic treasures.
Our favourite part of this hotel isn’t the brand-new renovation, the friendly staff, or the indulgent breakfast buffet. It’s the iconic view out of the canal-side windows, where you can see the Amsterdam skyline, boats drifting lazily down the water, and bikes whizzing by. You won’t want to leave your room!
Found your hotel in Amsterdam? Great! While you’re here, make sure you check out some of Amsterdam’s iconic sites, or even take a short day trip to one of the Netherlands’ many beautiful cities.
Do you have a favourite hotel in Amsterdam? Tell us in the comments below! 👇
The sun is already shining and the temperature is finally into the double figures. Well, just about.
Today, it will be about 10 degrees today, and a few clouds remain, but Buienradar confirms there will also be plenty of blue skies to enjoy.
In het zuiden wisselen zon en stapelwolken elkaar af. In het noorden is er meer bewolking aanwezig, maar ook daar lost de bewolking geleidelijk wat op. Hoe ziet het er morgen uit?! Check: https://t.co/GOcfh0MsTOpic.twitter.com/KtO41mpMWb
Translation: In the south, sun and cumulus clouds alternate. There are more clouds in the north, but the clouds are gradually dissipating. What will it look like tomorrow?!
The weekend is warming up
It just gets better — by tomorrow there won’t be a cloud in the sky.
And Saturday? It will feel HOT (by Dutch standards, at least), with southerly regions set to enjoy temperatures as high as 16 degrees.
No fear, the north won’t be far behind at a (slightly balmy) 13 degrees.
The Netherlands is known for many things: windmills, canals, and oh yeah, ASML. Now, the world-renowned company has hinted at moving its operations elsewhere — but why?
Let’s just say, it’s not as simple as the company wanting to “find itself.”
Who are ASML? ASML designs and manufactures lithography machines that help make computer chips — so you could be using the product of an ASML machine to read this article!
The main reason: ASML needs more staff
You’d think that with such a huge population in such a small surface area, the tech giant would have no problem finding sufficient staff for its operations, but it’s not that simple.
The company requires highly skilled technical employees to keep its wheels turning, and they can’t all be sourced among the Dutch.
In fact, according to ASML CEO Peter Wennink, 60% of its employees come from abroad. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for ASML to find such international employees.
Why? According to the NOS, one reason is due to a change in the way international workers are taxed in the Netherlands.
The 30% ruling is on the way out
One huge benefit of working as a skilled international in the Netherlands used to be the 30% ruling.
As part of this ruling, highly skilled highly skilled and eligible expats could receive 30% of their income tax-free for five years.
However, as of 2024, this has changed. Instead, the amount has been reduced to 30% for the first 20 months, 20% for the following 20 months, and then 10% for the final 20 months.
In turn this means that fewer highly skilled internationals are encouraged to work in the Netherlands for companies like ASML.
However, it’s not just high taxes that are leading to problems for ASML.
Remember the housing crisis?
The struggle to find housing in the Netherlands is very real in 2024, and ASML employees are not immune to it.
In fact, employees have been struggling so much to find housing that ASML has resorted to buying up housing and getting involved in housing construction projects to try and ease the crisis faced by its employees.
The result? ASML aren’t impressed
While ASML hasn’t outright announced that it will be leaving the Netherlands. It has been dropping some worrying hints.
“You see all kinds of movements that make it more difficult for internationally operating companies that need international talent, for example, to do business in the Netherlands.”
As a result, sources in The Hague tell RTL Nieuws that the outgoing cabinet has sprung into action.
A plan to prevent the company’s departure is being drawn up under the code name Beethoven. 👀
This doesn’t mean a complete departure
However, these hints don’t mean that there will be a complete departure of ASML from the Netherlands.
Jos Versteeg, analyst at InsingerGilissen tells RTL Nieuws that the company upping shop and leaving is “very unlikely.”
That being said, Jim Tehupuring, investment expert at 1 Vermogensbeheer, tells RTL Nieuws that he does see at least part of the company shifting to another country.
He just doesn’t know “whether that is 30% or 70%.”
Regardless of what the company decides to do, there is one thing we can be sure of: any move will take time. Years in fact, according to Tehupuring.
What do you think of ASML’s hints? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
