Apartments Amsterdam - Houseboats Amsterdam - Amsterdam Apartments

Our family thoroughly enjoyed our wonderful stay on the Koophandel. It is an authentic and truly beautiful boat that really gives you the feel of Amsterdam. You have free range over the entire boat including the captain’s room, with the big wheel, and the little rowing boat which, although we couldn’t get the hang of rowing it, was fun to play in. The boat is well furnished with everything you need for a holiday, such as a large living and kitchen area and well needed comfy beds. It has the all important washing machine and good kitchen equipment. The decoration is lovely and, with a little seating area on deck, it felt very homely, none of us wanted to leave. There are toys and games to amuse you on the lazy days and a wonderful book where the different tenants have written about their experiences of Amsterdam when they stayed on the Koophandel. It is in a great location, near the park, the zoo and shops. It’s easy to walk everywhere and is near the train station. It’s quiet and peaceful around the boat and easy to get some sleep. I think this is one of the best places you can stay in Amsterdam and recommend it to anyone who’s thinking of going.

We all enjoyed a lovely weekend on Koophandel VI...the welcome and advice from Tineke was great and the boat itself was amazing - far more spacious and well equipped than we imagined and in a peaceful and relaxing spot.

It was our first visit to Amsterdam and we were very impressed with the city itself...there was so much to do and it looked really beautiful in the autumn. We could easily have spent a lot more time exploring.

Staying on the houseboat certainly made our weekend special - a far more interesting city break experience than most!

We would highly recommend it - thank you for a wonderful stay!

We could not have been more pleased with the houseboat! We were three American housewives on holiday from our lives and families, and the accommodations were perfect. The boat was clean and larger than we expected. The washer/dryer worked perfectly. The instant hot in the shower meant there was always enough hot water and all the beds were very very comfortable.

Tineke provided us with wonderful instructions on the boat and Amsterdam. The location is close to everything but very quiet at night which was a welcome change from our apartment in Paris. The ducks and coots were frequent, welcome guests. Not much beats sitting on the deck with good friends and good beer, enjoying the serenity and scenery of Amsterdam. We would book this boat again, and maybe next time, bring the family!
FIVE STARS!

The houseboat is located in a quiet place where the pace of life is very pleasant.
Having a breakfast on the deck helps you enjoying a very good day.
This bare accomodation is very large and comfortable.
Nice experiment.

Hello,

I want to thank you for a lovely stay, beautiful boat and of course Tineke who was so nice to us and gave us great ideas of visits.

The only thing that for us was missing is the WIFI as unfortunately we need to work also... We have been renting a house boat for the last 3 years and will continue to do so and we keep on telling people about it as its absolutely wonderful.

Again and kind regards,

Michelle & Garry
0033 6 31 21 16 97

... it was a great experience!

Beautiful houseboat, warm welcome, very nice neighbourhood!

Aus Anlass unseres 35. Hochzeitstages haben wir ein verlängertes Wochenende auf der einfach, aber zweckmäßig eingerichteten "Koophandel VI" verbracht. Das großzügige Raumangebot und die anheimelnde Atmosphäre auf dem alten Lastkahn haben uns als Sportbootliebhabern gut gefallen. Der Liegeplatz im Entrepot-Dok ist trotz seiner zentralen Lage ruhig, den Schiffsverkehr haben wir als interessant und nicht als störend empfunden.
Wir empfehlen das Houseboat als interessante Alternative mit besonderem Flair zu einem Aufenthalt in einem "normalen" Hotel in Amsterdam gern weiter.

We had a wonderful time on the Koophandel VI and Tineka took great care of us. The fresh flowers and fruit basket were a lovely touch. The boat is spacious and well supplied. The location of the boat is convenient and quiet. Highly recommended!

Houseboat B004 was incredible! It was well equiped and in a wonderful, safe area. Tineke was a wonderful host! We loved the boat and will be back.

wonderful time, the boat is situated in a quiet spot not too far from the city. It has many local attractions too, including the zoo. I recommend taking the rowing boat out on a circuit of the canals. Tineka who welcomed us was very helpful.

Our stay on the boat was great! We enjoyed it very much because it's something special you don't do every day.
The rooms are cosy and spacey although the room with two beds in it is not for tall people. The bathroom is an adventure for itself.
The neighborhood is very quiet, but you're downtown or at central station in a couple minutes walk. Nice pubs and restaurants in the vicinity too.
We've been in Amsterdam a couple times before and we're sorry we didn't find the boat earlier.
Thank you Tineke for the nice welcome and presents!

We were very pleased with the houseboat. Although the weather was cold, it was nice and warm in the boat. The boat was very well equipped, we found everything we needed (and much more). There is a small grocery store two blocks away and a big one in 10 minutes walk.

If interested in WW II, we recommend the Resistance Museum very close to the boat (opposite the Zoo).

Very very good accommodation. Near the city center (15min walking). We all love it! Recommend it to everyone!

It has to be said that late November is not the best time to be in Amsterdam, with weather ranging between arctic breeze and hail storm it is often difficult to feel comfortable and truly enjoy the fruits of this city.

Upon arrival i was greeted by Tineke (hostess) and was briefly shown around the boat. This was the first time i've been in a boat-house, and i was pleasantly surprised by the range of comforts this accomodation had to offer; it was like being in someone elses home. All rooms are heated on one thermostat, the bathroom even has heated floor, kitchen is fully equipped, livingroom is quite spacious (for a boat) and has cable TV, books, games and toys for kids (i guess it is more family oriented). Tineke was very friendly, she showed me all the nearest locations on a map and even got us a basket of fruit.

