Amsterdam - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 172

soft in winter and midweek, 2-night minimum on weekends, pick
up keys in store at Prinsenstraat 4 or—if arriving after 17:00—call
ahead and they'll meet you at Central Station with keys and a map,
store tel. [phone], mobile [phone], fax [phone],
www.truelove.be, [e-mail]).
$ Frederic Rent-a-Bike Guestrooms, with a bike-rental
shop as the reception, is a collection of private rooms on a gorgeous
canal just outside the Jordaan, a five-minute walk from Central
Station. Frederic has amassed about 100 beds, ranging from
dumpy €70 doubles to spacious and elegant apartments (from €46
per person). Some places are ideal for families and groups of up to
six. He also rents houseboat apartments. All are displayed on his
website (phone bookings preferred, book with credit card but pay
with cash, 2-night minimum, no breakfast, Brouwersgracht 78,
tel. [phone], www.frederic.nl, Sebastian and Frederic). His
excellent bike shop is open daily 9:00-17:30 (€10/24 hrs).
IN SOUTHwEST AmSTERdAm
Charming B&Bs near Leidseplein
The area around Amsterdam's rip-roaring nightlife center
(Leidseplein) is colorful, comfortable, and convenient. These
canalside mom-and-pop places are within a five-minute walk of
rowdy Leidseplein, but are in generally quiet and typically Dutch
settings.
$$ Hotel de Leydsche Hof is a hidden gem located on a
canal. Its two large rooms are a symphony in white, overlooking
a tree-filled backyard. Frits and Loes give their big, elegant, old
building a stylish air (Db-€120, includes breakfast, cash only,
2-night minimum, Internet access and Wi-Fi, Leidsegracht 14,
tel. [phone], mobile [phone], www.freewebs.com
/leydschehof, [e-mail]).
$$ Wildervanck B&B, run by Helene and Sjoerd Wilder-
vanck, offers two rooms in an elegant, 17th-century canal house (big
Db on first floor-€130, Db with twin beds on ground floor-€110,
extra bed-€30, breakfast in their pleasant dining room, 2-night
minimum, Wi-Fi, family has three little girls, Keizersgracht 498,
on Keizersgracht canal just west of Leidsestraat, tel. [phone],
fax [phone], www.wildervanck.com, [e-mail]).
As it's in a busy area, you may get some bar noise at night.
$$ Hotel Keizershof is wonderfully Dutch, with six bright,
airy rooms in a 17th-century canal house with a lush garden and a
fine living room. A very steep spiral staircase leads to rooms named
after old-time Hollywood stars. The enthusiastic hospitality of
Mrs. de Vries and her daughter, Hanneke, give this place a friendly,
almost small-town charm (S-€70, D-€75-90, Ds-€100, Db-€115,