Apartments Amsterdam - Houseboats Amsterdam - Amsterdam Apartments

The proof of the pleasure we experienced staying here must surely be that, three months later, happy thoughts of the place keep surfacing!

It is not 'grand luxe' but it is comfortable, sparkling clean and well equipped. The location couldn't have provided a better base for exploring much of Holland. The charming garden by the water's edge provided a much appreciated oasis of calm at the end of busy days. Hosts, Beatrice and Jacco, couldn't have been more accommodating and are exceptionally nice people.

We have rented all over the world and nowhere has been more agreeable than here.

Keep up the great work!

Rowan Marsh

brilliant location, beautiful and peaceful.. highly recommended to go by car, so you can get about as you please.. Amsterdam, Haarlem and Utrecht all with in easy reach by car.

The hoasts Beatrice and Jacco were great.. apart from everything i will be back very soon.. this houseboat is ideal for me to relax once in a while as i work 6 days a week
so i will be back very soon.......

Renting a housebout outside Amsterdam is a perfect choise when you want more than a hotel room. The houseboat is comfertable og the surrounding terrace very nice. It was a beautifull view over the canal with ducks and other birds.
The owners do a lot to make you feel welcome. They had bought bread, butter, jam, juice and even a bottle of wine.

We spend 4 nights on this houseboat and we enjoyed it a lot.

The place is great, the people are great; everything was perfect!


Vraiment une location a recomender pour des vacances parfaite! Les loueurs parlent francais aussi.

Das Houseboat liegt in einer sehr schönen Grachtenstraße. Das Houseboat ist wunderschön eingerichtet. Kleine Details versüßen den Aufenthalt. Die Besitzer sind ausgesprochen feundlich und zuvorkommend. Die tolle Sonnenterrasse lädt zu vielen Sonnenbadestunden ein. Auch der liebevoll angelegte Garten lädt zum verweilen und erholen ein. Wir hatten leider nicht viel Glück mit dem Wetter. Daher haben wir Holland erkundet. Die Lage des Houseboats ist relativ zentral, so dass Amsterdam, Rotterdam und die Nordsee gut zu erreichen sind. Da wir sehr windiges Wetter hatten, haben wir die Flugzeuge vom Flughafen relativ laut beim starten und landen gehört. Trotzallem kommen wir garantiert in das schöne Houseboat wieder. Wir freuen uns auf den nächsten Aufenthalt bei Jacco und Beatrice.

We had a wonderful and comfortable stay in our rental in Aalsmeer. Beatrice is such a gracious and a generous hostess. our selection of this propertyh worked out well because of the central location to Schiphol and to family homes. Our second visit...but not our last.
Michael
Virginia, USA

maison flottante, très très belle, accueil formidable par Béatrice et son mari, et donne volontier tous les renseignements pour passé un bon séjour.voiture en sécurité juste devant la maison.tout le confort est là, télé, séche cheveux, serviettes, savon, drap...etc
pour aller jusque a Amsterdam, prendre la voiture et passer par le bois plutôt que par l'autoroute, plus rapide si il y a des embouteillages, et plus agréable.et laisser la voiture dans un parking P+R ov pour 8€/jour, la aussi la voiture est en sécurité.
bon séjour a Amsterdam, et je recommande vivement ce logement!

We had a lovely warm welcome from our hosts. The houseboat was comfortable and had everything we needed, it was a very pleasant stay. It is an hour's bus journey from Amsterdam but very close to Schipol. Would recommend this houseboat if you are looking for a relaxing stay close to some lovely parts of the Netherlands.

We stay there for 5 days and we had a few sunny days.
There are to hire a small boat, with the 6-8 hp outboard.
We drove to the nearby lake and we had a lot of fun:)
On the terrace, you may very well enjoy the sun.
We want to come back in any case.

Our family of four had a wonderful weekend at this houseboat. The setting was beautiful - such a pretty view. Although the house was not spotlessly clean, it was spacious and we had everything we needed. It was quiet and the garden was well kept. The host welcomed us and gave us useful information about the area. A short drive took us to public transit into downtown Amsterdam.
We would definitely recommend this to friends!