The boat is docked in a very quiet neighbourhood and is still even in stormy winds (which was the case for us). There's a shop open until 22:00 nearby and the central part of Amsterdam is 10-15 min by foot. Despite the weather, we all enjoyed our stay very much and would recommend this house-boat to anyone looking for a refreshing alternative to a hotel/appartment.

The boat was exactly what we were looking for. It was warm, well equiped, and comfortable. It was within easy walking distance of all the main tourist destinations and is surrounded by many exellent bars, restaurants and cafes. In particular we would recommend the Bloem cafe, just along from the boat. The food was excellent, the host was very welcoming and the price wasn't too bad.

We would definitely visit the boat again and we shall be recommending it to everyone we know.

The Koophandel VI houseboat was everything we had imagined and more! It was conveniently located near central Amsterdam where we could walk to the majority of the sites. The accommodations were just perfect for our group. The host made us feel at home and was very helpful with tourist tips. We had a wonderful time on the houseboat and made our stay in Amsterdam that much more enjoyable.

The location of the boat was pretty much perfect in my opinion. Its a few kilometres from the city centre in a nice, quiet neighbourhood with relaxed restaurants and cafes. You can take the tram or walk to the city - walking takes maybe 20 minutes.

The interiour of the boat was in mint condition, a good place to hang out - the toilet was a bit funny but didnt bother us. The deck could have fitted a small table and some chairs, which would have been a nice addition.

Our family had a great time aboard this lovely old boat. It has all the comforts of home, but is well located for getting out and about the city. Highly recommended.

We looked for somewhere quiet, central and comfortable to stay in Amsterdam - and we found it on Houseboat B004. This boat is well equipped with everything you need to enjoy a few days in wonderful Amsterdam - and it is only a 10 minute walk from the coffee houses and restaurants in the main part of the city. We had a lovely, warm welcome from Tineke, the boat manager, with flowers and fruit waiting for us on our arrival. We hope to come back for a bit longer next time.

We had a delightful stay at this houseboat. Our host met us at the houseboat,
we found it in shipshape condition and enjoyed it very much. We would highly
recommend using this service as well as the houseboat. We found everything
very professionally handled and exactly as advertised. We will use them again in
the future.
gary

Our family of 4 stayed in B004 for 4 nights this past May. The boat was great! Very comfortable and clean. It was also in a good location. Our neighborhood had good restaurants, and was very quiet and peaceful. We were able to walk to Central Station, and the bus stop was about 1 block away. The zoo is just over the bridge. We would definately choose this boat to stay in again.

hi-
I would be glad to review this houseboat. It was probably the best part of our 'European Vacation'. we got there late and we made to feel at home and welcome everything worked well and the location was fantastic. I do not see how we could have stayed at a better location-lots of great resturants to eat in, the hop on/ hop off boat stopped just beside the boat. the zoo and musems close at hand. We were able to sleep well at night even though by walikng for 5-10 minutes we could enjoy a beer or a glass of wine. Friends of ours we meet there were staying in a houseboat in Paris, I wish we would have thought of that-maybe you could set something up in other Eurpoean cities, or have a handy link on your website. I cannot say enough how much my family enjoyed this part of our trip and would be glad to hear from others planning on going there or who have been there.
thank you
ed/ellen/samantha petersen

Staying on board: 2 couples.
Date: March 2008
Weather: Very cold outside. Snow every day.
1st impressions: About 15 - 20 minute walk from the Central train station. Friendly and helpful information about the boat and Amsterdam in general from our host. The boat was bigger than we had imagined. We had requested 2 doubles, if possible, which we got. The main bedroom has plenty of space, the second bed (and I mean bed and not room) is in the front of the boat and has very little head room. There was also another room with 2 single beds. The living area was very large (including sofas, coffee table, portable tv, music system, games). Up 2 steps is the kitchen (including table and chairs, microwave, kettle, hob, coffee maker, saucepans, cups, plates.....).
Our time on board: We usually had breakfast on the boat. Ist one up put on the coffee!
Even though it was so cold outside the boat was always as warm as we wanted it. There are radiators in every room, which were easily controlled. Instant hot water also. The boat was clean, including all the linen. We usually spent the day out in Amsterdam and had dinner out too, before retiring to our cosy Amsterdam home.
Would we reccommend the Koophandel VI? Yes
What we didn't like: It is a bit out from the city centre, about 15 minute walk (but in a lovely quiet area - 2 mins from the Artis Zoo). You have to be very careful getting on and off the boat - it is quite narrow and the rails are very low in parts, there are steep steps getting down into the living area. Although it is in a quiet area it took some time to get used to the noises - other boats going by, the shower and toilet.... but nothing to keep us awake at night.
What we thought of Amsterdam (it was the first visit for us): We really liked it. Watch out for those bikes, and trams... The food is lovely, the beer is cold, the canals are pretty, there is plenty of cultural things to do (museums, galleries...) and it is impossible to figure out how some of those old houses stay upright. There are of course plenty of other things to do.....

My husband and I celebrated our honeymoon in Amsterdam on houseboat BOO4. It was fantastic. The only problem is that we had to come back. The houseboat was great, as was the city. We were met by the host at the time we specified and we were greeted with fresh flowers and fruit. This was the greatest vacation ever. We will definitly be back. The weather wasn't great, but it didn't hinder us from doing anything. We would recommend this houseboat to anyone, it was very spacious and in a great part of town. Thanks so much for the amazing experience.

We lived on board housboat B004 from September 27 to October 4th. It was our first night on our month long trip to Europe which was our first. The owners of the boat were there to greet us when we arrived. They were very nice and gave us great introduction to Amsterdam. We loved the fact that we were in a residential neighborhood and not in a hotel with other tourists. The neighborhood restaurants were excellent. We enjoyed meeting a lot of people there. We will return to Amsterdam and when we do we hope to book this houseboat once again.

