So, we tried walking to the AIRBNB from Amsterdam Central Station...big mistake!! We had two big bags, two carry on bags, and a camera bag. We put the address into Google Maps and headed on our way!! It was supposed to be about a 30 minute trek, but it turned into about an hour long, sweaty, miserable journey! We were delayed because of construction, a faulty bridge and inaccurate directions from Google. Google took us to the Little Amstel Boat, which is just under a half a mile south of where this AIRBNB is located. When we got to the wrong location we contacted Petra, who we dealt with for a portion of the time leading up to our trip. We explained where we were and she told us how to make it to the right location. Once we arrived, we were greeted by Petra and given a quick tour of facilities. While the space is somewhat small, it was perfect for my wife and me! We put away our luggage and settled in on the deck on top of the boat and all our frustration melted away, instantly! The deck was a fantastic spot to people watch and watch the boats go by in the Amstel River! Especially magical at night with the lights from the bridge casting light onto the water!
Everything is in walking distance to this location and we enjoyed seeing all the beautiful buildings and taking in the history of the city as we walked along the streets.
Our stay just happened to coincide with the third hottest day in the history of Amsterdam. We were slightly concerned because the lodging does not have air conditioning, just a fan to cool down the inside. Turns out it wasn't an issue because the fan provided enough air movement and having some of the windows open allowed a nice cross breeze to cool the area down and allow a pleasant night's sleep.
Laying in the bed looking around our room made me wonder the stories that this boat could tell me of it's previous life! It truly was a unique and wonderful experience!
A big thank you to Hans and Petra for making our visit to Amsterdam so special!