It was a lovely place , comfortable and very convenient to reach all parts of the Netherlands
The place is quiet despite the proximity of the airport
Thank you Beatrix and her husband for their warm welcome

I wish I could stay in the houseboat next September, I am starting to make all the plans now and hopefully I can get my other 2 sisters to join me on the boat, then we'll make 6 in all ... and we'll visit all those beautiful places and our cousins and nieces that are spread all over Holland.

Pray that this comes true .....

Best regards,
Liya

Thank you to Beatrice and Jacco for providing a wonderful place to stay on our recent trip to Holland.
The accommodation was very comfortable and perfectly located. We were able to make our way into Amsterdam each day with ease, parking at the Olympic Stadium park and ride, enjoy the delights of the city and then return to the peace and quiet of the houseboat each evening where the children fed the ducks, played in the garden and we were able to relax.
Highly recommended and accessible for many sights.

Wir waren vom Platzangebot und dem Komfort in unserem Hausboot angenehm überrascht. Unsere Kinder waren begeistert. Die Übergabe war bestens organisiert und der Empfang herzlich. Preis-/Leistung hat gepasst und dass wir mit den bereitgestellten Rädern gleich die Gegend erkunden konnten war sehr schön. Wir können dies nur weiterempfehlen und freuen uns schon auf den nächsten Aufenthalt ...

This 2-bedroom houseboat provides an excellent base for exploring the flower market & near-by towns. The houseboat is bright & spacious. Even though the owners were away during our stay, food was left for breakfast & flowers decorated the space. A bus stop is a 10-15 minute walk away. We enjoyed watching the birds from the houseboat windows & the use of a washer & dryer was very helpful mid-way in our visit to the Netherlands.

We arrived on a Sunday and since markets were closed our host provided us with wonderful breakfast foods for the next day. We were also greeted with a lovel bouquet of flowers on the table. The houseboat met with out general requirements however the cookstove really needs to be repaired or replaced. It would not light part of the time and we had to use an old cigarette lighter that was there since there were no matchs. It was nice to be in a quite part of town and away from the city and we could relax. Our host answered our questions but otherwise left us alone. We got caught by the volcano and had to stay over so had to get a hotel in town and they were nice enough to take us and our luggage to the new hotel. There are just little things that could be done to make this a really nice place. It is starting to show wear and needs to be painted inside some. The bath is excellent and the heating worked very well as it was still cold when we were there. Overall I would stay here again and was not disappointed. If you don't rent a car and use the bus it is a long way to walk and the markets are not close. One does deliver which is nice for a very nominal fee. As I said we would definitely stay here again. Very pleased overall.

Nous gardons un excellent souvenir de notre séjour à Aalsmeer.
Le houseboat est très confortable.
Il est très bien situé , proche d'AMSTERDAM accessible par les transports en commun et proche de tous les autres sites (EDAM, GOUDA...)sans oublier le BLOEMENVEILING à voir absolument.
Un grand merci à BEATRICE et JACCO pour leur accueil si chaleureux . ils ont tout prévu pour que l'on passe un agréable séjour. ( vélos , cannes à pèche , beau bouquet à notre arrivée.....)
Nous leur souhaitons un joyeux Noël et de bonnes fëtes de fin d'année.

nous sommes allées passer une semaine en houseboat au printemps et nous sommes enchantées.très bien logés .très sympa beau jardin.très bien reçue par beatrice et son mari . la maison est bien situé pour visiter pas loin d'amsterdam et du reste.
merci beatrice et yaco

We loved staying on the houseboat! We were greeted with lovely flowers on the tables and a bottle of wine, and the owners could not have been nicer or more helpful.

The only drawback was that we arrived from Amsterdam on the bus and had to haul our luggage over a mile over the cobblestones to get to the boat. Next time we'd take the train to Schiphol airport and a bus from there to Aalsmere; that bus drops you only two blocks from the houseboat.

There is a lovely little garden and greenery all around that gives you nice privacy. There is a deck where you can sit on the chaise lounges and watch the wildlife around the canal, mainly birds.