This boat was exactly what we expected. Lots of space for our family with two boys aged 11 and 17. The height of the ceiling even made it possible for our son who is 1,92 cm tall to walk up straigth ! !
This is a great alternative to an apartment not to mention a hotel.
The neighbourhood is quiet even though it is close to city center. Two minutes walk to the bus that took us to Central. On the little square there are some nice pubs and good restaurants so there is no need to go down town every night. We tried the Italian one and loved it.
All in all an experience to be recommended. Francoise is a good host who gave us good information upon arrival. The boat was clean with everything we needed for our long weekend.
Thanks a lot ....

We loved the houseboat, which was perfect for a family of 4: two bedrooms, a bath, kitchen with dining table and living room. The location is perfect, near the zoo in a lovely area, quiet yet convenient to the transporation and the Central Station. I would highly recommend Houseboat B004, which we call Francois's houseboat, for the owner who was very kind and helpful.

Super boat - really big , lots of room - wonderfully clean - nice quiet location but still very central- really nice owner (Francois). Will be back.

we had the most enjoyable stay on this wonderful boat. plenty of room to relax, read books, feed ducks and swans, ride bikes, savour the centrum......and return to our peaceful haven on the water. Francois ensures all needs are met, we were comfortable and cosy. Great restaurants nearby.....couldn't have wanted more. thank you for having us.

We loved our stay on this houseboat. It is very well located - plenty of good bars and restaurants near-by and can walk to most places of interest. Facilities on board exceeded our expectations and we appreciated touches like the fruit and flowers. Have no reservations in recommending this houseboat and the service provided by the website (in contrast to recent experience with only-apartments.com in Prague)!

We very much enjoyed our stay! Very nice location...lots of restaurants nearby and a tram stop, too. Thanks very much for a wonderful week!

We are a Dutch family who lived in Amsterdam prior to moving to Asia and this was the second time we rented a houseboat in Amsterdam for our summer holiday. It was again a great experience. This time though the boat was slightly more enjoyable as we [two adults and two children] could walk around freely without hitting our heads. It is a spacious boat, with two separate bedrooms, well equipped and the location is excellent. The only thing missing was a washing machine but as we only stayed for 5 nights this was not really an issue. The fresh flowers and fruit basket that were waiting for us upon our arrival were also very welcoming.

boat was clean, well stocked kitchen, great quiet location. my family of 4 lived here for a week quite comfortably.
everything that was promised was delivered.

highly recommended.

mark gould

The houseboat is really a boat not a wooden box on the water. It is in a great location; easy to get to by tram but away from the tourist areas so the restaurants were good and reasonably priced. It is also just around the corner from Amsterdam's beautiful Artis zoo. The owner was nice and helpful when I asked several dumb questions. Only two minor things negative--no place to hang wet towels and TV reception was terrible, but we didn't come to watch TV.

We enjoyed the houseboat very much and were pleasantly surprised by the roominess of the living areas. The beds were comfortable, the boat was clean and it is situated in a pleasant area with some good bars and restaurants near by. No complaints here.

The owners were very pleasant and arrived early on our leaving date as we had to gone by 7am.

PS. You may publish my comments and name but NOT my email address!

We stayed in May 07- good sized boat - easy to find and access to zoo/ trams to centre splendid!!
Twin bedroom ideal for children and small adults!!
Well equipped kitchen but no instructions found for heating system!!
Luckily we had only one cold day.
Would certainly book again thanks.DJF

Staying onnboard was an absolute delight and the benefit from having a rowing boat was really fantastic as it gave us the opportunity to explore Amsterdam from a differerent perspective.

The boat was very well equipt and a taxi ride home from the center was only about 7 euros. The tram was just up the road and only a few minuits walk away and took about 10 minuits to get to central station.

It was a very quiet place to stay and is quite refreshing after spending all day in the hussle and bussle to get back to quiet and hear the water outside.

Highly recommended !

We spent Queens Day weekend on Houseboat B004 and had a delightful time. If you have ever attended this festival, you will appreciate how crazy things can get if you are in the heart of the action. Fortunately, the location of this boat provided a welcomed respite from the hustle, bustle, and noise. So nice to experience just as much of the celebrating as we wished, and then be able to get away from it. The restaurants around the boat were festive, as well, and we had a wonderful time in our neighborhood, but the overwhelming craziness associated with other parts of the city were absent. Highly recommend this canal experience!

I stayed with 3 friends on B004. It was in a quiet location but close to trams and cafes so well located and easy to get around from as a base. The accomodation was clean and tidy with everything we needed, it was warm and well maintained. We were met when we arrived and shown round. The boat's owner was friendly and welcoming. Overall it was a wonderful stay and this is at least in part to having a really good place to stay. Lots of people have been pretty impressed when we've shown them the picture of the boat on your website, or told them we were staying on a barge. I recommend the experience.

When we arrived we were meet by the very friendly Caroline, who without delay took us straight to the boat and showed us round, as well as explaining how everything worked. We had a thoroughly enjoyable stay on this lovely, cosy boat - it was nice inside, very homely and relaxing. The only thing I would say is that it was a slight inconveniance not having an oven for cooking, but we made do with the cooker and microwave just fine. Also, the beds were a little hard but still comfortable - most night's we were too out of it to notice anyway!!!

We had a fantastic time, and it was lovely to stay on this Houseboat whilst we experienced the wonderful city of Amsterdam. Thank you for having us! We will definately be back in the not to distant future!

