Kate H.
Yelp
Just got back from a weekend in Amsterdam; and besides being smitten with the Dutch and their capital, I'm terribly in love with this little 4-canal house hotel in the idyllic Jordaan. It's a short walk from the central train station, which makes it a huge plus for those of us traveling via Eurostar/Hispeed.
The exterior is classic and welcoming, and when you step past the long front hallway into the bar/reception area (yep, the reception desk is at one end of the bar--score!), the senses are a bit shocked by the black walls and heavy purple drapes. But it's all very fabulous.
The staff is young, but competent and extremely helpful. Breakfast is included and pretty standard Dutch fare. There is also a beautiful garden when the weather is nice. Of course, my favorite touch is the fact that to get to the rooms, you must walk through the kitchen. The kitchen staff is very friendly and always say a quick 'hello', even if they're in the middle of dinner prep.
I shared one of the 'good' rooms with a friend--a king-sized bed, and the only one with a shower room (there are twenty-three rooms ranging from 'good' to 'exceptional'). Most of the rooms have a bath/shower in the middle of the room, which is definitely counter-intuitive in my book. If I'm not sharing a bed with someone, doesn't it also make sense that I'm not going to want to shower in front of them? However, this is my only quibble. The space iteself is beautiful with amazing lighting, ipod dock, vanity lights over the mirror, rain shower, super comfortable bed, and awesome full-size toiletries.
If you're going to be in Amsterdam, even just for a night, splurge and book a room here. You won't regret it!