We used the bicycles every day to go to town and took the boat out on the lake. It had everything we needed to be comfortable. After sightseeing, it was a great place to kickback.

We would definitely stay there again!!

Very good location, easy for visiting Amsterdam, nice fourniture. Nicer in reality than in photos. Good privacy e private garden. Absolutely reccomandable.
We were four (dad, mom + two children) and we could visit Amsterdam by bike twice (one time from the HB in 40 minutes through the Amsterdam Bos and one time, easier, by the "P+R", that's the "park and drive" system that means you pay 6,00 euros per day and you can park the car and you receive two bikes).

We enjoyed very much our stay in Aalsmeer. The houseboat was nice and comfortable, our hosts were as kind as could be and the town was interesting and beautiful. the weather was sunny and hot..maybe a little too much!! Fabio and Gloria

From the welcome pack of tea, biscuits and a bottle of red wine to the beautiful garden and surrounding area - the houseboat was the most relaxing place to spend a holiday! Spotlessly clean and very spacious, with everything needed for a self-catering break. Beatrice, who lives next door, welcomed us all from the taxi before we even got our cases from the boot - she was so friendly and very helpful.

Only a 45 minute bus trip into Amsterdam and it's so easy to buy tickets on the bus. Aalsmmer itself seems to always have something going on - from market stalls to proudly displaying vintage cars along Market Street (the day we arrived). We second Beatrice's recommendation of the Zotte Wilg as a fine place to eat. The chicken sate and the meatballs being only two of the delicious dishes we sampled. In between relaxing we managed to fit in quite a bit of sightseeing - something for everyone - the Escher museum at the Hague and the Anne Frank House for young and old and Nemo science museum for the younger age group.

The stay at the house boat B012 was simply wonderful!!!! The hosts Beatrice and Jaco really went out of their way to help us in everything we needed. I would definitely recommend this house boat to anyone thinking of going there.

Really one of the most relaxing, luxurious house boats I have ever stayed on.

Will be back for sure!!!!

Thanks,

Jethro and Melissa

We spent a week in Alsmeer/Amsterdam with our two kids (ages 8 and 6) and it was great. The houseboat itself is very nice--nicely furnished, spacious, equipped with everything you need for cooking, eating, relaxing, washing and drying clothes, etc. There is very nice attention to detail, with fresh-cut flowers around the house, a big leather sofa, and wireless internet. The bikes for adults and kids were great. I biked to the train station to commute in to Amsterdam and the kids could bike up and down the dead-end street with no worries. They also played soccer, fed the ducks, and fished. The boat you can rent (quite affordably) with the houseboat is great. We used it to explore the canals and islands, but also to go grocery shopping and to restaurants. Easier and funner than a car. Jacco and Beatrice are wonderful hosts. They made sure we had everything we needed, including giving us a ride to and from the train station one day during the bus strike. When buses are running, the trip to central station in Amsterdam is about 35-45 minutes. You take a bus-ride from Alsmeer to Schipol (the bus takes about 15 minutes and runs every 1/2 hour), and then a train to Amsterdam (runs every 10 minutes and takes about 15 min.) If you plan on being in Amsterdam every day, it may be a bit expensive and inconvenient but if you plan on a few day trips but also want to relax and explore other things, this is an excellent place. Bring bug spray because, as with any houseboat, there are mosquitos. Especially for travellers with kids, we would highly, highly recommend it.

It was a very nice time on this boat house, very good place for stay also during business time! Thank you!

Had a wonderful stay on this houseboat. Made a great relaxing end to our holiday. In a very quiet peaceful area outside Amsterdam but close enough to have the city within easy reach and well situated in regard to the airport. Amenities were excellent and could not have asked for a more pleasant and helpful host.

nothing and all to tell, because it's a very very beautiful place, great, peaceful, perfect for a family for example. You can to do bicycle, walk until supermarket, take a bus for Amsterdam, every means were practice. By car to, for to go to Amsterdam, we prefer to park at Olympish station because it's fast, easy, with tramway/bus ticket's free.
Anyway, we hope to come back soon, don't hesitate. And you're hosts are very very kind!

