Hotel De Paris - Amsterdam, Netherlands     

The boyfriend and I booked a last minute, reasonably priced deal from a website and were pleased with the room. It was larger than I expected - after staying in several Amsterdam hotels you tend to expect to sleep in tiny box rooms and you could actually walk round this room in the hotel which was pleasing. It also had a safe which I appreciated. One major benefit was the fact we had a balcony overlooking the street which we were on - this was not expected and not asked for and so we felt priviledged. Another major thing was that we turned up four hours before check-in time, expecting to leave our luggage in a little room. However the gentlemen behind the desk asked us to wait five minutes and got our room ready for us which was unbelievably nice, again making us feel very priviledged indeed. The bed (two pushed together to make a double - not the end of the world) was comfy and clean, the room was a smoking one but didn't smell of smoke or have burns everywhere... overall we were pleased. A few negatives - the shower looked old and limescaled and the tray clogged up when we used it, however the actual shower was powerful and hot and did the job. I suppose the cleanliness of the shower was an issue but neither of us died from it so I can't complain really. The sink also leaked when used but that was nothing a towel, put underneath to catch the drips, didn't solve. The taps still worked so it didn't bother us. The only other negative was that the cleaners left a lot of their sheets and whatnot in the hallways, but this was not a major issue. None of the cleaners barged in on us like they have done at other hotels; instead they put a useful "to be cleaned" sign on the door. As for the rest - great elevator (looked new), stairs weren't as bad as I've experienced before, staff were extremely helpful and friendly, no curfew, all-hour bar, decor quirky and i liked it. Overall the hotel was great. I admit the negative aspects of the shower and sink were a bit disheartening but they were easily overlooked by all the positives of the hotel - i.e. the elevator, balcony in the room, the brilliant location of the hotel, and the lovely staff. There is also a bustling bar and a coffeeshop directly opposite the hotel which was great for people like me and the boyf.

I stayed in Amsterdam recently, and we found a good deal at the Hotel de Paris. We stayed there for a few days, and it was a perfectly fine hotel. Nothing fancy, but it was a clean and well-priced place to stay. Here are some pros and cons of the hotel: PROS: --If you want to be in the Leidesplein area, it is a great location. About a 3 minute walk from the Leidseplein (which is full of restaurants and shops). It is about a 10 minute walk to the Rijksmuseum and a 20 minute walk to the Red Light District. --The hotel is on a fairly quiet street, so you won't get rowdy people outside the hotel --You have to be buzzed into the hotel, so it felt safe. There was also a person on duty 24 hours a day --There is a full breakfast each morning, which is very good. --The lobby is small, but has some sofas and places to relax --The rooms are basic but very clean. The beds were comfortable. CONS: --The hotel rooms are *very* small, as are the bathrooms. --The furniture is very basic and there is only a tiny TV on the wall --The doors are VERY thin, so you can hear people in the hallways --The rooms and hallways often smell like smoke (after all, it is Amsterdam) --The stairs are ridiculously narrow and steep (but there is an elevator). --Note that you may end up in a basement room! The stairs are really dangerous, and you can see into the basement rooms from the street. Try to avoid these rooms. Overall, the Hotel de Paris was a fine place to stay for a few days. Hope that helps!