Agora

Old-fashioned friendliness is the keynote at this efficiently run and well-maintained lodging, a block from the Flower Market. Proprietors Yvo Muthert and Els Bruijnse like to keep things friendly and personal. Bouquets greet you as you enter, and a distinctive color scheme creates a simultaneous effect of peacefulness and drama. Though the hotel occupies a canal house built in 1735, it's been fully restored in an eclectic style. Furniture from the 1930s and 1940s mixes with fine mahogany antiques. There's an abundance of overstuffed furniture; nearly every room has a puffy armchair you can sink into after a wearying day of sightseeing. Rooms with a canal view cost the most, but the extra euros are worth it -- though the street's hustle and bustle can make them somewhat noisy by day. Rooms without a canal view look out onto a pretty garden at the back. There's no elevator.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.