Quatre jours magnifique à bord d'un super houseboat, avec une charmante hotesse française, ce qui nous a bien aidé dans nos pérégrinations. Un séjour inoubliable, qui demande à être réitéré. On en redemande.....

Great stay getting to Amsterdam is easy with park and ride. Aalsmere is a beautiful town well worth a visit. The Houseboat was very comfortable in a peaceful area.

We stayed the second time with the children on the ark. They feel well and found this year the possibility of swimming direct from the arc between the ducks. The new boat is comfortable but its important to learn a little how to handle it.
And than you´ve got the close ways to the sea, to Amsterdam and whereever you want to go. You want a nice place to stay with your children here you found it , belive us.

Dirk, Astrid, Selina + Sarah

The houseboat was great! The town was awesome! It was so relaxing. Feeding the ducks each day was a blast. We could not have had a better honeymoon anywhere else in the world.

we have just returned from a stay at House boat B012.
We found it very pleasant. The accomodation is exactly as described on the website.
It was a very suitable way to spend the end of a busy holiday. We found it very relaxing .
If we went back we would perhaps hire a car as bus stops , shops etc are a good 15-20 minute walk away.
We would definitely consider saying there again as a base.

This houseboat was beyond our expectations; large rooms, spacious living area, full of sunshine, excellent accommodation! We enjoyed the full ambiance - the sense of being outside on the water - a lovely deck with lounge chairs for sunbathing, table and chairs under a canopy of trees for outside eating and sipping wine in the evening. Even the local ducks and other birds came bay often seeking crackers and bread cubes. This beautiful houseboat was the high point of our vist - just far away enough from the big city of Amsterdam, but close enouh for frequest visits and all the tours. I recommend this houseboat and the charming and responsive owners very, very highly.

We had a great time in Aalsmeer - the houseboat and THE GARDEN are really nice! Our trip through the canals of Aalsmeer was a wonderful experience - but you should be very careful at junctions (stones on the ground). On our visit to Amsterdam we took the bus at the Olympisch Stadion and then the day ticket for the Canal Bus. It was easy for us to organize everything with the help of our hosts and the wireless connection on board.

Another day we went for a round trip to North Holland: Leiden (really nice city), Gouda, Bloemendaal and finally Zandvoort, where we had a good dinner in the Take5/Cinq Restaurant.

We recommend the houseboat to anyone who wants to relax in a nice atmosphere after a day of sightseeing - and first of all to all those who want to combine a city trip with a relaxing holiday with children! Thank you very much, Beatrice & Jacco.

Very hospitable hostess and host. The house boat was very nice, it meet all our needs. Quite location, but close enough to walk to town or bus stop.

Many thanks for the wonderful time we had on your house boat. We loved the setting, feeding the ducks and swans every morning and evening from the window or the garden. Such an easy area to travel around to all the beautiful towns and villages we found, even the amazing beaches. Very easy to travel to Amsterdam, public transport is very good and cheap, fellow Brits......its on time as well!!!!!!!! The house boat is perfect, every thing you could possible want, good supermarket that will deliver, and my husband loved the bike, I left him to it and enjoyed the view! Will definitely return.

nous avons été enchanté de notre séjour du 23 au 27 octobre 2006 .. location très propre .. bien chauffé .. nous étions 4 adultes et 2 enfants de 10 et 6 ans - accueil très chaleureux (propriétaire parlant le Français-l'Anglais et le Hollandais) petite ville d'Alsmeer très agréable - toutes commodités en centre ville(proche) petite surface alimentaire...la poste...et autres commerces ....Amsterdam à 20 mn...nous avons été en voiture (en traversant la forêt) jusqu'au stadium olympique, parking en dessous (5.50euros de parking+tram pour la journée) nous étions heureux de revenir dans notre havre de tranquilité, après une journée d'excursion.Prévoir une canne à pêche et du pain pour les canards. Nous y retournerons avec plaisir

What can I say, the whole experience form booking on line to the accomendations we found upon our arrival was top notch. I'd like to say thank you to Betrice for providing us with a lovely home and the beautiful flowers.

