Apartement Amsterdam - Péniche Amsterdam - Location Apartement

This is a gorgeous houseboat and the offered accomodation is very comfortable. We had a fantastic time, the owners (Hans and Ben) are super hospitable (thank you for the cake and cookies and all the tasty treats in the fridge), and the rooms were offered in a very clean condition -- our 9-month old had a great time crawling around and looking at the wildlife through the large living room windows. We left our car at the Park & Ride for 8 euros per day (it is about 5 min drive from the houseboat), got a bicycle as part of the P&R deal, and had quick access to the VU and the city. The location is great and very quiet and we will certainly come back again. The view from the living room windows is fantastic and the bedroom is very quiet since it is downstairs and isolated from any noise. One little remark: the accomodation is offered as non-smoking, which is great, but there is some lingering cigarette smoke in the hallway as one enters the houseboat (but not in the living room or bedroom).

We had a nice stay in this place. Ben was very kind and helpful. The place was quiet.
We enjoyed the homemade cake.

Alexandrine and Franck

We can only strongly recommend Willem Boathouse, it was a truly luxurious boat in a very quiet and tranquil area of the city. The water on one side and the trees on the other made a superb location. But on the other hand it was only a 5 minute walk to the tram and a 10 minute journey to the city itself. Our hosts Hans and Ben were very welcoming and always on hand with valuable advice. They had prepared a welcome pack in the fridge for our arrival, and welcomed us back in the evening with a delicious homeade cake ready on the table. What else is there to say except that it wss a thoroughly relaxing and laid back place to stay - home from home.

A calm oasis just a short step away from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam city. The houseboat was excellent in every way, and Hans & Ben were the most welcoming hosts, nothing was too much for them. Looking forward to come back

it was an amasing week we were on boat b021. we were wormly welcome by hans,The fridge was generously stocked with food and drinks, coffee, tea, there was milk for coffee and some fruits. it was really easy to get to the centre by tram no' 2. it was wonderful every day to come back to the peace and quiet of the boat and the surroundings. it was rainy all the week but inside the boat it was warm and quiet and we spend a lot of time looking out to the water through the huge french windows watcing the ducks and swans. Our hosts Ben and Hans were charming. when i asked hans for a place to wash our dishes he said "you are on holiday, it's my job to do this" in the evening, when we came back, every thing was in it's place, clean. the nearby supermarket is very well stocked. saturday evening Hans put very tasted on our table , it was a nice surprise. the computer in our room was very useful.no daubt - on our next yisit to amsterdam we 'll come back to this fantastic accomodatin and we will recommend it to every one.
thank you, hans and ben.

A very nice and close to brandnew Houseboat. The location is very quite (only little boat traffic, no cars, no pedestrians and no partygoer) and close to the Olympiastudium. The tram to town takes 20 min plus 5 min walk. The owner is staying in the same place, does the dishes and keeps the place extremely clean. We enjoyed the stay.

Gut das wir uns für "Willem" entschieden haben. Wir sind damals jeden abend 'nach hause' gegangen und nicht in eine unterkunft.

Wir haben jeden tag hier genossen und würden in Amsterdam immer wieder gerne hier übernachten.

Es gibt sehr viele hausboote hier aber keines ist so wonderschön wie WILLEM. Wir hatten ein paar sehr schöne Tage in Amsterdam und werden diese zeit nie vergessen.

Fantastische tage auf den hausboot. Wir haben uns in Amsterdam noch nie so wohlgefühlt. Vollen kühlschrank, die bedienung, die leckerneien und die pirivate bootstour!! Das hausboot Willem ist das 'schönste' von allen, und die vermieter die 'nettesten'. Wie werde diese tage (bei relativ schönen wetter) nie vergessen. Und wenn wir dürfen, werden wir auch gerne wieder kommen.

fantastic accommodation very clean and nicely presented loved being on the water seeing the ducks and baby ones ben and hans left us a scrumptious intro to european breakfasts yummy cheese and salami with bread great location loved the local shops have a drink at the magpie bar and chat to locals each night hans and ben left us surprise food treats 10/10

Great location, locals are fantastic, very helpful, great little shopping area, cheeseshop and "magpiebar". Loved everything about Willem, we will give 10 out of 10 for making our stay hassle free. We will definitely like too stay here again.

