This hotel has a lot going for it. It is in a really great location almost right in the center of Amsterdam, a stones throw away from the major city sights and destinations. It is also situated on a beautiful canal, in an enchanting old building. The public rooms (lounge, bar, restaurant, reception and so on) have a club-like atmosphere, and are peaceful and cosy. The staff are very efficient and eager to please. However, what lets this hotel down is the size of the rooms. I was given 510, which was one of the smallest sized rooms I have every stayed in. It was more like a large closet than a room. Okay, the bed was very comfortable, the bathroom was nicely refurbished, and I had a great view over the canal.

Good points: Nice entrance, lounge and reading room area. Quite central but quiet location. Whole hotel was very clean.

Bad points: Room size was about average for Amsterdam but small by international standards. It felt very cramped though due to the furnishing. I cut my head open on an ornate metal light fitting in the centre of our room hanging at a dangerous 5'6" (1.67m)!

Staff were efficient but not friendly; this could be due to staffing levels which were low. There was a queue at the reception desk everytime I walked past it.

They charged 16 euro for breakfast despite stating 14 euro on their website and in a confirmation email. This is expensive compared to other hotels and restaurants in the area.

Overall I would say that if they hung their lights a bit higher and got rid of some of the furniture in the small rooms this would be a good 3 star hotel. It does not have the facilities or level of service I would expect from a 4 star.

This hotel lives up to its description on their own website. I walked from the station (a little too far for a short walk) and on the way it rained. I arrived, soaked, and the front desk staff immediately grabbed towels to dry me off.

The room was very nice, albeit a little small, but extremely comfortable. Very nice atmosphere.

I have been to Amsterdam a dozen times in the last 10 years and stayed at a different hotel each time because I've never had a good hotel experience in Amsterdam: tiny rooms and tinier bathrooms, high prices and staff that range from cooly efficient to condescending insolence. So when I read the glowing reviews of the Estherea, I had hope - unfortunately unfounded. I was assigned the smallest room in the hotel although my rate was the normal one for a double room (well over $300US/night). It was so small, that when I took the large decorative pillows off the bed the only place to put them was on the floor and that left maybe 5 narrow feet to walk around the bed that was wedged in an alcove. The room could best be described as shabby, carpet that hadn't been changed in 20 years (an issue because you had to get on your hands and knees to get to the room safe in the bottom of the cupboard - not a closet). There were holes in the walls left unfilled, 80's style metallic wall paper and beat up cheaply made furniture. It did have a view on the canal, but that just meant it was noisy - I could hear a couple talking at normal voice through the walls too. I asked to move and of course they were full. The staff was reasonably friendly but not helpful. The only good points were the neighborhood and the breakfast. The lobby was rather grand, but in the flower capital of the world it was odd to see so many fake, glittery flower arrangements and I never spent time in the lobby anyway. So still searching for a decent reasonably priced hotel in Amsterdam.