The houseboat was clean, warm, and the provision provide were great. The location of Houseboat BO12 is the best. Frist off Aalsmeer is a very lovely town with friendly people. We had easy excess to the airport, and the train and bus system, making touring easy. Houseboat BO12 came with two bikes that we put to good use, thank you again Betrice.

To sum it all up: "we came, we saw, we left ( a piece of our heart in Amsterdam)."

Our stay at houseboat B012 was better then we could have imagined. We were initially a little apprehensive about staying at a houseboat not located directly in Amsterdam city center. Our concerns were unfounded. Once we visited Amsterdam's city center and walked the canals in the area we realized that Houseboat B012 out in Aalsmeer was so much better for us.

The houseboat is located at the end of a cul de sac. Parking is located directly beside the boat and there is very easy access to the boat for unloading luggage. Something that would be almost impossible in Amsterdam's city center.

The interior of the houseboat was bright, with plenty of space for a family of our size (two adults and two teenaged girls). The bedrooms were large and the sitting area in the master bedroom provided a great place to get away from everyone and do some reading.

The bathroom looked brand new to us. It was very modern, clean, and the hot water in the shower never let us down once (and that is saying something with two teenagers).

The kitchen is large enough and well equipped enough to handle any type of meal preparation. We had most of our meals at the houseboat during our stay and never had a problem.

The dining room/living room was spacious and very bright with south facing windows. In fact the windows through out the houseboat provided excellent views of the canal and the surrounding area.

The back of the houseboat consist of floor to ceiling windows of a patio door. This looks out onto the back deck where we enjoyed several sun filled days of reading and cruising the net. It was also from this back deck and spacious yard that we were first introduced to the local wild life. The water birds were a welcome addition to our family vacation. The girls enjoyed feeding them ever day.

The canal itself is quiet and boat traffic is restricted to local movement only and none of that passed our boat as it is located nearer the deadend part of the canal. This gave us the best of both worlds. We had the houseboat views and surroundings withoutthe noise of passing boats but we got to enjoy the traffic of the canal from a distance.

For those concerned about getting to Amsterdam for a visit we had no problems getting into the city in less than 30 minutes.. You can get to the central station either via the bus or the park and ride rapid transit system. Both arer efficient and safe.

As for Aalsmeer. The town is very clean, safe and quaint. There is lots of biking paths suitable for biking and running. The town also has an excellent indoor pool facility which the girls used to contniue their training while on the road.

The houseboat is within five minutes of everything the town has to offer.

The location also allowed us to visit other areas of Holland with ease as access to the highway is excellent and quick with no city traffic to fight. A visit to the coast can easily be done in less than 30 minutes.

All in all our stay at Houseboat B012 was the highlight of our trip. Whenever we next travel to Europe we will definately make the houseboat a planned stay.

a nice place
we came and found a realy nice and beautiful place to stay with the children.
It´s close to Amsterdam, Den Haag and Zandvoort.
We can resume it is a good place to stay with a little family.
Dirk + Astrid Anderssen

The house boat was even better than we had expected. Very well equipped and clean. Beatrice the owner could not have been more helpful and the welcoming bottle of wine was the icing on the cake.

The garden was lovely and had the weather been better it would have been fantastic to eat and have an evening drink outside.

We missed out on using the motor boat because this had been damaged .However, Beatice advised that she would be replacing the boat so hopefully we will be able to make use of it on our next visit.

David and Amanda Brown
Somerset
England

My husband and I spent 6 weeks on Jacco & Beatrice Mantel's houseboat for our long-leave from the Middle East. We cannot pay tribute enough to the helpfulness and care which was afforded us by our hosts. Everyday it was a joy to awake to the sounds of the wildlife on the canal, whatever the weather; during our stay we experienced everything from nearly 40 degres to thunderstorms and torrential rain - it was never boring. Naturally, staying so long we needed to shop and 'do things' in the local town where everyone was helpful and charming. In fact, I was so taken with the houseboat and Aarlsmeer itself that I would very much like to live there permanently. The houseboat could not be faulted. Apart from its comfort and pleasant decor, it is equipped for long-stay and we were extremely appreciative of the wahing machine, dryer and dishwasher! We did not hire a car and walked and cycled everywhere: there is easy access to the centre of Amsterdam by public transport. Our best effort for getting into Amsterdam was 45 minutes. We cannot do other than highly recommend this venue to anyone wishing to have a wonderful relaxing holiday in Holland with easy access to the 'big' city when the need for variety is required. And a big 'thank you' to Jacco & Beatrice too.