Best wishes,

Jamie, Si, Ste

Great boat, great neighborhood! Only small downside is that the low railings can be a psychological challenge to landlubbers who have been out partying late in the city. :-)

I can't say enough about the Koophandle VI. Our hosts were very accomodating and let us in a little early after a long and exhausting journey. The boat was spacious, comfortable, and a wonderful place to return to after trudging the city streets all day. We were a group of four unrelated adults, and with a little creativity, there was plenty of room for all of us to have our own sleeping space. Having traveled before, I much prefer a villa or apartment to hotel rooms, particularly when travelling with friends. It's much more comfortable and home-like when you can hang out in the living room and rehash your day together, or get up in the night and fix a snack if you want. And certainly, living on a canal boat for the week added a flavor to our whole experience that we would otherwise not had. We would all like to revisit Amsterdam one day. I can't imagine staying anywhere other than the Koophandle VI.

We've stayed at the B004 in December 2006.
This was one of the best experiences I've had on holidays. You have total privacy at one of the most charmful environments you can imagine. Romantic, in a really quiet and nice area, walking distance from the center (although you can also use the tram from there if you don't fancy to exercise), and with the most attentive owner.

They took care of our few requests immediately and efficiently.
It is worth the price, and I would totally recommend it.

Antonio

Great accommodation: quiet, comfortable, easy access to public transportation, just minutes away from all the good spots this great city has to offer.

I wanted our visit to Amsterdam to be both enjoyable and memorable. Our stay in the Koophandel VI in the Entrepotdok area of this beautiful city did not disappoint us.

If you enjoy living independently and catering for yourself in unique and pleasant surroundings then I’d thoroughly recommend that you book a stay on the Koophandel VI.

It may not have the most modern of interiors but the accommodation is comfortable, clean and has everything you will need for your stay.

The owner, Francois, (a nice guy by the way) will meet you on your arrival and talk you though everything you need to know about the boat and then you’ll be left alone to enjoy your houseboat (Francois is only a phone call away should you need him for anything).

The location is perfect, nice and quiet with enough going on around you on the water to feel the real canal experience. The dawn chorus of exotic noises from the zoo (5 minutes walk away) is a sound I remember well as I took my coffee on the deck in the mornings.

It doesn’t take long to wander into the centre of the city - and it’s good fun taking different routes each time as just around each corner is a new experience.

This was my first visit to Amsterdam but it won’t be my last. And I know that I will be staying on a houseboat again. Quite possibly the Koophandel VI!

Gordon, Lawrence, Gary & Gracie

This was my fourth visit to Amsterdam over the last 17 years and my first stay on a houseboat. I've previously stayed there in a Youth Hostel, my camper van and a decent hotel respectively.
Unfortunately our flight was slightly delayed however Francois (our host) was not flustered when we finally phoned him upon arrival at Schipol airport (Amsterdam).
The houseboat is a decent 10 minute stroll from Central Station however we took the #22 bus outside Central Station on arrival. This was very simple.
When we finally arrived at the boat, our very pleasant host took pains to show us through the vessel on which he lived with his wife for seven years. We were very pleasantly surprised at the size of the vessel and it was appointed with the necessary requirements to assure a comfortable stay.
Francois gave us his overview of the surrounding area and any amenities we may require. The SPAR supermarket is about five minutes walk from the boat and it was here we stocked the fridge with our provisions. The zoo and it's excellent Planetarium are just a few minutes walk from the boat too.
We truly enjoyed our stay on the canal and loved being outside the tourist area to gain just a small insight into life on the water in this beautiful city.
Should I return again to Amsterdam, a houseboat is my accomodation of choice.
Thanks Francois.
Roger, Jayne and David

Hi there
We found our stay on your houseboat well worth it! It definitely added to our 'Amsterdam Experience' and it was in a lovely quiet part of town, but still within a few minutes walk to all the action. A very good spot. The kitchen was awesome and we cooked on a couple of the nights, and had bacon and eggs every morning! We would definitely recommend this boat to anyone else.

Hallo Marcel Smith,

das Boot Koophandel hat einen wunderbar ruhigen Liegeplatz und nichts als Naturgeräusche weckten uns am Morgen. Die Niederlande sind mein bevorzugtes Reiseland und... Amsterdam ist meine Traumstadt. Ich liebe dieses Multikulti und ich bin nicht zum 1. in meinem Leben dort. Mein Großvater, wie auch einige andere Verwandte, lebten in Amsterdam und als kleines Mädchen hatte ich bereits den Wunsch einmal in meinem Leben auf einem Hausboot zu wohnen. Zu meinen 60 Geburtstag wollte ich mir diesen Traum erfüllen.

Die Aussage, Koophandel IV sei für behinderte Menschen nicht geeignet, empfinde ich als " mooi - praten". Es ist auch für normale Menschen schwierig, ohne Hilfe an und von Bord des Schiffes zu kommen, da weder ein Steg oder so etwas wie eine gangway vorhanden sind. Vielleicht wäre es sinnvoll das Boot nur sehr jungen langbeinigen Menschen zu empfehlen. Nur - nicht alle jungen langbeinigen Menschen haben das nötige Taschengeld um dieses Boot mieten zu können ;-) !!

Quiet Area of canal with afternoon tourists boats along the water. Was larger than expected, big kitchen with stovetop & microwave. Cable TV with 3 english speaking channels. Nice neighbors and very good surrounding restuarants. A short walk to the "Red Light District" (10 minutes). Street Parking is very expensive and runs till midnight each night. If you drive I suggest an underground parking lot 3 blocks away. Good luck, It was a great way to experience Amsterdam.

We spent 5 very enjoyable nights on the houseboat, which is perfectly located close to all the action but just removed enough to provide a peaceful change when needed.
There was plenty of room for four adults, and all the requirements for a relaxing break--sunbaking on the deck and rowing around the canals in the provided rowboat were highlights. The local bars and restaurants were great--you can eat and drink with the locals rather than tourists if you want, and in July take full advantage of the long summer nights.
A canal bus stop is adjacent to the houseboat--perfect for getting around, as are the hire bikes you can obtain in Amsterdam. Overall, a great week in a fantastic city, with a comfortable and unique base on the Koophandel VI.

