Marnixstraat 415, Amsterdam, Netherlands | (888) 616-5829
Centrally located near many restaurants, cafes, and bars in Leidseplein
Within walking distance of the Museum Quarter and numerous transportation lines
Clean and pleasant rooms have affordable rates and flat-screen TVs
Cozy bar and breakfast room serves free breakfast
Laptop available for guests' use in the lobby
Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel
Rooms are small, and some have shared bathrooms
No elevator
No in-room mini-fridges or coffee and tea-making facilities
Traffic noise might be an issue in street-facing rooms
Hotel La Boheme is an 18-room budget property with a homey atmosphere, personable staff (that includes a locally famous cat), and a welcoming bar and cafe that serves a simple, free Dutch breakfast. Rooms are clean and pleasant, though small, and are equipped with flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi -- as well as atmospheric and thoughtful touches like potted plants. Some have shared bathrooms. Despite its Leidseplein location on a busy road with car and tram traffic, the hotel is surprisingly quiet on the upper floors, but expect some noise in street-facing rooms. There are several other similar properties nearby, such as Hotel Freeland, so travelers should compare rates.
Scene
Small budget hotel with a homey atmosphere and resident cat
Hotel La Boheme is housed in a lovely historic building near the Leidseplein in central Amsterdam. The small and cheery budget hotel is a bit no-frills, with sparse common areas and amenities, but clean and inviting, with a homey bed and breakfast-like atmosphere. Guests are greeted by a huge map of Amsterdam filling the wall of a small hallway that leads into the lobby bar and front desk. The lobby also doubles as a cozy breakfast cafe and bar with wooden floors, tangerine-hued tables, and photographs of the resident cat Mimi on the walls, who is something of a local celebrity and has even appeared in a book about the bar cats of Amsterdam.
Location
Located on a busy road near the Leidseplein and within walking distance of the Museum Quarter
The hotel is situated on the busy Marnixstraat, opposite a theater near the Leidseplein. This is one of the city's liveliest areas, full of restaurants, cafes, bars, and coffee shops. The Museum Quarter -- with major attractions including the Museumplein's Rijksmuseum (eight-minute walk), Van Gogh Museum (12-minute walk), and Stedelijk Museum (13-minute walk) -- is a short stroll across the canal. Several tram and bus lines stop down the street from the hotel and most sights and attractions -- such as Dam Square, which is an 11-minute tram ride or a pleasant 20-minute walk -- are a short ride away. Schiphol Amsterdam Airport is about an 18-minute car ride away and there's also a direct bus that stops near the hotel.
Rooms
Small, pleasant rooms with simple decor; most with en-suite bathrooms
Hotel La Boheme's 18 rooms are clean and minimalist, equipped with most essentials like free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, though they lack mini-fridges and coffee and tea-making facilities. They're geared towards budget tourists, with simple Twin, Double, and Triple Rooms, as well as a few single options that have shared bathroom facilities. Decorated in mainly black and white, there are some pops of color in the orange bedside tables and desks, which have handy work lights and accompanying folding chairs. Little potted plants breathe some life into the small spaces and floating cube shelves beset with little trinkets relating to Amsterdam and Dutch culture go even further to elevate the rooms out of budget dreariness. Some rooms have lovely views of the street, but noise can occasionally be a problem (less so on higher floors). The bathrooms are small and simple, with white and blue tiles around basic walk-in showers.
Features
Small lobby bar and free breakfast, plus free Wi-Fi throughout
The hotel's sparse features and amenities include a simple lobby bar that doubles as a breakfast room -- a bit no-frills, but handy for tourists using the hotel as a base to explore the area, which brims with bars and eateries. Breakfast is a Dutch-style buffet included in the room rate, with fair trade and locally made products consisting of pastries, fruit, cereal, ham, cheese, and boiled eggs (the resident cat is kept out while food is being served to maintain hygiene standards). A laptop is available for guests' use in the lobby, and there's free Wi-Fi throughout.