Living in The Hague

Some_randomer

Hi - I just applied for a job based in The Hague which would probably be starting in April. I have no idea how many are in for it or if I have the remotest chance of getting it, but presuming I do then I want to find out more about the place.

I've browsed the site for the past half hour and can't find much info on the place at all. So some questions:

- Has anyone ever lived there and if so what's it like as a place to live?
- Is there much in the way of social / night life or is it all suits and bureaucracy?
- Apart form drinking is there much to do recreation wise i.e. outdoor sport etc.
- How's the weather?
- Being a single male are there many opportunities to meet single girls?
- Typically what's the cost of rent / beer / food?


TIA

Some_randomer

Anyone?

keithclancy

- Has anyone ever lived there and if so what's it like as a place to live?

Yup we've lived there. Its ok, don't get into the Expat only community, try to get to know some Dutch people, make learning Dutch your first priority, pretend you do not speak English when in shops etc, don't give them the option of speaking English.

Public transport is excellent.

Can be a pain to find accomodation thats decent and not a rip off.

If you get into only Expat community all the friends you make will leave every 6 months/2 years.

- Is there much in the way of social / night life or is it all suits and bureaucracy?

Yup, lots of bars, only 2 late nights ones,
De Paap.
De Pijperlaan.

Both basically drinking holes. ASTA is the big night club on Spui, never went in there in my years there lots of kids queueing up

- Apart form drinking is there much to do recreation wise i.e. outdoor sport etc.

You've Scheveningen out the road, big beach.
De Uithof is great, Rock Climbing, Karting, Skating.. all sorts.

Theres lots to do and rotterdam is only down the road also.

- How's the weather?

Same as Ireland.

- Being a single male are there many opportunities to meet single girls?

Lots of opportunites, lots of guys get taken advantage of, lots of girls around looking for a free ride (never was in that position myself, moved over with my missus) just saw allot of it happen.

You just need to look after yourself and make sure things are right for you, same as in Ireland. Lots of Contractors on big money in the Hague working for Shell, the EPO, T-Systems etc, bound to draw a few wierdos

- Typically what's the cost of rent / beer / food?

Rent - We were paying 760 a month for an unfurnished 75sqm apartment in the Center, don't go for the Rental agencies targetting expats, you will get royally ripped off.

Beer - Beer in the Supermarkets etc is about 30 - 40% cheaper than Ireland.
In bars the beer is around the same price, spirits are a little bit cheaper.

Food - Depends where you shop, its around the same as Ireland really, heres in order of most expensive to cheapest.

Expat Shops
Albert Heijn
C1000
Jumbo
Lidl
Aldi


Anyways the Hague is ok, just remember its a City if you need to know anything, drop me a PM, probably been through it myself.

When renting, you might see a few properties from Duinzigt, careful, some are in nice spots, some are in absolute sh*tholes. (Zuiderpark, Oudermaanstrat etc)

Some_randomer

Thanks @Keith..you're not painting that rosy a picture I have to say, doesn't sound like the nirvana I was hoping for

Setun

Some_randomer wrote: »

Hi - I just applied for a job based in The Hague which would probably be starting in April. I have no idea how many are in for it or if I have the remotest chance of getting it, but presuming I do then I want to find out more about the place.

I've browsed the site for the past half hour and can't find much info on the place at all. So some questions:

- Has anyone ever lived there and if so what's it like as a place to live?
- Is there much in the way of social / night life or is it all suits and bureaucracy?
- Apart form drinking is there much to do recreation wise i.e. outdoor sport etc.
- How's the weather?
- Being a single male are there many opportunities to meet single girls?
- Typically what's the cost of rent / beer / food?


TIA

Actually I disagree with some of the negative points keithclancy mentioned.

Accommodation seems to be significantly cheaper than it is in Ireland. He's right about the rental agencies - they're ridiculous, and you could end up paying them one month's rent as a "finder's fee" for an apartment, plus random extra charges. If you know anybody over here already, you'd be much better off asking them to listen out if they know of anything themselves. Also if you do get an unfurnished apartment you can furnish it quite cheaply using a dutch equivalent of adverts.ie called marktplaats.nl - it's very common amongst the dutch to furnish an apartment in this way in my experience! Some areas of Den Haag are quite run down, so do plenty of research about the various districts before you sign anything

As for the nightlife - you have the Plein which is for a more reserved and sophisticated crowd. You also have Grote Markt, which is more youthful and energetic - basically it's a square with about 5 pubs, each pub having a different specialty. Both are good fun in my opinion. There are nightclubs also - the biggest being Paard van Troje with international bands/djs passing through.

Culturally there are lots of interesting galleries, performance spaces with lesser-known international and local musicians performing occasionally, and there are two great theatres. As for sport there are plenty of football clubs around, snooker/pool, tennis, rowing. Totally depends what you're into, but it is probably catered for somewhere in the area.