Although the boat doesn't look like much from the outside, inside it is lovely, spacious (yes, even for a boat) with a fully-equipped kitchen with dining table, a living room (danish style sofa + 3 chairs, coffee table, vcr, books and games, some maps) then down a hallway past the large bedroom with a queen size bed, next the bathroom with a throne toilet, washbasin, shower stall (the room is in need of clothes hooks, towel racks) a "sstudy" that could easily accommodate a single bed, and tucked under the prow, a teensy, too-short-for-a 6-foot-tall person bedroom with 2 twin beds, small tv and plenty shelving, ledges, etc for luggage. No fans or AC but with dozens of windows, there is little need. Topside is a rather chintzy pair of plastic lawn chairs and a rustic park bench. Hosts were very gracious, with fresh flowers awaiting us. Nearby pubs for all meals, 5 min walk to busses, 20 min walk to downtown, 10 to red light district, 20 to museum quarter, = super location for cheap digs. One suggestion: a Stepladder to ease climbing up onto the boat, especially with luggage.

My wife, two young adult daughters and I had a wonderful stay. Amsterdam was lovely....the people friendly.....transportation reasonable and easy. Francois was a gracious, friendly Enlish speaking host. The houseboat was roomy and comfortable. Although the bathroom was a bit rustic, it was very functional and there was always hot water. We had some cold weather, but the accomodations remained comfortably warm. The accomodations comfortably slept the four of us in two bedrooms. The houseboart is docked in a quiet, attractive residential neighborhood with a supermarket and good restaurants within very close walking distance. Major sightseeing locations were a short tram ride away. The interesting and moving Dutch Resistance Museum was two blocks away. We will certainly stay with Francois when we return to Amsterdam, and we heartily recommend these accomodations to those who prefer not staying in a traditional hotel.

Thye boat was superrb completely self contained and in a quiet area with wild fowl and other birds always around, will be back and hope it doesnt get too popular

I thouroughly enjoyed staying on the Koophandel IV.... Very spacious and once I figured out the heater, nice and cozy. Basically for my money, I got an furnished apt. for the week. Stereo/Reciever was awesome addition, just bring your RCA iPod cables and your good to go... Bedding is a bit Spartan but comfortable. Location was very quiet and not too far from center of town by bike. Francisco wasn't there but his Wife and Daughter were very nice, accomdating and only a phone call away. If you don't mind staying in a place where beds aren't made for you everyday and you dont mind making your own breakfast or a short morning walk to a local cafe you will love it...

Brian Marcontell

Francois was a great host and the boat was very large and accomodating. Itwas an extrememley enjoyable vacation! I will go back!
Mike Wilson

Injoyed my stay on the Houseboat in Amsterdam very much. Our host was very gracious and our privacey was respected. Very nice location. Hearing the sounds from the Zoo early in the morning was nice and will always be remembered. All the comforts of home. I will be back!

We greatly enjoyed our stay on the Koophandel VI. It's very warm and comfortable, the kitchen really is fully equipped - a good place to hole up if it rains. It's also brilliantly located. Although the spot is amazingly quiet, day and night, we were 10 minutes' walk from a number of interesting museums. Also half-a-dozen nice restaurants and cafes. (Try the Koffiehuis just outside the entrance arch to the Entrepotdook.)

One warning: parking is a nightmare. Although you can park right by the boat, you can only pay with a Dutch bank card or a mountain of small change. There's an underground carpark only 5 minutes' walk away, but it costs €30 per day. If at all possible, come by train or plane.

Iain

We were more than pleased with the Houseboat, though the reviews were good - it exceeded our expectations and we would not hesitate to recommend or re-book.

We had a wonderful time on B004. With great weather, we sat and sunned on the front deck every day and "tourists" on the canal boat tours, stared and waved. I'm sure that they were envying us for our great life style! And, of course, we waved back, thinking to ourselves how lucky we were to be ensconced on a trim boat with all of Amsterdam to enjoy!

Our 6 day stay aboard the Koophandel IV was a wonderful experience! Our 2 daughters (7 and 12) loved the boat, especially the rowboat! We rented bicycles for our entire stay, bought groceries at the local market, made a few simple meals in the galley - making us feel more like locals than tourists. We thoroughly enjoyed everything about our trip to Amsterdam and would definitely recommend a houseboat experience for anyone who is looking for a unique touch to their vacation! Francois and his family are gracious hosts and take great care to ensure that each visitor has a warm welcome to the Koophandel and Amsterdam!

This boat is so big. Our only regret was that there was just the two of us. Nicely located in downtown. Amsterdam is so small you can walk just about everywhere but if you don't want to your about 4 blocks from the train station and a canalbus stop is right across the canal.

We had the pleasure of staying aboart this houseboat with our children, 9 & 7 years old.

The children were absolultely delighted by the unique accomodations, e.g. their bedroom at the front of the boat with two platform beds, portholes that opened, etc; the pleasure of feeding ducks and other birds off the deck throughout the stay; and, of course, just the fun of staying on a boat, vs. a traditional hotel room or apartment.

We adults were also delighted (!) by the quiet surroundings, the quick, easy walk to great local restaurants/grocery, and proximity to the zoo and tram lines.

I cannot overstate our endorsement of this sort of accomodation...and this houseboat in particular...for families traveling to Amsterdam.

Please feel free to contact us for further information or advice on how to make the most of the wonderful opportunity to stay on this houseboat for a wonderful family vacation!

