.... but then he is from Amsterdam! He also recommended the area - Jordaan - in general: still part of "Old Amsterdam" and great for just schmoozing around. The hotel is wonderfully located: nearby is a street with bakeries, delis, "coffee" shops,and restaurants; you can walk from the station:it's 0-6km. If you do take a taxi, beware of the drivers... more

Definitely chic, and much better than basic. A great location: an easy walk from the station, on a quiet canalside residential/business street. All the staff were welcoming, friendly, helpful, knowledgeable. Thanks for the excellent advice directing us to shops selling antique light fittings - and for the sellotape. The room ("large double") was fine, with full-sized bath in roomy bathroom;... more

Stayed for one night. Great location; less than 10 mins from the station and max 15 mins to Dam Sq (and thats at a real leisurely pace). Located in a quiet street just far enough away from the tourist track to have shops and restaurants residents would use. But close enough that you can be in the middle of town... more

Well located, trendy and at a reasonable price. Not as nice as the “chic and basic” in Barcelona, but it still stands up to its name. more

my wife and i spent 3 nights at the Chic and Basic and we enjoyed it very much. The hotel is in a good location (no dodgy stuff next door) and is a short walk to almost everything in Amsterdam that you would want to see (and some of the things you might not want to see too :-). The... more

Chic and Basic, as its namesake, is chic and basic. Located close to the train station, this is a great place to stay if you enjoy boutique hotels. We had canal side rooms, which had large windows opening to fresh air and great views. Welcomed with a personal note and welcome pack, the chic white rooms were clean and a... more

I booked this hotel based on TripAdvisor ratings and reviews, and we had a great stay! The staff are very friendly and helpful - one lady went out of her way to help us find a sushi restaurant. The bathroom is huge, and the place is very clean. They have tea and coffee always available near reception, and free wireless... more

After reading reviews on here we decided to book in for 3nights. The hotel was excellent, about 5-10min walk from the main train station and a similar distance to Dam Square. In a quiet street overlooking a beautiful canal. Our room was in the attic which was a bit of a pain as there are no elevators and quite a... more

Although the landmark red lip sofa 's missing from the front, we managed to find it after getting off the street cars. It was stacked in the back, as it turned out. As promised it was very recently renovated; it was refreshing to step inside the property. Staff were very friendly and showed us to our room in no time.... more