I would find it extremely difficult to recommend this hotel to anybody after the experience me and three friends had here last month.
From the minute we stepped into the hotel, there was several issues. Arriving at 11am, we were told check in was not until 2pm, which was no problem at all apart from the fact that the hotels website states there is a secure and safe place to leave luggage - there is not. We were told to leave our suitcases in the breakfast room, which is not monitored and is accessible to anyone.
When we returned to the hotel shortly after 2pm, we were told there was not a room available for us, despite us having booked and paid for it 8 months prior to this. This is due to the hotel double booking our room. We had booked a quadruple room for the four of us to share, and we were told - not asked, to instead switch to two twin rooms. Not only did no staff member apologise to us, they at first wanted to put us in twin rooms on separate floors of the hotel, until we told them we were here as a group and needed rooms next to each other. They also wanted us to stay in twin rooms for the duration of our stay - four nights. After a long time spent explaining that we would like the room we had paid for, they reluctantly said we would have to stay in the twin rooms the first night and then we could move to the quadruple room for the remaining three nights of our stay. This is of very poor service, not what you would expect from a 3 star hotel.
There were several further issues with this hotel throughout our short stay.
Firstly, extremely poor customer service from the staff - reluctance to help with simple things such as directions to the supermarket and recommendations for restaurants, being chased down the street by the nighttime receptionist 'Alan', having our beds deconstructed, etc.
Secondly, the shower in our room flooded after one 5 minute long shower. Unsurprisingly the issue was not resolved by the staff.
Thirdly, we met up with 2 friends who were working in Amsterdam for the summer while we were there. We brought them back to the hotel so the four of us staying there could get changed before going out with them, and we're told by reception that no non-guests were allowed in our room. Never before have I experienced an issue like this, the 2 friends were not staying over just merely entering the hotel for no more than 10 minutes.
Finally, the hotels website is very misleading. I am aware that all businesses present only the positive aspects when advertising, but this website has completely false information on it. Firstly, the hotel does not have a garden - it is an extremely small patio with one small table, no ash trays or bins are provided meaning it is littered with cigarette ends and rubbish. Secondly, there is no shuttle bus available to the airport. Thirdly, there is no bar serving drinks - the website advertises the bar as a popular feature of the hotel but when we asked at reception we were told "there is no bar". Fourthly, the wifi is perhaps the slowest I have ever used, making it almost impossible to use the internet. Finally, there are no "city views" - the only view are of washing lines and a back alley.
There are very few good things about this hotel. The location is ideal, but not enough to justify the frightful service and inadequate facilities. Also, many popular attractions are spread out so no matter where you stay in Amsterdam you will end up having to do plenty of walking.
Most reviews prior to 2010 seem very positive - this leads me to think that the hotel has come under new management/staff in more recent times, as I did not find this hotel pleasant at all. I had a very enjoyable time in Amsterdam itself, enjoying the museums, food, shopping and nightlife and I am already excited to return, however I can say for definite that my return will not involve this hotel. I can say with much certainty that I would prefer to stay in a two star, as I have no doubts about the facilities and service being of a higher standard. Even if all you want from your hotel is a clean room to sleep in at night, carry on looking, this hotel is frightfully poor.