My wife and I arrived in Amsterdam not knowing much about the city or the Netherlands in general. We choose Ester's apartment because the photos looked stunning and a reservation permitted access to two bikes. We were a tiny bit concerned to be staying outside of the immediate city center, but our fears proved unfounded, as the neighborhood in which the apartment is located - De Pijp - is a very short tram ride from the city's main sites.

I can't speak highly enough of the apartment. It has a long, galley feel - no separate rooms but rather one large space bi-sected with with a curtain (to separate living room/kitchen from the bedroom area). Everything inside is sleek and modern, although the building itself must be fairly long-standing. A small patio area in the back is accessible, although we did not use it because Amsterdam was frigid when we visited. High marks must be given of the bed, which is extremely comfortable, not to mention the bathtub and large shower stall.

Ester and Mark are extremely friendly hosts. They leave snacks such as cookies and crackers not to mention a few bananas and oranges for consumption, along with a bottle of wine. They both were on-hand to answer questions but otherwise left us be.

Finally, I was impressed with the De Pijp area. I noticed that other sections of the city, closer to Dam Square and the Anne Frank house were completely overrun with tourists, but the neighborhood surrounding the apartment is slightly more serene, although still busy thanks to the Albert Cuyp market around the corner. We had fun wandering around, as the area is full of restaurants, but not overwhelmingly so. A small park around the corner is nice for a stroll as well.

All in all, we had a great time here, and highly recommend it to would-be travelers thinking of visiting Amsterdam.