Park Boutique Apartment Amsterdam

The location was the only good thing about our stay. We paid 707.18 euros for three nights in a deluxe double room advertised with a private sauna, bathroom, and breakfast. Tourist taxes were extra. When we arrived mid-morning Friday to leave our bags, a young man met us on the first landing and said he’d take them up once the room was ready. He said breakfast ran from 8 to 9, so we ordered it for 8.30. The dirty stair carpet was noticeable, though roadworks outside had me less concerned at the time. Later, the room was disappointing: small and triangular, with apparently unironed bedding, dirty kettle and cups, tired furniture, and a rug curling up at the edges. The bathroom called “private” is on the landing outside the bedroom, on the way to the roof, and there’s no robe, so an awkward encounter is possible. The sauna costs another 5 euros and is also outside the room, beside a fridge the owner uses, which could be awkward too. Breakfast was left in a box outside our door at 4.30 am the first night, with a note saying it was in the fridge, so we had to put it together ourselves. The next night it arrived at 1.30am. On Saturday the room wasn’t serviced. I messaged on Face Book to ask why, but got no explanation, only a suggestion to help myself to the fridge items, which had a price list. We didn’t want anything then, but planned to have a bottle of white wine the next day. By morning it had disappeared, along with several cans of lager. The room was cleaned Sunday, but later we saw lager disappearing again and eventually realized the owner was taking it to entertain friends on the roof. My husband had met her up there on our first evening, but she hadn’t introduced herself. We raised our complaints with her, including broken light switches, hanging light fittings, and other questionable electrics. She asked how she could make amends, and we requested a 50% refund. She said she’d think about it, but we never heard back. On Monday, our last day, breakfast arrived exactly at 8.30 and was laid out on the roof terrace, though we still had to make our own tea. If this place were in England, I think it would be shut down over the electrics. There were no fire instructions, and I didn’t see any fire extinguishers.

The location was good. I’ll leave it at that to stay positive.