Sincerely,
Ann Hubbard

This houseboat is a small house on a pontoon rather than a barge. It is very comfortable and spacious. We stayed there from 18th to 21st December and were worried that it would be cold, but it had a very sophisticated heating system and was as warm as you could want.

The site is very close to Schipol (but not noisy) and convenient for Amsterdam, yet you can park your car for free right by the houseboat.

Beatrice was very welcoming and helpful and had gone to the trouble of putting up a Christmas tree for us in the living room.

When packing, you may like to know that the local supermarket is closed all day Sunday and Monday mornings, which I understand to be the norm for the Netherlands.

Being a business travelar, I find this boat, idealy located close to Schipol Amsterdam and the VBA flower auction, a refreshing alternative to hotels.

We enjoyed our stay very much. Just wish we could have spent more time on the houseboat! The landscaping was very nice...I am a Landscape Designer so I appreciated the plants. Our weather was incredible(for the end of October). Just a great visit. The hosts were totally accommodating. We would return.
Thanks so much.

Our stay at the houseboat in Aalsmeer was wonderful. Our hostess was very helpful. The accomodations were very comfortable and pleasant. We highly recommend this calm retreat while visiting Amsterdam. It was the highlight of our Amsterdam visit.

Many thoughts raced through my mind as we winged our way from Australia to Amsterdam. What would it be like living on a Houseboat for a week? Would the children find it interesting (granddaughters, 9 & 5)?
From the second we travelled down the winding lane to Houseboat BO12, to entering through the luscious green foliage, to opening the curtains & seeing the picturesque landscape of the meandering canal & the neighbouring boats, we were hooked!!
The adults loved every minute of the stay, as did the children (yes it delighted 3 generations). Ducks were constantly fed, to the point where I was concerned for their health! The bikes were a great hit & provided transport for our shopping sprees. The motor boat perhaps ranked amongst the highlights, particularly for the children.
Hosts Jaco & Beatrice were the epitome of warm, hospitality.
Should you have a holiday on Houseboat BO12? Don't hesitate; I'm sure you would have a ball.

Myself, my partner and our two children stayed on houseboat B012 during September 2005 for three nights. The houseboat was very clean, comfortable and nicely furnished and the description given was very accurate and didn't disappoint. The garden was well maintained and our children loved to feed the ducks and swans that swam by. The town Alsmeer was only a 10 minute walk away with plently of shops to suit and a bus service into Amsterdam. Our hosts were extremely helpful and pleasant and overall we had an enjoyable holiday. We would recommend this houseboat to anyone and would certainly stay here again if we were to return.

We spent a whole week in Aalsmeer with two boys (5/7 years) and found everything just perfect.
Warm and friendly hosts, a nicely furnished and situated houseboat, and a perfect location for daytrips to Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden and to the coast.
Because of the location close to the airport we were worried about the noise, but that is really no issue - it´s quiet and peaceful.
And the motorboat is running again and it´s great exploring the canals in the area.

Thank you very much!

We stayed four nights in B012 houseboat and loved every minute. We have three children from 12 to 7 and they loved feeding the ducks that swam up to the windows every evening. The whole place is serene and very quiet. It is close enough to Amsterdam to use it as a base and right next to the International Airport.

Our hosts live in their own houseboat next door and they are a very friendly couple with nothing too much trouble. The houseboat is fully fitted out and has all of the modern conveniences including laundary facilities which was more than welcome.

We would recomend it to anyone who wanted to get away from city hotels and have a nice relaxing holiday.

We stayed for several nights in early July. It was delightful. The house is spacious and well equipped. It was clear that no effort had been spared to make it feel like home and make us feel welcome. Beatrice, the owner/host is charming and extremely helpful.