Wir hatten wunderschöne Tage an Bord des Hausboots "Willem". Die ruhige und doch gut angebundene Lage haben den Urlaub perfekt gemacht. Wir hatten sehr sonnige Tage die wir zur Erkundung der Stadt gut nutzen konnten. Der abendliche Blick direkt vom Sofa auf die Schinkel hat das ganze noch abgerundet. Wir haben uns bei Ben & Hans sehr wohlgefühlt und die familiäre Atmosphäre genossen.

We had a wonderful week long stay aboard Willem. It was the perfect base for exploring Amsterdam. We loved the fact tat we were in a neighbourhood area so we got a glimpse of how people live; it was really easy to get to the centre either on the tram or walking through the beautiful Vondel Park. At the end of every very busy day it was perfect to come back to the peace and quiet of Willem and the surroundings. The weather was really cold but Willem was so cosy and warm and it was so special to look out onto the water through the huge french windows. A walk along the banks is recommended.It was fascinating to look at all the different houseboats.O ur hosts Ben and Hans were charmng. On hand if we needed them but totally respected our privacy. The boat is immaculately clean and has everything you need for preparing simple food, the nearby supermarket is very well stocked, there are many interesting take away type shops and a fantastic wholefood shop in the area. Hans fed us up on sweet homemade treats and Ben did our washing up everyday!! The fridge was generously stocked with food for breakfast on our arrival.
We made great friends with the ducks and we were really sad to say bye bye to them.
The only thing we would change woud be to have a double bed instead of 2 singles pushed together. Maybe a couple of floor cushions in the sitting room or a beanbag would be nice too for river viewing.
Wilem was fantastic sometimes we just felt tempted to put our feet up and stay at 3home3 watching the world go by on the canal. Highly recommended

We had such a lovely stay here in Amsterdam, we were very sad to leave. WILLEM is set in the perfect location. We almost didn't want to go out some days. We have become very fond of the ducks, especially the two coots who come racing over to the window when they see us. We have nicknamed them 'Ben and Jerry'. The weather has been fantastic but very cold, however, WILLEM is super duper cosy and we have loved returning to the warmth and peace after the busyness of the city everyday. We have deeply appreciated the groceries on arrival, the 'apple crumble (yummy!!!) and the washing up being done.

Dank für die unvergeslichen tage auf eurem hausboot. Wir haben uns wie zu hause gefüllt und den urlaub so geniessen können. Liebe grüsse aus Hamburg.

We had a very good time at the houseboat. Everything was nice & there was a very special athmosphare. We want to come back soon.
The hosts have been so sympathic and nice!! Thanks a lot. Ute & Niklas

Herzlichen dank für die fantastische Unterkunft mit soooo lekkeren "tootjes/cookies" am abend. Wie haben wunderbar geschlafen und eine grossartige Zeit gehabt. Jede Zeit gerne wieder.

I thought we had to speak english, but your German was so good that it was no need.
Fantastic athmosphere.
Fantastic sleep
5 stars for u.

Merci pour votre acceuil chalereux. Votre peniche est un ciel de paisibilite et de plaisirsNous avons appricie l'espace et le petit dejeuner typique.A la prociane.

everything was perfect! the owner are realy friendly and the service was nice and lovely.

Everything was perfect! The guests are gentle since the first contact and the house is simply marvelous. They made us feel like we were really at home! We loved our stay in this boat! Thanks a lot!!! Fernanda and Mauro from Brazil.

Thank you so much for your hospitality. WILLEM was the perfect base for running the half marathon and exploring Amsterdam. I'll come back for the full marathon. I now know where to stay.

Staying in a houseboat is great, but staying here was just an unique and great experience. The place is gorgeous and calm. We had the best sleepy nights of the trip and we are just a few minutes from the centre. We loved Amsterdam and will come back some day. To stay in the same place

very very good!!
muy agradable la atencion de hans y Ben. la casa es muy bella, todo esta acomomodado con gusto lo que nos hizo disfrutar al maximo de nuestra luna de miel en amsterdam.
muchas gracias!

