Do you want to peek inside to learn how a wealthy couple would have lived in Amsterdam in the…read more1800s? Used the I Amsterdam Card to visit the Museum Willet-Holthuysen which is located on famous ring of canals. The house was built for Jacob Hop, mayor of Amsterdam, around 1685. In 1739, the outside was redesigned in the Louis XIV style. The house was later acquired by Louisa Holthuysen and her husband, Abraham Willet. The couple was childless and lived quite a Bohemian lifestyle travelling and collecting art. Louisa was a very shrewd and strong businesswoman who had to keep bailing her husband out of debt despite her giving him a generous allowance. Much of the art collected was due to Louisa's art preferences. Upon her death, she bequeathed the entire building and its contents, including the art and books collected by her and her husband, Abraham Willet, to the city of Amsterdam on stipulation that it became a museum bearing their names. Loved exploring the three floors and beautiful gardens that are open to the public. Get the free audio guide which gives insight into the home and the occupants. No large bags are allowed but lockers are available. Love how the Victorian furnishing provide a backdrop for a contemporary fashion display. Such an interesting contrast in lifestyles. Definitely worth a stop while exploring Amsterdam.

This was a great spot to get in out of the cold (lol) and to see the inside of a house off of the…read morecanal. It told the story of a married couple that lived there and because of their extensive collections they left the house (the wife) to the city. It's not in its original state but the museum did a good job reimagining how it would have been. I enjoyed learning about the couple (even though no one really knew the truth about the relationship) and the home's history. It's self guided so you just take your time to explore.

I was able to get last minute tickets and was in here for about an hour. It wasn't a large museum…read morebut had some interesting pieces. I really did enjoy exploring this museum.

Pleasantly surprised by this museum experience! Pre booked the tickets online in combination with…read morea walking tour. You get to choose to an entry window and should arrive within 30 minutes of the time on your ticket. We arrived first thing today at opening time of 9 a.m. Three floors, a basement, and a gardenfull of pop art--you can enjoy it in an hour or so. Eye catching and thought provoking are two words that come to mind regarding the art displayed. The gallery curators did an excellent job using the since in the house that is now a gallery. They made use of every nook and cranny, which made the experience even more of an adventure. Well done! Really glad we checked it out!

The wife and I stayed at Mauro Mansion last week for five days. We just loved our choice, as it is…read morea great small hotel. Housed in a building built over five hundred years ago. Mauro Mansion is a small oasis in De Wallen. Even though the stairs are slightly steep they are easily managed. Our room 32 was very comfortable and quiet at night. The bathroom was very nice with a deep tub. The hotel is just a few minutes walk from Central Station. Also within walking distance to most museums. If you looking for a lovely place to stay in the red light district this is the place.

Quaint, perfectly located, clean, spacious and friendly are all adjectives that describe Mauro…read moreMansion. I stayed in room 22 which was wonderful. It overlooked the canals, had a comfortable bed, a large private bathroom and on the first floor (20 steps up). The hosts were all incredibly pleasant and helpful. This was a TripAdvisor find and is truly a hidden gem in Amsterdam.

Banks Mansion was a very enjoyable home away from home…read more The hotel was clean, the beds were very comfortable, room was very spacious, location was perfect and the inclusions made it worth the extra $. -Our view was great, we had 6 huge windows in our room that all opened up with a view of the canals below. - As other reviews state, there is a full bar with a coffee machine in the lobby, and a minibar in the room stocked with beer, water and some other drinks. Wine is available in the lobby from 4 or 5 pm to midnight- just serve yourself. From 5-6 every night there was also some type of snack, for example, cheese plates and crackers. - The included breakfasts are really good for hotel breakfasts- it includes the typical spread of meats, breads and cheeses but also includes a warm cooking station where you can custom order omelets or pancakes or french toast (available 7 to 10:30AM). Awesome fresh squeezed orange juice and a coffee machine. -Location was key. It was close to so many restaurants, bars, the flower market. It was very close to a tram to Central station- just jump on the 24 line and take it to the end. You can even purchase tickets directly from the front desk. We did have an issue one day with the power going out, but they were doing construction further down the block and several buildings went out. I would go out of my way to stay at another Carlton Hotel collection (they have several) based upon my experience at the Banks Mansion Amsterdam location.

This is not a 4 star hotel for cleanliness! The staff were very nice and the management was very…read morehelpful. The bar and cheese/candy bar was a plus. Breakfast food was perfect with many options. The 2 star review is based on the extras offered by the mansion and the exceptional service by the staff.

The boat captain would not use his microphone so we could not hear him most of the hour cruise,…read morewhen he actually spoke. He told us maybe one or two significant things, other than that, he was horrible at being a tour guide, horrible. We did have beautiful weather and cruising the channels was cool.

A nice value if you have a long day and want to "hop on and hop off". But you must note that if…read moreyou want to simply tour around the canals one time for 60-75 minutes, you can take a different canal tour for 5-7 Euros less. It was a quality boat with lots of space. Seating is booth style with a table. It was raining outside and the windows fogged up some but that isn't their fault. The information provided by the recording on the ship was minimal (which some people may like). It was really great but then again, everything in Amsterdam is. I did like how the line provided three different tour routes and if you had 3-4 hours, you can go on as many as you want. I don't even recall them checking our tickets...very friendly crew.