Note that this houseboat offers the perfect setting for those who travel by car, as you may not want to drive it into Amsterdam... The location is great for day trips to many attractions in the country, and is close to a convenient (and dirt cheap) "park and ride" center for Amsterdam tours by tram or bicycle.

We will be back as soon as we are in the area.

Kenneth

The houseboat made a wonderful base for exploring Holland. It was easy to get into Amsterdam and other major cities quickly whilst having a quiet place to return to. Being able to cycle into Aalsmeer easily for groceries etc. was a bonus and there were plenty of cycle paths to get lost on en route. The boat was well equipped and our dog particularly liked the easy access to the very large swimming pool (AKA the canal system...) and the walks in the nearby forest.

Just sitting looking at the canal and the birds etc. was entertainment enough although the TV with access to English channels was a good back-up when the coots and swans went to sleep. All in all a very enjoyable week and we would book the boat again if/when we return to Holland. Thank you Beatrice and Jacco for providing such a nice temporary home.

We spent a great vacation.
The boat is very confortable and the city beautiful.
The owners friendly and warm.
I would like to come back.
Gabi

We rented this houseboat for one week in May. It is a delightful place. Everything about it pleased us: the actual houseboat, the garden, the location, the quiet, and Beatrice, the friendly and helpful owner.

I came to Amsterdam with my 89 year old mother and found the Houseboat B012 to be all that it advertised...It was VERY centrally located for proximity to major highways going to all parts of Holland, the world's largest floral warehouse and none of the city traffic of Amsterdam..Located on a small road next to a canal..it was peaceful and bucolic. The airport was relatively close by but the planes made little or no difference as far as sound. There was plenty of heat and hot water...the beds were comfortable and it was no problem for my mother to get in and out ..Our hostess was charming and very helpful..fresh flowers when we arrived and available for any questions..All in all a very pleasant experience..We would do it again in a flash!

When we decided to spend our last four nights in the Netherlands on a houseboat, we did not know what to expect. We chose B012 because it was out of the mainstream. It proved to be exactly that: a peaceful, picturesque setting where we might enjoy the beauty of canal life without its chaos. The boat is exceptionally well equipped and comfortable; a bouquet of roses awaited us, as did a partially stocked refrigerator and a warm welcome from our hosts. Although the promised motorboat proved non-functional, which prevented our exploring the canals, we enjoyed the bicycles and were able to shop and explore when not sitting on our dock and enjoying our neighbors, especially a bevy of avian newborns. All in all, we would highly recommend this way of experiencing Holland.

Thanks ever so much for wonderful accomodation.

The house boat was great for family of 4. Location in Aalsmeer was quiet and peacefull - convenient to public transportation to the rest of Holland and Europe.

Local town was delightful and within walking distance to good shopping and restaurants.

Hosts were gracious and helpful.

jay smith
Ft.Worth, Texas

I have loved the weather (mosquito free) here in Aalsmeer, for I am coming from humid mosquito-infested Washington DC. The skies are from the 16th century paintings and their reflections in the canals is wonderful. It is a pleasure to come back and cook in the kitchen after a day's sightseeing, the view out the window, above the sink, is soothing. We'll come back.

Beatrice and Jacco,
Thank you for your splendid hospitality and advice on getting around. This has been an exceedingly pleasant opening round to our european holiday. The simple pleasures of riding to the market for food and wine bring life back into scale.

Dear Beatrice and Jacco,
Thank you for your hospitality. What a great experience your houseboat has been for us ! We have loved staying here in Aalsmeer ; it has been a good central place from which to visit your beautiful country. You have been so accomodating to us. What would we have done without your superb suggestions and directions ? The houseboat was so relaxing and nice to "come home to" from our daily treks. We will remember this trip for a long time. If ever you are back in USA, our door is open to you !

21 years ago we lived in The Hague for one year, and this is the first time we have returned, to show our children this amazing country.Staying at this lovely houseboat in Aalsmeer has been just wonderful. We enjoyed Beatrice's recommendation to go to the Kroller-Muller museum & park. The Aalsmeer flower market was amazing - we really enjoyed it. The entire trip has been wonderful, and coming back to this houseboat after all our busy days was relaxing and gave us a tast of Holland. Thank you !