Dank für das besondere wohnerlebnis

You don't know the city if you don't enjoy a houseboat experience. Thank you for your hospitality and for you delicious cakes. We will miss the view from the livingroom .... so, we will definitaly come back.

We stayed for almost one week at that wonderful houseboat. Its very charming, cosy and colorful designed. Hans and Ben were extremely warm and welcoming hosts, we got free cake almost every second day, a full fridge will all kinds of yummy breakfast things the day we arrived. It was fun to feed the birds in the morning and watch the ships pass by.
The place was very clean and really nice. However for a couple, the seperated beds was a bit difficult....
Also the couch in the living room could be a bit more cosy, one would enjoy the lovely evenings even more...

Anyway we'll definitely be back some time next year!

We really enjoyed our stay and Ben and Hans were excellent hosts. The living room has wonderful views of boats and wildlife on the river. However, there are one or two things to note.

Parking (unless you are willing to pay about 24 euro per day) is not that easy - the park and ride is about 20 mins walk away and you have to make sure you keep the tram tickets or the cost is about seven times the 6 euros you are charged per day! Much better not to have a car if you can avoid it.

Cooking is very limited - there is a kettle, toaster and microwave but not water without going down to the bathroom.However, the owners do the washing up for you which is excellent!

The bedroom is below water level with a small amount of natural light from a roof vent which could be a problem for some people.

Myself and my girlfriend spent a very happy four nights in the houseboat. The view from the living room was lovely, out onto the canal and the olympic stadium. It was nice to arrvie and find the fridge stocked with enough food for a good few breakfast and lunches.

It is quite far out the centre but easy to get a tram in or a night bus back for a couple of euros. We rented bicycles for 3 days and used them to go in and out most of the time.

Amsterdam Bos, a big forested area with a lake is only a few minutes cycle south of the houseboat which is a very nice place to walk or cycle around.

Ben and Hans made us feel welcome although as their bedroom is on the same floor as the guest living room we were a little bit nervous about making noise when we returnded to the boat (we had a few nights when we didnt come back till around 5am)

All in all I would highly recommend a stay on Willem, Ben and Hans are friendly, the boat is lovely and the area is beautiful. Even with the exchange rate at the moment it is good value for money.

James

Amsterdam was made ever more lovely by staying in such a friendly, informative and beautiful place.

We enjoyed very much our days spent in Amsterdam. We also appreciate to get back every evening to this lovely houseboat, in the friendly atmosphere created by the owners.

Our visit to Amsterdam was incredible and staying on a houseboat made the trip even better. The houseboat was very attractive and we had everything that we needed. The owners were very hospitable and informative of Amsterdam and the surrounding areas. The location was perfect for us as we enjoyed the scenery surrounding the houseboat and the quietness. We would highly recommend staying here and when we return to Amsterdam, we hope it is available for out stay again.

I had a great stay. I think the only negative aspect was the location was a bit removed from the center of Amsterdam. Our hosts were great and the place beautiful and clean.

Thanks to Hans and Ben for a very pleasant stay on their houseboat 'Willem'.Nice furnishings, great garden and computer access in a very nice location. Highly recommended!

Wonderful stay in a beautiful location, Nice Guys with warm welcome, Sleeping on a houseboat was a fantastic experience for us

This houseboat was superb! The hosts were great and the groceries they've provided us with was a nice surprise. They even did our dishes!

This houseboot is definitely the right place to forget about life and stress for a while. Fantastic evenings just sitting on the sofa in the living room and watching the ships passing by or feeding the swans and ducks in the morning. A beautiful terrace with all kind of flowers outside and lovely details. Towncenter can easily be reached within twenty minutes by tram. Fantastic feeling to come home late at night and simply enjoy the silence of the place.
Ben and Hans respected our privacy.We felt like on our own ship. Sleeping room is a bit dark downstairs but as a photographer I enjoyed the changeable colors of our lamp and turned it on red. (private redlight district on the boat). A real double bed would have been handy on the other side the structure of this "double bed", simply two single ones put together was a real challenge for a young love. Don`t want to go into details.
All in all we spent five fantastic days and nights on this cosy houseboat .
A place to remember.
Matz

