Veni Vidi Vici

My friend, my daughter and her boyfriend were all up for a suggested end-of-summer adventure in Amsterdam before returning to work and school respectively. Niels’ boat house was just the best place and the perfect location for our weekend away. A large chalet or perhaps cabin, the boat house sits in the canal, accessed by steps down from the canal side. (Don’t worry about dropping the key – it’s attached to a ball of cork!). There is wooden flooring throughout, a spacious living room, large inviting dining table, and huge windows looking out over the canal. There are two bedrooms, one very cosy but with a double-bed, a bathroom with state-of-the-art shower, small utility room or perhaps big utility cupboard, and a delightful terrace where my friend and I ate breakfast every morning, sitting in the sun. The boat house makes great use of space and has an uncluttered Scandanavian-style, while at the same time feeling warm and homely. The kitchen is really well stocked with utensils. It is a short distance from Niels’ place to Anne Frank’s house, and a little further, the centre of Amsterdam. The main museums are less than 30 minutes walk away, down café-lined streets though of course, you could hire a bike to get there. (Everyone cycles and often several children accompany their parent, strapped to the back seat or plopped into the front basket.) On the other side of the canal from the boat house is a small park with a bar and outdoor seating and well-stocked, late-night shop can be found just a couple of streets away. That said, do try to make time for an evening stroll along the Browersgracht waterway, where the canal bridges are lit up and there are spout-neck gables galore. Niels arranged for a host to meet us at the boat house, since we arrived on a late flight, but he had left us a welcoming note and bottle of wine, and he emailed the next morning to check that all was okay. Niels’ visitors book is testament to just how enjoyable it is to stay in his home and the’ determination of guests to come back and stay again. You can count us amongst those visitors, Niels. Thank you so much for letting us stay, we had a wonderful time.

We had a great family week on Niels' houseboat. The weather was ideal in this Easter week, we were able to enjoy the view of the living room on the canal, from the terrace. We were able to observe the inhabitants of Amsterdam on their boats, sailing with friends or family. It was a very pleasant moment. The location of the houseboat is ideal, near the Anne Frank museum, the Jordaan and the various tram lines, which allowed us to go to the different areas of Amsterdam very easily. The houseboat is very well equipped and comfortable, and Niels being very welcoming, we quickly felt at ease. We recommend this rental for its comfort, its beautiful view and its location.

We really enjoyed the days on Niels' houseboat. It is centrally located. We walked into the old town every day, and it's not far to the Anne Frankhaus or the museums. Vis-a-vis is a small but nice park and the Vondelpark is only a few minutes' walk away. The terrace was wonderful and we made full use of it every evening. The only thing is that the owner lives on the houseboat himself and leaves that to us for a few days, we had overlooked that and therefore did not expect it. A little more shelves or free storage space would have been nice, but we were also 4 girls who had luggage with us. All in all it was a nice stay!

We had a very good stay at the houseboat. The host was very friendly and the terrace is perfect in summer. Everything you need is nearby. Enjoy!