Daniel was an exceptional host! I was primarily happy because of the following 3 characteristics:

1) Friendliness and knowledgeability of the host -- Along with my reservation I received very carefully laid out instructions to arrive at Daniel's doorstep and he was right there waiting for me when and where he said he would be. One evening Daniel invited me to drink a beer with him and he shared his personal story about arriving in Amsterdam years ago and what attracted him to the city. We also spent time talking about the culture of Holland and how its position as a trading port influenced the ideals of the city. Daniel had good recommendations for how and when to see various tourist spots and had some alternative recommendations (local pools, bibliotech (library), etc...).

2) Cleanliness of the place -- Daniel's apartment is spotless. The particular room was very well cared-for and had all of the accessories needed.

3) All the "little extras" -- Daniel opened a fresh pair of slippers for me upon arrival. He also had a nicely laid out tea/coffee set in the room, 3 different tour books about Amsterdam which helped me plan my days, a plastic map which I could carry throughout the adventures, a bicycle available to rent, matching set of shampoo/conditioner/lotion in the bathroom, etc... an adapter for my US plugs. Everything was well thought-out and Daniel gave a lot of attention to make sure that the visit was superb.