At this urban hotel, spread across three historic houses with lovely views onto the Herengracht, the check-in desk is a long bar, which sets the tone of the place—casual, hip, and quirky. The small lobby invites lounging, with brown leather couches, velvet chairs, a fireplace, and a small library of art books. Rooms have a clean look and vintage flair with wood walls and patchwork bedspreads, though generally small and sparsely decorated; many contain wet rooms where the shower is not enclosed, but (pricier) rooms with separate showers are available. If you want a full-service hotel, or an elevator, look elsewhere, as there's no restaurant (a basic, complimentary breakfast is served in the small breakfast room), no gym, and only steep stairs to reach the rooms. But if you want to hang at the bar and chat with friendly bartenders and other guests, this might be your place.