Amsterdam: Dine with the Dutch

My very first home exchange was to Amsterdam in The Netherlands. I had the privilege of staying in a 17th-century canal house on Brouwersgracht for two weeks. That’s when I fell in love with home exchanges and Amsterdam.

Home Exchanges

I write all about home exchanges in this blog post. They’re a great way to save money, travel longer, and live like a local— not a tourist. There’s no better way to learn about your host country’s culture and get to know its people.    

A Lucky Recommendation

I find Dutch restaurants to be especially homey, and the food options in Amsterdam are spectacular. Even so, one of my favorite memories of Amsterdam is the meal I shared with two complete strangers in their apartment. 

My exchange partner left me a note to let me know about an organization called Dine with the Dutch. Its members host visitors in their homes for dinner. It was a new concept to me, and years later I still haven’t encountered anything like it elsewhere. But in the spirit of explorative travel, I signed up.  

How it Works

I went to the Dine with the Dutch website and filled out a questionnaire. The form asked for information about me, my occupation, food dislikes, smoking, allergies, and drink preferences. The site also inquired about any special needs, my length of stay, preferred date, local address, and other details to help find a good match. 

Once a match was confirmed, I paid the company online. The current cost is 47.50 Euros per adult and 30 Euros per child aged 4-16. (Younger children are free.) Once payment was finalized, I received an email with my hosts’ names and address and directions for getting to their home. All host residences are accessible by public transportation, which is easy to navigate in Amsterdam. 

Lia and Michiel

My hosts, Lia and Michiel, were fantastic. She was a nurse, and he was a businessman with an interest in politics. We shared a phenomenal three-course meal— made with ingredients from their rooftop garden! They could not have been more gracious, and we enjoyed lively conversation for the roughly three hours we were together. (Dine with the Dutch recommends visits of 3-4 hours. Note that nearly all Dutch people speak English quite well.)  

Although you’re committing only to one dinner with no reciprocity, Lia, Michiel, and I stayed in touch afterwards. On a subsequent visit to Amsterdam, I even dropped off (by special request) some authentic Southwestern spices and peppers from Arizona. 

Locations

Dine With the Dutch has been in business more than 15 years, and hosts are now available in Utrecht, Haarlem, and Deventer as well as Amsterdam. 

The Dutch are very welcoming people and have a unique, enjoyable lifestyle. I know it will strike many Americans as unusual to host strangers from another country in your home for a 3-hour dinner, or to attend said dinner. But traveling is all about new experiences and getting outside your comfort zone. I took a chance and have no regrets.

If you’ll be in Amsterdam during a year ending in 5 or 0, check out my article about SAIL Amsterdam.