The Morning Star - city centre houseboat studio

The Morning Star is a nice hidden gem.  Close to Central Station and within walking distance to many attraction in Amsterdam.  The Morning Star was clean and has enough room for 2 people. Although Maarten was away while we were there, he had a very nice friend look after us. 

Near to centrum, very clean and comfy. Thank you :)

Stayed 3 nights on the Morningstar. Great location near the centre but also nice and quiet at night so got very peaceful sleep. This is quite hard to do in hotels near the centre as they tend to be quite noisy. The bed and room were very comfortable to spend time in.

The host and owner Maarten was very helpful in sorting out a few minor issues as they arose. Eg it’s a bit difficult to see the boat among other boats when you first arrive on the pier but he was around so a quick call fixed that problem as he came out to collect me.

He also promptly responded to an email requests like topping up the tea/coffee etc.

With Netflix also available in the room it was often difficult to actually get out of the comfy bed and go out to see Amsterdam!

I guess the only possible downside of the boat vs a hotel is not being able to leave your luggage somewhere secure on the last day but this wasn’t a problem for me as Maarten allowed me to stay until 2pm then I had to leave Amsterdam anyway.

very nice and clean room. great location.

Very good experience!

Traveling alone with my young son, we loved our location and accommodations.  It would also be ideal for a solo traveler or a couple.  We were in a very short walk to Central Amsterdam and a fun walk to all sites. The accommodations were first rate. We had everything we needed and then some. The owner was extremely responsive. I highly recommend this one of a kind experience.  Kristen and Anson

We always wanted to stay on a boat and totally loved this experience. The place was very clean, spacious, and close to everything. 

Our stay on Marten‘s houseboat was a real pleasure. A lovely designed room with a extraordinary bathroom including a waterfall shower. We really enjoyed our trip to Amsterdam, thanks to you Marten!

very close to the train station- very clean great bathroom- high ceilings - quiet and very agreeable host 

had an enjoyable experience aboard the houseboat. Maarten was very nice and the room was prepared nicely. It was quite simple but sufficient and clean. Guest account setup for Netflix was nice to have when winding down at night. Pretty quick walk from Central Station. Would reccomend

Just back from 3 nights on the Morning Star where we really enjoyed our stay. Spotlessly clean and lovely and warm. It got great natural light and shower was great. It is really central to everything and only a short walk from central station. Would highly recommend staying here.

He Marteen

We are really happy about our trip to your nice houseboat and that we could spent our days in such a  comfortable and pretty place. The boat is so close to the city but also so quiet and has its own atmosphere. We saw a lot of the city and we were always happy to come back to your nice houseboat in the evening.

Thanks for picking us as guests and we hope that we can come back for one more time (or more...) 

Greetings from Natascha and Nadine 

It was really great staying there!

The houseboat itself was beautiful and a very clean location where you can feel at home for a weekend-stay. And the Location was just perfect to explore the amazing city!

Thanks Maarten and best regards,

Sebastian + Isabel

The Morning Start is a lovely houseboat in a fantastic location: it is in the city center yet very quiet. It's a very comfortable place and great base to explore Amsterdam.  

We decided to spend our 34th wedding anniversary in the heart of Amsterdam and Maarten's houseboat was perfect for our needs.  The newly-renovated cabin was cozy and very comfortable.

We had an amazing stay on this newly renovated houseboat. The location is just perfect, and it will be even cooler during the summer when all the trees and plants are green again. You have all the privacy you can possibly ask for, we didn't even notice that the host lives on the same boat. You have your own entrance to the front of the ship and this is such a cool place. It really has character, loads of it ;-) The bathroom is really nice and the shower is comfortably big. Also it is cool that the place is really light thanks to the windows in the ceiling. Thanks for having us, we will be back in september!

We spent several nights on Maarten's houseboat. The arrival and departure was well organized and went without any problems. The room in the houseboat was very clean and nicely decorated. We especially liked the small bathroom with the rain shower. Relaxation on vacation is also booked here. If an accommodation deserves 5 stars, it is Maarten's houseboat.

We stayed with Maarten for three nights and had a great time. Thank you for letting us know and congratulations on the renovation of this houseboat!

Mario

We stayed for 3 nights in this superb accommodation on the Maarten houseboat. Very clean, well appointed and tastefully decorated. The barge is extremely well located, within walking distance of all the major attractions of the city, while being quiet. I would definitely recommend this accommodation, we will be back.

Staying with Maarten was a real treat. He created a very private and cozy place that made us feel very welcome. The space is very well designed and the wooden walls create a very warm atmosphere. Even though it was freezing outside during our stay, inside it was very comfortable thanks to great heating and the very nice big bed. Compliments for the bathroom with the big shower - very convenient. And last but not least: the location. It is just a few minutes walking from central station so very easy if you travel by train (like us). We enjoyed every minute of it and will be back one day or another for sure. Thanks for being a great host Maarten!