Lynn McKenna
Dallas, Texas, USA

My wife and I booked the houseboat for part of our 25th anniversary trip. It was absolutely perfect. Our hosts were wonderful and the boat was a joy to return to after a busy day in the city. We would highly recommend it.

We had a very wonderful stay in the houseboat. The house boat was very comfortable and Francois made every effort to make us comfortable. Most importantly we loved the fact that we could come back every day after sightseeing to a place which had many rooms and a kitchen rather than to a single room.

We have no hesitaion in recommending this houseboat to anyone who wants to enjoy home while on vacation.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable time on the Koophandle which we found to be very spacious, homely and welcoming. Despite the snow the Koophandle was always a warm and welcoming home to come back to after a busy day out and about. Our 7 year old really enjoyed the boat and managedit well, though I'm glad we didn't bring him when he was younger.

The owner Francois has a wealth of information about his lovley boat and I would recommend a chat with him about, not only about the boat, but Amsterdam and Holland in general.

There is a good supermarket about 10 mins walk away, the Italian Restuarant near by is very pleasant ( the food a bit heavy). The Zoo is great and very close by and the Maritime Museum is certainly worth a visit. If you're there with kids you can (and probably will!) spend all day in the Science Museum. I am looking forward to our next trip and will certainly hope to saty on the Koophandle again.

We stayed on the Koophandle during winter time and found the barge to be spacious, welcoming and very cosy. It is well situated 2 minutes walk from the Zoo, 5 minutes from the Maritime and science Museums, 15 mins from Centraal Station etc. Staying on a barge is a top way of experiencing A|msterdam, more exciting than hotels and I look forward to our next visit!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay on board Francois' houseboat.Very warm after coming inside from the cold air.Beds very clean and great sound system!It was a bit inconvenient to have to pay the remainder by cash when we got there though.And also a few provisions in the fridge would have been nice when we arrived as the nearest shop was quite a walk. It is advertised that the houseboat is quite near the centre, it is a good 20 mins walk away from the red light district which wasn't the best when we decided to walk there after getting off the train from the airport. Thanks Francois and to Darco's taxis for the fab service.

the boat is truely beautiful, its in a quiet but central location only 5-10mins walk from the train station. We visited the boat in december expecting it to be cold, but it is fully central heated and was cosy and welcoming. We spent the days walking around the city and looked forward to returning to the warm boat at night.
*The boat is quiet and noise free at night.
*It is warm and there is always hot water.
*The owner is friendly and very welcoming.
*There are some lovely cafe/bars and restaurants very close to the boat.
*2 minutes walk to the nearest food shop (spar).
*The boat is large enough not to rock excessively - so people who suffer sea sickness could easily stay on this boat.
*Its NO smoking.

We had a great time and would stay there again, i've been to Amsterdam 5 times now and the boat beats hotels anyday!

Franciois, we really enjoyed our week on the Koophandel VI. Staying on a houseboat instead of a traditional hotel was a great way to revisit Amsterdam. We went shopping at the nearby grocery store the first day, as you suggested, and it was the perfect start. We were surprised at how much room there was on the boat. It is gigantic compared to standard Amsterdam hotel rooms! Each day after exploring, going back to the boat felt like "going home" instead of just "back to the room." Although there isn't daily maid service, we were completely comfortable, cozy and happy throughout the entire week. In fact, we enjoyed the extra privacy. Thanks for helping make our vacation memorable.

What a great boat, what a great host, what a great place to stay! The location is perfect, in a quiet residential area away from the hustle and bustle but an easy walk or a short tram or bus ride into town. Franscois, the owner, was a fantastic host. He ensured all of our needs were met, and the fresh flowers and fruit he left as the finishing touches made it all appreciated even more. He’s a great guy with a great sense of humor. The boat was bigger than we expected, with plenty of room and all of the creature comforts we needed. Feeding the swans from the side of the boat was another benefit that you just can’t find anywhere else. A fantastic boat, a fantastic way to experience another facet of the always incredible Amsterdam. We’ll definitely stay on her again!

I just returned from a week on board the Koophandel VI and I couldn't have been more pleased. The owner, Francois, was very gracious and easy to work with. He was very helpful as to where to find things close by, and is more than happy to explain the history of the boat and it's features. He even provided fresh cut flowers on board. I highly recommend this form of accomadation and this boat in particular. The boat is comfortably appointed and has all the conveniences of home, including a stereo. I stayed in mid October and the boat was always warm and cosy. It's rather like renting an apartment with a superb view. It is well located, just 15 minutes walk from Centraal Station; I rolled my luggage there from the train station with no difficulty whatsoever. Despite it's very convenient location the boat is situated in a quiet area, the only sounds being the ducks and the occasional boat passing by. There is also plenty of room topside and I enjoyed feeding the various waterfowl every morning from the deck. The provided rowboat is another great way to experience this city of canals. There are several good restaurants and cafes within a short walk away, and the zoo and Maritime museum are also very close by. There is a grocery store within easy walking distance. I felt much less the tourist staying in this residential area and the boat is definitely an Amsterdam experience as there are many canal boats serving as residences in the city. You can rent a bike at Centraal Station or closer to the boat at Waterlooplein. Do rent a bike, as it's an excellent way to see this magnificent city and get about easily (remember to take your day pack). The Koophandel VI, the warm and friendly people, and the bike made for a very memorable experience - this is an experience that shouldn't be passed up. Please feel free to contact me with further questions/inquiries.

We totally feel in love with the city and the houseboat made it more of an adventure. It poured rain the whole time we were there so it was a lot of fun to come back to our cozy boat. We slept like babies on the water too. Only negative thing that happened was during a nightime wind storm, the power to the boat was knocked out and we couldn't get a hold of Francios for 1 1/2 days to fix it. Nevertheless, when we finally spoke he rushed right over to fix everything and brought us some wine. He was a very nice person and you can tell he takes great care of his boat. The boat was very clean and comfortable and in a great, quiet location.

