numa | Amsterdam Oosterpark

We found that this room worked well for our family. The sofa bed was enough for our teenager and the split washrooms were great. The location was very useful for sightseeing and we walked to several sites and restaurants from the rooms. Of note, the stairs in the building are typically steep - insanely so for North American standards. This would not be good for those without some mountain climbing background. Getting small children, the elderly, or those with limited mobility (or large packs & groceries) up and down could be very difficult. Several fans were thankfully provided as the rooms got very hot and stuffy even on mildly warm and breezy days. The rooms could use some more hooks in the bathroom and water closet, as well as shelves and an extra side table in the bedroom. Also, the WiFi quality varied greatly but usually became unusable later in the evenings. There are several very good bistros a few blocks west and north of the location. Transit options are excellent - 1 stop by rail to the historical Station Centraal, as well as bus and trams withing minutes. Having the Oosterpark next door is fantastic. We had a couple of small issues and questions which the staff responded to immediately through WhatsApp. The digital keys require that *all* users register a week before the arrival of the *first* person to arrive. The building and unit doors are controlled through a web site (no app required) which is sent to you after your group confirmation is complete and on the day of your arrival. As long as you register a week beforehand you do not need to go anywhere else for keys as some reviews have suggested. The space was tight but clean and well appointed - though some furniture was deeply worn. We were pleased with how this worked for us and would recommend it with a few caveats.

WiFi is terrible. It drops you off constantly. Then you have to reconnect again and again. Don’t plan to work much there. They don't have anywhere to put your things in the bedroom. It would be great if you could install some shelves. There's absolutely no place to store your belongings. Everything is on the floor. In the wardrobe, there are only three hangers for three people! In the little bathroom, there's nowhere to hang a towel, not even a single hook. In the main bathroom, there's no shelf to put things on except the sink, which is not enough for three people. The towel dryer doesn't work, and adjusting the shower head for a comfortable temperature is impossible. The window in the middle falls out when you try to open it, and it takes a lot of effort to lift and close it. There's a hole in the kitchen floor. There's no light bulb in the lamp above the table. The knives are incredibly blunt; try cutting a lime with them, and you'll find it impossible. plates weren't completely clean, and there was a pile of dust behind the fan in the bedroom.The kitchen is generally convenient and has everything you need for such a stay, except for dull knives. However, when people stay for 4 days, it might be a good idea to leave 4 dishwasher tablets (not 3) so that guests have something to wash the dishes with when they leave. Perhaps that's why the dishes were not very clean; the previous guests probably didn't have anything to wash them with.Changing towels once every 8 days is really too long, especially considering that the dryer doesn't work. The soundproofing is just terrible. You can hear absolutely everything from the other side of the doors, which is normal. It's the same everywhere. But one morning, we woke up because someone in our bedroom was talking. It turns out that the sound of people living above us passes directly to our bed through the ventilation pipes. We could hear the entire conversation, every word. This apartment has a lot of potential, but the basic comforts are completely overlooked. PROs: The staff responds quickly. One evening, we completely lost hot water. The issue was resolved the next day.We really liked the location. It's a 10-minute tram ride to the city center, and a pleasant 40-45 minute walk if you prefer. You get to experience the life of the locals, away from the touristy areas. There's a market just 200 meters away with everything that the Netherlands offers at very reasonable prices.