René and Ellen were very welcoming and kind. They have a binder full of personal suggestions to go to for a full Amsterdam experience. The apartment was as the pictures show. The kitchen is a low ceiling so be aware of hitting your head. We brought our 6 mo old daughter and the hosts provided a bed for her which was very thoughtful!
As for being close to the city center, you have two options to get to the middle of Amsterdam. We walked along a beautiful canal to a free ferry that shuttled us to the central station. It was about a 25 min walk. Or you can walk about 2 or 3 blocks and there is a bus stop that will take you to the central station. The ferry is free and the bus you can pay a few euro with a credit/debit card.
Overall we recommend René and Ellen as your hosts and their cozy apartment for a nice stay outside of the hustle and bustle of “downtown.”