We stayed on the Koopenhandel (Houseboat B004) while visiting Amsterdam and we can't imagine a better way to go. We were close enough to walk to many sights, yet tucked away in a quiet corner for a nice night's sleep. The boat was spacious and the owner gracious. From our perspective it was better than a hotel or apartment ever could be.

Well!

This year, the third anniversary (2002-2004) had to be celebrated. Every year when I stay on this houseboat it's just getting better....
This time my friend Brad from the U.S. and myself "occupied the vessel" and had a good time. On arriving Francois and the two of us had a nice beer which I always bring from Germany. We spend four great days and I made already plans for my next year's stay on Koophandel VI.

Thomas

An excellent equipped and cosy boat - great central location, very quiet. Great food at Coffie Huis restaurant on the corner.

'The boat was absolutely fantastic - a home from home. Central location - quiet, masses of space, beautiful surroundings. The service from the owners and those at houseboathotel.nl before and during the stay was excellent. All queries previous to the trip were answered promptly and concisely - directions clear and easy to follow and the stay itself truly glorious'. I would go back there any day - fantastic choice of accommodation. Colette.

Everybody should experience houseboat living in Amsterdam at least once, it's magical. There is nowhere moreso that Koophandel vi. Situated in a beautifully quiet residential area beside the zoo - there is an abundance to see and do locally and just fifteen minutes walk away you are in the heart of Amsterdam if you still can't decide what you want. Inside the boat is incredibly cosy, homely and a pleasure to wake up in and return to at the end of a long day as well as lounge in if time allows you to. I would have no hesitations in recommending this boat over and over again - we loved it!

We greatly enjoyed the stay on the houseboat, which is an extra ordinary nice place to stay and the owner is extremely friendly and helpful. I fully recommend to book a stay on this boat.

Kind regards


Silvia Haneklaus

Greeting fellow travelers!

I'd like to begin by stating our recent trip to Amsterdam was fabulous! We loved this wonderful and diverse city.

While planning the trip, we came upon www.houseboathotel.nl, somewhat by accident. However, once we browsed the site and looked at the various House Boats available, we were not only intrigued, we were hooked.

After careful deliberation, we decided on House Boat B004. We based our selection on a combination of price, amenities, photos, and scheduled availability. We were a bit hesitant since we arrived in Amsterdam quite early in the morning but couldn't actually get into the boat until 3:00pm. However, storing our luggage at Central Station for a few hours while we started looking around was a piece of cake (once we figured out how to use the lockers).

About 2:45, we caught a taxi at Central Station and arrived at Entrepôdok right at 3:00. As we got out of the taxi, we were greeted by Mr. François Palm, the friendly owner of B004, a.k.a. "Koophandel VI".

Once we had moved our luggage inside, Mr. Palm showed us about the interior of the vessel and pointed out the various operational aspects of the boat, the central heating, marine toilet, shower, etc. We then settled up with Mr. Palm, who promptly got on his bicycle and pedaled away (like so many, many Amsterdamers, he doesn't own a car!)

If you have reservations about renting this, or similar house boat, let me put your mind at ease. It was toasty warm, very stable, and wonderfully quiet.

We found Entrepôdok was a historical point of interest in the city, and was within a short distance to anywhere. I can assure you that Amsterdam is very easy to get around by foot, or by the ever ready trams and busses that go all over town. Honestly, once we were situated and knew where we were going, we walked almost everywhere we went, except at night when we were tired from enjoying the wide variety of festivities the city has to offer.

By the way, if you've heard that Amsterdam can be scary at night, I can tell you that any trouble that might be there is very, very easy to avoid. We had absolutely no problems whatsoever for the five days we were there.

Anyway, long story short - go to Amsterdam! And if you do, live on a houseboat. You'll love the experience. I know we did, and that we'll definitely be back!

If anyone wants to contact me personally about our experiences and get a bit of first hand tourist knowledge about this wonderful place, feel free to contact me at bfranki@nfassociates.com. I have info and photos you might find useful...

Go! Enjoy!


-Bill Franki

Dear Ilonk,

We had a very good stay. The boat is lovely and spacious and even though the weather was cold we were warm enough. We found the mattresses on the beds quite hard but apart from that we were very comfortable. It is a very quiet neighbourhood but also very central which was great for such a short stay. Francois was charming and very helpfull too.
I will recommend you to any friends coming to Amsterdam


Best Wishes

Sue

Our stay at this houseboat was very pleasant. Flowers and fruits were present on arrival, the boat was big and nice, the heating worked fine, the surrounding was very quite, and to the artis zoo it's just a minute to walk. Our children appreciated it!
Good alternative to the boring and characterless hotels - especially with kids.
OK, Francois, thanks again for the warm reception and the pleasant stay!
Andreas and family

This was not our first trip to Amsterdam, but is was the first time we stayed on a houseboat - and what a houseboat.

Francois is a very nice and helpfull host and the boat is just wonderfull. It was much bigger than we expected and everything worked fine. We spend hours on the deck just enjoying the sun and watching the passing boats on the kanal.

There is no doubt in our minds, the next time we visit Amsterdam, we will try to come back to the Koophandel VI :-)

Helle and John, Denmark

Visiting Amsterdam with a few friends and want an alternative to a faceless hotel? Renting a house boat for a few days is way better than spending it in a run of the mill hotem room. You get a lounge, kitchen and sun deck all thrown in!
Definately recommended.

