Canal House

We fell in love with this small but unique hotel. The breakfast service was great, continental or to order. We enjoyed more than one afternoon in the remarkably beautiful garden. Its in a great area, Jordaan, with wonderful restaurants nearby. The staff is young, energetic and very helpful. The rooms are very modern although the building was built in the 1700s. The shower/​tub opening to the bedroom is intended to be romantic but I’ll take my privacy. Still I give it the highest rating for being innovative, interesting and just good eye candy. If you have mobility issues its probably not the place for you because it is a true Canal House, narrow and tall and the stairs are steep. There is an elevator but you must travel up and down stairs to get there. I hope to visit again.

Be aware. This is a true «canal house» and the stairs to your room may be steep, small, and potentially dangerous for some. We did not have any issues, but if you plan to be overly inebriated during your stay, or a bit elderly, or disabled, then take this into consideration. Other than that, this place was very serene, uniquely decorated, and truly a pleasure to call home during one of our recent visits. I would definitely stay there again.

We were in Amsterdam for a birthday party — the Canal House was chosen by the birthday girl and it couldn’t have been lovelier. The staff is quiet and unassuming yet willing to help in any way you might need. The hotel is in a great location — close to all the action yet quiet. (except for the damned church bells that toll every 15 minutes!!) Amsterdam is such a great walking city and from here you can get just about anywhere you would want to be in 15 – 20 minutes. We are already looking forward to our next trip to Amsterdam and staying at the Canal House again.

We stayed in the Best room which was basically a canal view suite on the top floor.
First the downsides:
= The room is laid out quite strangely — very long.
= The drain in the shower was clogged, which for some reason I didn’t complain about till our stay was half over. The room would fill with water every time we showered. Once I did mention something it was fixed straight away.
= The heating system was changed mid-​week and we couldn’t figure out how to heat the room properly (and neither could Housekeeping).
= The staff was nice, but far too apologetic. I would prefer something to be done rather than you just apologizing why it isn’t being done.
= Very poor dinner service. Very expensive wines, über fishy fish, and ridiculously undercooked beef. And nothing was even done to adjust the very expensive bill after we complained.
The upsides:
= The hotel is gorgeous!
= Morning breakfast and restaurant area is perfect to wake up to. We were able to have breakfast brought to us one morning and it was the best.
= Room service was wonderful.
= Super comfy bed and fabulous canal views.
= Great turndown service with little snacks left every few nights.
= The hotel is gorgeous!
We visit Amsterdam every year and I think this is the newest and most modern hotel in the Jordaan. We are already planning on returning this year.

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!