I've never booked a room online. This website has been recommended. Frankly, I found much better rates than the hotels,
themselves, quoted me. Do you have input on canal view/type of bed/whatever? Confirmation and reliability? Cancellation policies? Any input is appreciated. Many thanks.

Here's a previous post with help:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34441424

Hello hillview,
I reserved through bookings.nl on my last trip to Amsterdam and was pleased with the process. Got a VERY good rate at the Doelen, which is described as a 4-star (though that can mean different things to different people). I was able to request an upper story room with view of the Amstel, and indeed that's what was waiting form me. Be aware that a lot of hotels offer "last-minute rates" through this site and they are truly last-minute - they usually aren't posted until about 48 hours before arrival date.

Booked through them twice, no problems.

3 years ago we booked a hotel in Haarlem through Bookings .nl - then had to cancel (more than a month in advance) because of family illness.

Our credit card was charged anyway so we had to go through our credit card company to have the charges dropped (it took quite awhile). Then, a couple of months after that, we were again charged and again the credit card company had to deal with it.

We've since learned that we probably should have cancelled directly with the hotel as well as with Bookings.

I booked and kept a reservation once, and I booked then cancelled a reservation once, both times with no problems.
But anytime there is a concern, you can always contact hotel directly and ask for the rate.