I thought what Keith said about the women is a bit unfair - I'm in a long term relationship so I can't exactly speak from experience, but I can't believe that the majority of dutch women are just looking for a free ride! It is a very multi-cultural city, so people are generally very open-minded and I have met some great people since moving here. Keith makes a great point about only befriending expats - do your best to get involved with an clubs/meetup groups or any other opportunity to get to know the locals.

As for food and beer, I agree with what has already been said. Generally it's cheaper than Ireland in my experience, especially beer from the supermarket. 6 Hoegaarden for approx €3 - can't go wrong

keithclancy

Daddio wrote: »

Actually I disagree with some of the negative points keithclancy mentioned.

Accommodation seems to be significantly cheaper than it is in Ireland. He's right about the rental agencies - they're ridiculous, and you could end up paying them one month's rent as a "finder's fee" for an apartment, plus random extra charges. If you know anybody over here already, you'd be much better off asking them to listen out if they know of anything themselves. Also if you do get an unfurnished apartment you can furnish it quite cheaply using a dutch equivalent of adverts.ie called marktplaats.nl - it's very common amongst the dutch to furnish an apartment in this way in my experience! Some areas of Den Haag are quite run down, so do plenty of research about the various districts before you sign anything

Theres also the Kringloop, they have second hand furniture for sale as really low prices, theres a few in the Center of the Hague with one over towards Holland Spoor thats quite large.

As for the nightlife - you have the Plein which is for a more reserved and sophisticated crowd. You also have Grote Markt, which is more youthful and energetic - basically it's a square with about 5 pubs, each pub having a different specialty. Both are good fun in my opinion. There are nightclubs also - the biggest being Paard van Troje with international bands/djs passing through.

The Plein is nice on a sunny day.

5 of those bars on Grote Markt are owned by the same crowd Roots and the Boterwaag are ok, the rest are all the same.

The Fiddler is the Pits, expensive crappy beer and the toilets look like a rape hole.

'De Paard van Troje (The Trojan Horse)' is a good spot, the bar is ok too, we used to live on the same block

Theres a few bars down on Bierkade, Cafe De Paas is nice in the summer, they have a barge moored up with a load of chairs on it, and a selection of 185 beers.

Our best discovery was a squat bar on Boekhorststraat, it was all boarded up, but if you pushed a hidden button the door popped open and there was a bar inside open till all hours serving bottled beer.

My point being in the Dutch Grand scheme of things the Hague is a very quiet spot to go out, with little open after 12 O'Clock, everyone that wants to stay out late ends up in De Paap or De Pijperlaan.

Culturally there are lots of interesting galleries, performance spaces with lesser-known international and local musicians performing occasionally, and there are two great theatres. As for sport there are plenty of football clubs around, snooker/pool, tennis, rowing. Totally depends what you're into, but it is probably catered for somewhere in the area.

Theres a good pool/snooker hall at Immunitehaven near Spui, table service too.

I thought what Keith said about the women is a bit unfair - I'm in a long term relationship so I can't exactly speak from experience, but I can't believe that the majority of dutch women are just looking for a free ride! It is a very multi-cultural city, so people are generally very open-minded and I have met some great people since moving here. Keith makes a great point about only befriending expats - do your best to get involved with an clubs/meetup groups or any other opportunity to get to know the locals.

Mate ... I never mentioned it was the Dutch The Dutch are Grand, its the rest of us that turn up that create this environment.

Like I said, I've seen it happen, but I've also seen it happen in Dublin as well, people being taken advantage of when they have more money than sense.

As for food and beer, I agree with what has already been said. Generally it's cheaper than Ireland in my experience, especially beer from the supermarket. 6 Hoegaarden for approx €3 - can't go wrong

Yup, Cheap.
The Dutch are really into cheap beer

http://www.goedkoopbier.nl/bieraanbiedingen

This guy is subletting his place for 6 months in a nice spot.
http://www.netherrent.com/detail/van-bylandtstraat--the-hague/

965 / month inc utilites isn't half bad for the area and its would give you 6 months to get settled and find someplace else.

PM me if you want his details, I don't think i'm allowed to post them here

Setun

Must check out that squat bar - is there a secret knock?

That pool/snooker hall is great, good atmosphere. Only complaint is that they constantly play a station called Radio Veronica which plays the top 50 charts from various years throughout the 80s and 90s all the time!

What work were you going over here Keith, out of interest?

keithclancy

Daddio wrote: »

Must check out that squat bar - is there a secret knock?

That pool/snooker hall is great, good atmosphere. Only complaint is that they constantly play a station called Radio Veronica which plays the top 50 charts from various years throughout the 80s and 90s all the time!

What work were you going over here Keith, out of interest?

Argh .. Hate Veronica Radio!
Its the only good Dutch TV Station for shows though.

Sometimes I wonder if the Top 10 in Ireland and the UK just took 10-20 years to reach the Netherlands

Was working in IT in the Hague, working in Germany now, but living in Eindhoven

Its a bit different down here in Brabant.

That squat bar is here link

There was no secret knock .. more like a big guy sticking his head out the door .. a slurred "Goeienavond" a nod and then walk in.

No idea if its still there ... been a year now since we moved !