My son and I had a great stay in Amsterdam and two wonderful nights onboard the Morningstar. All sights are in a walking distance, the boat is very comfortable, we had all we needed and more than that! The contact to the owner Maarten before and during our stay was very friendly, we got all helpful informations we needed in advance, even individual restaurant recommendations. When we‘ll return to Amsterdam it‘s going to be the Morningstar again!

lovely houseboat in a great location just a few minutes walk from central station. 

Loved our stay in The Morning Star! Super central and walkable, the interior was very clean and modern. Maarten was friendly and easy to communicate with. Would definitely recommend. 

We had a very nice stay on The Morning Star! Much bigger space than we were expecting, very clean, comfortable and in a great location! 

We had a great time at this floating home and highly recommend it. Just like on the pictures, and maybe even better :-) 

My friend and I decided to have a belated birthday get away and where better to go... Amsterdam.

I somehow stumbled upon Bookahouseboat and thought "why not".

Before we arrived Maarten, the owner of the boat was absolutely fantastic. He emailed me with all the necessary information and couldn't be more helpful or attentive.

When we arrived Maartens' boat was easy to find and its location was so central.

The Morning Star has been done to a very high spec and has everything you would need. As well as being very comfortable, it was lovely and warm.

I will definitely be staying again.

Thank you very much Maarten you made us feel very welcome.

Take care, hopefully see you soon x

We had a fabulous stay with Maarten, he was a lovely & welcoming host with great communication before & during our stay. There are some great details in the property, you can see a lot of time & effort has been put in as mentioned in other reviews. Would definitely recommend & we will look to stay here the next time we are in Amsterdam. Thanks again Maarten!

Maarten's houseboat was the perfect place for a "city-break" weekend.  Location was convenient and quiet.  The room clean and bed comfy.  A real find!

The house boat is in the center of city and less than 1km far from the center station. The room is bigger than normal hotels and the hot water is fast. There are some shops and supermarkets nearby. Wifi is fast and stable.

The room has no windows and the heating in the room works a few hours then automatically turns off, therefore the room temperature is not able to keep very warm, but generally 20 degrees.

Maarten is a great host, attentive and helpful without hovering.  The room on the Morning Star is well laid out and comfortable.  The location is an easy walk from the train station and is well placed to explore a myriad of different areas and neighborhoods.  Definitely check it out!

The Morning Star is a beautiful houseboat. Location was convenient (walking distance from the Amsterdam Central Station) and we did not have any trouble finding it. From inside, it was very clean and has a cabin-like feel to it which my wife and I loved. Also, we loved how bright it was, thanks to the skylights! We had only booked one night which was not enough to fully enjoy the houseboat. However, we are glad that we experienced this unique style of living. Maarten, the houseboat owner, had made all the arrangements for us with detailed instructions on how to get in & out and enjoy the houseboat. We couldn't meet him as he was out of country, however, he had ensured that his friend was around to help us with anything we needed. It was our first time staying in a houseboat and we really enjoyed it! Highly recommended!

It was a wonderful stay at The Morning Star, the room is absolutely beautiful and it really makes you have the compete Amsterdam experience! We had an amazing stay, and one of the best things is that it is walking distance from everything so we just walked the whole vacation!

It was a verry pleasant stay at this boot. Everything what you need was there. The boot self was very clean en neat. Overall it was a verry fantastic stay at this place.

We had a great time on the boat. It is located ideal for a city trip, close to Amsterdam centraal and the centre of Amsterdam. And the host was very friendly and helpful.  

My boyfriend and I had a great time. Can only recommend 

We have been so fortunate to be Maartens first guest. He told that he has renovated the whole ship over the last 8 months and the result is just astonishing. The location just could not be better: just minutes away from central station, but the quay itself is really cosy and quiet. I just could not believe that you would find such a hidden gem in the city centre. Once you get on the boat, you enter the studio in the front of the ship. It is surprisingly wide and light, and the wooden walls really create a warm atmosphere. We thoroughly enjoyed relaxing here both on the couch and the queen size bed - a true love nest! I want to give Maarten a big personal thumbs up for all the choices he has made during the renovation: keeping the large roof windows to let in lots of light, choosing for a luxury bathroom, emphasize the shape of the hull and keep the nautical character of the 'Morning star'. And as soon as you get off the ship, there are so many things to do within walking distance! By far the best Amsterdam experience we have ever had!

Jonathan and Kim - Nottingham

The Morning Star is very comfortable with a great shower room. It felt very fitting to sleep on as canal boat in this city of canals. Thankyou Maarten for the care you have clearly put into refurbishing the cabin. 

We spent two nights on the Morning Star - the room is wonderfully bright and comfortably furnished, the bathroom is very modern and the rain shower is a real bonus. Towels, hair dryer and bed linen are provided, so you have everything you need for a short vacation in beautiful Amsterdam. The location of the boat is perfect, it is a few minutes walk from the main train station and the city center with many sights within easy walking distance. Nevertheless, it is very quiet at night. Maarten is a helpful and very friendly host, at the same time you have your privacy and you don't really notice that he lives on the same boat. We can definitely recommend the Morning Star and would love to come back!