Having visited Amsterdam many times before on numerous business trips, I’d never managed to be present around
‘Queensday’ which is celebrated each year at the end of April. My English friends kept telling me for years how I missed out on this event. Apparently there was so much to do and see, music and dance in the street as well as on many local boats in the canals and the largest
Free-flea market.

So I finally made it this year. Thinking it would be ok to arrive about 1 day before, coming
from Brussels straight after a work meeting, I couldn’t have been more wrong, for Amsterdam was packed with people, many hotels
turned out to be fully booked! I was told not to go too far out of the centre, since public transport would not run on Queensday.

I rang a dear friend for advice and was given Xaviera Hollanders’ B&B address & tel.number for he’d managed to find himself and his IT crew this address while working at the RAI centre and had nothing but praise for this address, practically round the corner of the RAI and a 10 min. walk
from the WTC station from where I’d made the call.

At the time I was unaware I was going to meet, eat and sleep at the amazing villa of Xaviera Hollander, author of ‘The Happy Hooker’ the
intriguing famous book I’d read as a teenager and her gorgeous husband Philip. The villa’s situated in a posh quiet part of Amsterdam, right around the
corner of the Beethovenstraat, with it’s elegant designer shops, great restaurants and a large handy ‘Sainsbury’s like superstore.
The tram/bus stop for the 20 min. ride to the center is found on 5 min. from the B&B, it couldn’t be easier.

I was greeted by Philip, two lovely dogs and was thrilled to spot two duplicates of my own Siamese cats fast asleep in their basket.
Philip introduced me to Xaviera Hollander and I have to admit I felt quite star struck, a feeling that has not left me since….
There, sitting in the sun on their patio, I was drinking tea with this amazing, youthful, energetic woman who’d made me forget how tired
I actually was. My room was clean and inviting, however strictly forbidden for the cats & dogs.

Queensday morning started with a warm greeting from Philip and a superb breakfast shared with the other guests from Canada & Hungary.
Later that evening I enjoyed a splendid dinner prepared by Philip and enjoyed every minute of the warm. cozy ambiance, the great stories
and the feeling of being amongst friends. I had the pleasure of staying in this amazing place for four days but have already booked a week
in July when I will be visiting the ‘Floriade Garden & flower show’. I highly recommend this B&B and the amazing vibrant couple who run it, to
anyone who loves animals ( even your own pets are welcome),clever conversation and amazing objects d’art.

Andrea
Sevenoaks, Kent UK
April/May 2012

The photos of the B n B shown in advertising are completely misleading. We had booked for 8 nights, but left after one night. The house is completely disheveled, run down and untidy. There is no en suite, only a shared bathroom and the owner's clutter is everywhere throughout the house . There were used towels on the back of the door of our room, from the previous occupants one must presume. The house smelt of dogs, cobwebs were everywhere and the place badly needed painting. There was a very ancient television in a wardrobe in our room. There was no clear surface in our room to place any of our belongings. The owner was away when we arrived and the people who greeted us were very welcoming but we were astonished that anyone would expect international visitors to pay for such a low standard of accommodation. The room had not been vacuumed. There was no room to open our bags unless we did so inside the wardrobe. A dreadful experience. Stay away,

Very friendly relaxed atmosphere. Well situated for business and pleasure. Lovely pets too. : )
Thank you.
Barbara