This houseboat is an excellent place to stay in Amsterdam, close to the Hoofddorpplein tram stop in a peaceful stretch of canal. The lounge is right by the sparkling water with geese & ducks paddling by and is a great place to relax. Downstairs the bedroom has twin beds pushed together which was the only minor drawback of an otherwise idyllic spot. The hosts were friendly and helpful, even to the extent of provisioning the fridge for the morning's breakfast after our late arrival.

yes it was, it was the best place i have ever stayed, we so enjoyed our stay, ben and hanns where excellent hosts and very helpful, we would definatly stay here again ...

many thanks

Me and my daugther arrived at 23h00 at night. We were wet because it rained and were very tired. Two gentlemen awaited us - we felt very welcome from the start. There were food in the fridge for breakfast the next morning, coffee and tea, etc. I emailed them to ask for some info of Holland and the transport, and everything and more I asked for, was lying on the table for me to use.

If you stay in a hotel, you won't experience the peacefullness and the hospitality of the town and its people! Although you stay in a boat house, you will have more space than in a hotel. I really experience a 5 star stay - this was wonderful!

..It was so greatful and we would like to thank you for the unforgettable stay in amsterdam..you are really very friendly and we will get back to you the next time we decide to visit your wonderful city again! Thanks a lot for everything..laura & roberto

Our stay at the boat house was excellent. It was very quiet, clean, and our hosts were very attentive to us. When I go back to Amsterdam, I will stay in this house boat

Fantastic situation, close to travel facilities but also with an air of peacefulness. Accommodation was very comfortable and spacious. Made to feel that it was home from home by the owners. Recommended to everyone

We recently stayed 5 days at Ben & Hans' floating home and had a fabulous time. If your idea of a stay in Amsterdam is to walk around the markets, bringing "home" a few local delectables, picking up a bottle of wine at the very good local wine store on your way, pausing for a late afternoon drink on your own patio, facing a tranquil setting, and then move inside for dinner made from your shopping in your own dining/living room watching the fading light reflect off the buildings across the canal. Then this is the place for you.

We were worried that we might be a little far from the city centre - but we weren't. We purchased a five day bus pass and found we could get "home" in around 10 -15 minutes on a very efficient tram service. One should note that this is a very modern beautifully designed floating home - with the guest bedroom and bathroom in the hull/basement (and the living room/dining room upstairs facing the water). Don't be deterred - both downstairs rooms have small skylights and there is quite a bit of daylight. The bathroom is lovely complete with a floor that is heated every morning.
This floating home is equiped with everything you need - right down to matching bath robes.

If we go to Amsterdam again - we wouldn't stay anywhere else!

Peggy and Hubertus

Although the directions to the houseboat were not the most straightforward, when we did arrive we were warmly greeted by the owners and shown around the accommodation which was lovely. We were provided with a fridgestocked with more than basic provisions and a very tidy and comfortable bedroom, bathrom and sitting room. It was lovely to look out over the canal and watch all the birds and boat traffic, which you couldn't hear from the bedroom. Overall it was a top place to stay.

this is a perfect and typical location for a stay in amsterdam. its in a quite place but only about 20 min from the door to the center of amsterdam by public transport. the hosts are very friendly and willing to help were ever they can.
if we will come back to amsterdam we will check in at "willem" again

We had a lovely stay in the beautifully modern yet friendly houseboat 'Willem', so much so that we looked forward to our Tram 2 trip home to relax after a days adventure in Amsterdam.
It was a true haven of peace after the frenetic city.
Hans is more than willing to give better directions. He was a friendly and welcoming when we finally did pitch up.
I can't think of a better place to use as a base for your trip to Amsterdam. Don't miss the chance to walk through the Vondelpark and into the city. Especially in autumn it is beautiful.

We stayed at the houseboat at the end of September and really enjoyed the experience. Hans and Ben were great hosts and only too happy to help with hints and tips about transport etc and were even kind enough to provide cheese, meat, bread etc for breakfast for our first morning there.

