Perfect Hotel for Exploring Amsterdam

I was on a mission to find the perfect hotel for exploring Amsterdam for Michelle & Russell, who are visiting Europe for the first time in April.

They will be doing an Enchanting Rhine river cruise with AmaWaterways that I recommended, with a few nights before the cruise in Switzerland.

Michelle is celebrating her 50th birthday and wanted to see Europe in style!  Her sister and brother-in-law will be joining them for the celebration.

This beautiful cruise ends in Amsterdam and they want to stay a couple of extra nights to end their experience with a bang. So, off I go to find the perfect hotel for exploring Amsterdam.

The main area of the city is Dam Square, where there are many notable buildings and frequent cultural events.  Surrounding this area are several of the famous canals which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  I knew I wanted to find something here, so they would have beautiful views and be able to explore the city easily.

After all my research, I decided to recommend the Hotel Estherea.  I just got off the phone with Arjan Janssen, one of the managers at the Hotel Estherea to find out more.

The small Hotel Estherea, with only 93 rooms and 2 suites, is right on the first canal, Singel Canal, which is one of the most important downtown locations in the city center.  Classic rooms overlook a green courtyard.  Deluxe rooms are a bit larger and overlook the courtyard or Spuistreet behind the hotel.  Canal rooms are at the front of the hotel and overlook Singel Canal.  Larger family rooms have the same views as the Deluxe rooms and have up to three beds.  There are 2 luxurious suites with impressive mahogany paneling and extravagant chandeliers.

One guest from Texas commented “Such a quaint place to stay in Amsterdam!!! I would definitely stay here again!!! The rooms are all different but each is gorgeously decorated with beautiful fabrics, chandeliers, and gorgeous furnishings and pillows. It feels like a beautiful home rather than a hotel. “

Although in a great downtown location, this hotel is still in a quiet spot, on a small street.  There are beautiful shops nearby that you won’t find in any big city—except Amsterdam, that is.

Dam Square is just a five minute walk away and the Anne Frank House only 10-12 minutes. The beautiful and newly renovated Rijksmuseum is 20-25 minutes away. The Flower Market, which is open seven days a week, is less than ten minutes away.  The hotel has a couple of bikes that they rent to guests for exploring.

I learned that this is a third-generation, family owned hotel and it’s obvious that they run it with great pride.  One of the owners, Esther, is responsible for the decorations. She is constantly changing the wallpaper or replacing the carpet, as well as other details, to keep everything fresh and interesting and in good shape. Arjan described it as different decorations, but with the same ambiance.

They bring fresh flowers every week for the lobby.  Complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate is available for the guests all the time and pastries and cookies are provided after noon. Each room gets two bottles of complimentary mineral water daily. There is a cool bar that serves cocktails and small snacks from 5-12 PM daily.

On check-in, every guest gets an iPad with information about the hotel and information on excursions. There is also a small gym in the basement.

A canal cruise should be a must on any visit here.  Another day trip off the beaten path is recommended by my daughter, Rachel.  She and a friend did a beautiful bike ride from Amsterdam to Marken, a quaint fishing village, via the free Buiksloterwegveer ferry.   She says this is absolutely one of the best things she did on her 30-day tour of Europe a few years ago.  One their way, they also went to a wooden shoe factory, where they saw wooden shoes being made.  The ride is long, but not strenuous at all, because it’s all flat.  It’s beautiful the entire time.

In spring, the Keukenhof, known as the Garden of Europe, opens for about two months and is the world’s second largest flower garden following Dubai Miracle Garden. It’s less than two hours away from Amsterdam. Flower lovers will enjoy the most beautiful and flower-packed day imaginable.

After learning all this, I’m definitely recommending that they get a canal view room and perhaps, stay an additional night, so they can go to the Keukenhof or do that beautiful bike ride.

If you’re considering a romantic river cruise on the Rhine or want to explore Western Europe, I can help make your trip stress-free, luxurious and unforgettable.  To get started, simply call me at 800-733-7471 and tell me what you dream of doing.  Or, click here to tell me about it in writing and select a phone appointment time that works best for you!  I get pretty excited about putting fabulous trips together for couples, so that they’ll come back saying “Sheila, we had the best experience ever”!