Stayed on this houseboat - two adult couples - over Memorial Day weekend and loved it. Nice, quiet, tranquil location. Owner very personable. The location is nice, and since we had a car; only 20 minutes to Amsterdam, 20 minutes or so out to see the Muiderslot castle and about an hour an a half from the ferry out to Texel. We had a great time and loved staying outside the hustle and bustle. Would go back again with the kids!

We had a lovely stay in this houseboat in Alsmeer a short distance from Amsterdam. We are a family of four and there was a master bedroom with good closets, a smaller bedroom with a small closet and a pull out couch/sofa in the living room. The kitchen was well equipped and the bathroom was new and very nice. The setting was lovely, on a small canal - very quiet - with lovely landscaping. We particularly liked the location as it was close to a major highway and very easy to get to and from on our daytrips. It is within an hour +/- of most of the major tourist sites in the Netherlands. The owner lives next door and is very nice. We didn't need anything during our stay but felt like if we did that he was very available. We didn't have the opportunity to use the bikes that accompany the houseboat but they appeared new. The houseboat was very clean and everything worked. The owners had put fresh flowers in the bedrooms and left a bottle of wine. We have rented condos and cottages in a wide variety of locations in the US, Europe, and Asia and this was as nice as any. We would rent from them again if we were to return to Holland which we would love to do someday.

Had a lovely five days in really quiet surroundings. Interesting walks in an evening. We saw a great deal of Holland from this base without having to go into Amsterdam each time, although Amsterdam is a mere 10 minutes away. The boat was comfortable, well resourced and the reception really friendly and helpful. Will certainly go back again in the future to see the many sights that we could not fit in this time.
Thank you Jacco and Beatrice for being so helpful.

I would like to thank Beatrice and Jacco for the beautiful accomodation. I have been to Amsterdam several times and this was my first time to stay outside the city. Now that I have stayed in Aalsmeer I would recomend it to anyone. Great time, great facilities and great hosts!

I recommand the boat to any family on vacation or businessman who has business in the area of Aalsmeer or Schiphol. The boat is located in a very quite area and is ideal for whoever wants to merge business with pleasure. The boat is fully equiped and very comfortable.
I would advise insalling an ADSL line to make the place even more appealing. I would like to thank Beatrice & Jacco Mantel for the excellent facilities. I will surely come again.
Avner Sheer

We loved our stay, everything was wonderful !!!
The boat, our hosts, the site ... a pleasure !!!

Thanks
Marie-Josée & Jean from Montréal, (Québec)

We loved everything about our stay in houseboat B012 in Aalsmeer.The boat was so beautifull,wonderfull hosts(Jacco and Beatrice),very nice garden with toys for our child,bicycles,boat and much more. Everything was perfect! THANK YOU!

This is a well spaced boat in quiet settings, very well equipped and maintained. I would recomend this accomodation to any of my friends with pleasure.

Myself and two sisters stayed at House Boat BO12 for one week in the end of April and thoughly enjoyed our experience. While we were there of course the flowers were magnificent. We especially enjoyed the very quiet setting of our house-boat as it sits on a private dike-lane in Alsmeer very near to Amsterdam and the Airport. Our HB was very clean and nicely appointed with comfortable furnishings and lovely garden and deck.

This location we found to be especially nice if you have a car because it is centrally located and fairly easy to find. The village area instead of the city made it very easy to drive to other parts of Holland for day trips. Our hosts were most accomodating and very informative about the area. I'm a florist and especially enjoyed being in the Alsmeer district because of the auction and all the greenhouses and fields in the area.

I'd say it was a trip of a lifetime and we really enjoyed the House boat.

Thank you
Carol Reinke,Oklahoma City
Marcia Herrera,Boston
Nancy Schmidt,St.Louis

The houseboat in aalsmeer was excellent...furnishings were immaculate and very comfortable...location was good for aalsmeer and schipoll airport (10 minutes) and then via train to amsterdam (20 minutes). The usage of the cycles was very good, saw a lot of the beautiful surrounding areas such as amstel and amstelveen and other little villages. Heartily reccommended.

terry