The accommodation was superb! We had the use of a spotless living room/dining area which looked straight out onto the river and our bedroom on the lower levelwhich even had free internet access and the use of the computer. We fed the geese and ducks from the balcony in the living room and enjoyed the peace and tranquility of nature whilst being still relatively close the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam City Centre (15 mins by public transport)

It's the perfect base to use if you want to explore Amsterdam and it's countryside. We'd definitely recommend it

I and my girlfriend visited Amsterdam last week. Our stay was very good, hosted by a couple of very kind hosts. Their houseboat is a very nice and comfortable place to live. So we are happy of our choise. The only thing I can remark is that when we arrived there we were very surprised because we thought it was a mobile houseboat, not just a floating but stuck house on the river. Although it was our misunderstanding, we think the site may be cleaner in specifying the difference between the two types of housboat.

Maggie says: We had a fine time, it was very peaceful, and the living quarters were spacious and quite nice on the houseboat. The hosts were warm and hospitable.

Steve says: Maggie is understating things!! Everything was magnificent. Couldn't be better. We enjoyed the houseboat accommodations itself, and enjoyed the hosts' care and thoughtfulness even more. They really do live in a special place -- it's magnanimous of them to share it and let the rest of us see how fine a place Amsterdam can be.

I stayed at this lovely spot in June for a wedding weekend. I have stayed at various 5-star hotels in Amsterdam on business (Crowne Plaza, NH Krasnopolsky), and I have never had close to the quality of accommodation (for 3-4 times the price) as I enjoyed here.
The Houseboat WILLEM is a truly wonderful B&B; the photos barely do the place justice. The furnishings are beautiful, modern, very comfortable and high-quality; the setting is tranquil and delightful. Ben and Hans were the perfect hosts, discreet, helpful and very friendly.
Note: if you come without a car, and don't know Amsterdam well, you may feel the place is too "out of the way". Although I was thoughtfully provided with everything I needed to make myself a continental breakfast from the first night, you should think of stopping in a shop and picking up other snacks or little comforts if you require, as the next shop is a 15 to 20-minute walk away. The walk from the parking is a little lengthy, so heavy cases with no wheels will be a pain. If however you come with a car, there's ample free parking and easy access from the ring road.
Although I usually stay with friends, I would happily stay here again the next time I need a hotel in Amstedam.

We found the guest accomodation very comfortable. Our privacy was respected at all times. The views from the boat were tranquil and beautiful. Sofa in the living area was a little hard and uncomfortable but the bedrooms and bathroom were spotless.
A big thank you to Hans & Ben. Excellent hosts.

It turned ot to be a very good decision to rent the guestroom on BO21 ("Willem" by name).
Te host was very friendly, kind and helpful. The accomodation is very spatious, nicely furnished, perfectly clean and quiet. The outer invironment can be a feast for nature lovers in warmer months. It is a good value for money.
The boat is located to tramline #2 which is particulary advantageous for museum fans, but other visitors also can find attractive places along the tramline.
It is a bit complicated to find the location of "Willem", the decription I received in e-mail was somewhat confusing. I would suggest to take a taxi from Centraal Station (the taxi driver will also learn a bit of Amsterdam), but DON'T GET AFRAID. Any newcomer will find the nearest stop of #2 in a 5 minute walk distance, and the ride to Centraal Station is less than 20 minutes.

The houseboat n.21 is wonderful and the owners are wonderful too..... a very nice houseboat in a very nice place..... very good location, very good breakfast and a very nice atmosphere........... a wonderful living room on the water and a very nice bedroom with extraordinary bathroom.......... I stayed in Amsterdam 4 times..... but the 5th in houseboat 21 has been the most beautiful. i promised me i will return as soon in this houseboat.......

The boat was beautifully new and very well maintained . Our hosts were very obliging in fact we hardly saw them all week.
We felt it was further out of Amsterdam centre than we realised. The photos on the web site were a little misleading as the boat appeared to be in a countryside location. It fact all the trees have been removed to reveal a building site. This however this will not deter us from recommending the boat to others.
All in all we had a very enjoyable stay.
Jane Naylor