Amstel Canal Guest House, Amsterdam

Oakleigh Guest House

Advantages: A warming, pleasant atmosphere with spotless rooms and good service
Disadvantages: Decor not particularly modern

I currently live in Stourport on Severn in the heart of Worcestershire and recently had some distant relatives come to visit for the weekend and we needed somewhere for them to stay as our house just wasn?t big enough to accommodate the whole family. In the end we decided to book a couple of rooms at the Oakleigh Guest House as I had heard good reviews on the place from friends. ~Location~ Oakleigh Guest House is situated right in the heart of Stourport on Severn town centre so is in a perfect location to access all the local amenities. However it is situated far enough away from the main High Street so that you don?t get the noise from the pubs on a Friday and Saturday Night. The guest house is situated on York Street in Stourport on Severn and is situated right next to the canal lock and overlooks the basin and river which ...

bexx0907 24.11.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Oakleigh Guest House, Stourport

Amstel Botel, Amsterdam

Advantages: Location, clean and tidy
Disadvantages: Small rooms, thin walls

I've just returned from a 3 night stay on the Amstel Botel with a friend - we are very regular visitors to the Dam. The location is fantastic - our main reason for settling on this. Turn left out of the Centraal station, a couple of minutes through the bus bays and you are there. Be careful not to slip if the metal walkway is wet! With trams, the metro, trains and buses all going from the Centraal you can pretty much get to anywhere from here. On arrival we found the receptionist more interested in talking to his female colleagues than checking us in. I don't think we made ourselves too popular asking for more hangers (there were only 2 in the room originally). The night porter is from Cape Verde and much more friendly and helpful. Breakfast is a fairly basic continental buffet, if you're expecting a full English then you will ...

maccy10 21.11.2006 (23.11.2006) · Read full review
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Review of Amstel Botel, Amsterdam

Take a canal tour and get an overview of Amsterdam

Advantages: You get a leisurely cruise through the canals, and the guides are excellent at telling you the history of Amsterdam and pointing out interesting places and architecture
Disadvantages: bit blowy outside in cooler weather if youre on one of the open ones

If this is your first trip to Amsterdam, make it a top priority to take one of the daytime canalboat trips when you first get there. Some are large and seat maybe 50 people, others are smaller and take maybe 10 or 12, but they are an excellent overview of Amsterdam and it's history. Our guide gave us a running commentary in three languages, about the history and culture of the city, and pointed out numerous places of interest and idiosyncrasies along the way. The trips are usually an hour to two hours long, and are a tranquil island in the hubbub of the hustle that is life in Amsterdam. We were enthralled by the different fascias of the buildings, marvelling at their age and ornate decorations in stone and wood. We learned why the houses are so tall and narrow, because the taxes were paid on the footage of the width. And we were ...

poet831 21.12.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Canal Tours, Amsterdam