I stayed in Alex's apartment for a weekend while traveling for work and it was great place for exploring the city, while also having some space and sanctuary for myself. Amsterdam is very compact and charming city, and this is a good area to absorb that. It is full of restaurants and shops and Alex provided some good recommendations, including renting a bike. While compact, the open style of the apartment works well the garden and yard--after exploring the city you could easily have an enjoyable picnic outside with food and drinks from the shops nearby. Everything went smoothly and Alex was very easy to communicate with.