We really could not have asked for a more perfect way to start our vacation/honeymoon. Stumbling out of the train station after a night's travel, we were totally psyched to have our own place to call home - alas, the Koophandel. François met us, showed us what we needed to know and let us pretend that we were locals living on the canal for 4 days. The surrounding neighborhood was also great, as it was enough away from the hustle and bustle of the central area, while still close enough to walk where we needed to go. On our way back through Amsterdam we stayed at a downtown hotel and did not enjoy it anywhere near as much. Going back to the 'room' was nothing like being able to go back to the BOAT.

As the title of this message reads, our time here set the tone for the rest of our trip.

We had a great weekend in Amsterdam and the boat made our trip just that bit more interesting. It was in a lovely quiet canal with plenty of local bars and restaurants and very close to all the sights of the city. We couldn't have wished for anything better. Thanks

We stayed on boat B004, only a short walk into the city center it was perfect for our 4 day break. Being in such a quiet area, the hightlight of the break must of been going down the canal in our rowing boat with a picnic. The boat was very spacous and with modern decor which made it feel very homely and fresh.
10/10!!

Hello!

This was my second time I've rented this beautiful houseboat. I rented the boat last year with a buddy of mine and I liked it from the beginning on.
Well, this time I was all by myself on the boat because two of my buddies (one from the U.S , the other from Austria) had not been able to join me. Nevertheless I had a wonderful time on the boat again, and I will rent it again next year together with my wife and our son.
The boat is highly recommended to everybody who wants to stay in Amsterdam and is bored about the small hotel rooms. It's located in a very quiet neighbourhood but close enough to the main attractions (10-15 min walk).

Have a good time, till 2004!

Thomas C. Rose

My friend and I made a four day trip to Amsterdam in April 03. We were delighted to come across this website and find that we could rent a houseboat instead of going for the usual hotel options. We rented Koophandel IV boat B004. What a wonderful boat she is, full of character and very comfortable. The area itself is very quiet and peaceful yet it is only a few minutes by tram from the city centre. We spent a wonderful few days and wished we had booked for longer. Francois (the owner) is a very friendly and helpful host. To me it is the best way to experience Amsterdam and we will definitely book this boat again. I have an idea to celebrate my 40th birthday on this boat in quiet style with a few close friends, perfect!

For our 15th wedding anniv May 2002 me and my husband stayed on the
Koophandel VI for 6 nights. We will never ever forget the memories we will share for a lifetime with not only the Koophandel VI, but also with Captain Francois!!! Francois makes it very clear to you that while you are renting this houseboat..this is your home! We also had the pleasure of meeting his wife Let.I can "still smell the flowers" that he was so kind and thoughtful to put in the houseboat, as he knew we were celebrating our anniv and he made it extra special just for us!! The little duckys come right up to the boat when they are hungry and they love stroopwaffels!!! This houseboat is very roomy!!!..ANYONE who would pass up an experience like this will truly live to regret it. So..take our advice...if you are looking for a "home away from home"...then..THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO SPEND YOUR TIME!..OH KOOPHANDEL...TAKE US AWAY!!! We are saving our pennys and looking forward to enjoy this experience again very soon.

This is more than an alternative to a hotel. It's really the only way to experience Amsterdam. Drink your morning cup of coffee on the deck, as the sun rises over the water while the ducks cruise by and you'll know you've experienced heaven. Note, this is an authentic boat, not a flat houseboat. That means tons of charm, but also no gangplank which makes getting aboard a bit tricky.

We had a delightful couple of days on this refurbished traditonal houseboat on a quiet residential area of Amsterdam which is very close to the Maritime Museum and the Ship Repair Musuem both are worth visiting.

The vessel is great - home from home, extremely quiet with a few birds hovering around at times along with a few canal cruise vessels.

Restaurants and bars are very enjoyable particularly as they are slightly off the beaten track and away from the crowded tourist areas. Truely recommended to everyone.

We wanted to do something different for our holiday in Amsterdam and the first thought that came was linked to our stay because that is always the main part of a vacation.

Browsing through the net for accomodations, we saw that we could actually rent a BOAT HOUSE to ourselves. That was like WOW!!! We were two couples and here was a Boat House offering us 2 bedroom + Living/Dining + Toilet + A small Study room + Kitchen.....all furnished. We never had such and opportunity and as we wanted to do something different, we went for it. All reservations done. Confirmations were received by email and one could not have asked for more....was the detailed plan for arriving at the Boat House right from the Schiphol Airport. Just too good.
Arriving at the boat made us forget all our tiredness for the journey time of total 16 hours. It was a luxry by itself. Normaly women are fussy when it comes to such a kind of stay. Here was different.....they named it.....it was their. Whatever they asked for was existing on the boat. I can just say that who ever has furnished this Boat House knows exactly what their customers need. One could not ask for more. We wanted to stay more on the boat....but like all vacations come to an end, ours also did.
I would just like to say....if you have not experienced staying in a BOAT....do so, right now....or you will never have memories like we have treasured.

You will always have a complain staying anywhere...but here we could not find a single.

Ciao whenever in Amsterdam.

SANJEEV/DEEPAK, United Arab Emirates

Hi House-Boat Hotel,

I've rented the above mentioned houseboat this year. I was very satisfied and will rent it again next year. Very comfortable and a very helpful host! Keep on going!

Thomas

The stay on a houseboat was fabulous and this houseboat in particular was clean, conveniently located, well kept and plenty big to feel at home. Francois met me at the houseboat at the set time and was pleasant while he showed us the ins & outs of living on a houseboat. J. Consolo

The Koophandel VI was a really lovely place to stay - easy walking distance from tram stops and access to the whole city, from a quiet neighbourhood. The boat has an excellent kitchen and a cosy atmosphere. A great place - highly recommended!