We planned a family vacation to Amsterdam this past XMAS/New Years 2015 and do prefer renting versus a hotel stay for a number of reasons. I have used Home Away/VRBO on numerous occasions for European big city rentals and always a pleasant experience; this experience was the best.
First of all the photos on the VRBO site accurately showed the space. (1) The location of the home was convenient to quality restaurants (great Italian one a few hundred feet to the corner-SARDEGNA), wonderful coffee shops, just two blocks to a grocery store while a 2nd all organic market was within a block, and a short 5 minute walk to the Tram. The Amsterdam Tram system is excellent, clean and gets you anywhere you need to be. It is only a 15 minute or so ride to Dam Square in downtown Amsterdam. Van Breestraat is located in the most upscale area of Amsterdam. Whereas we were in Amsterdam for the winter holiday, we did not take advantage of the wonderful Vondelpark which is in the neighborhood. (2) The home is just a 10 minute walk to Museumplein, the area where you will find the RijKSMUSEUM, VAN GOGH MUSEUM, STEDELIJK MODERN ART MUSEUM AND THE CONCERTGEBOUW all within a few minute walk of each other. (3) Good restaurants are within walking distance include Sardenga, The Seafood Bar, Pompa, Zsa Zsa ( a short tram ride to PIJP area of town) and others.
(4) THE HOUSE AT VAN BREESTRAAT 138 is wonderful, clean, spacious, comfortable (beds were very comfortable) with all the amenities one needs. The home is a working home and not just a rental place, so the warmness of the home is quite evident. If you rent a car you will find parking on the street in front. On street parking rates are expensive in Amsterdam. The kitchen area was perfect for the two dinners we cooked at home. (5) You are also within blocks of the best shopping area of Amsterdam located along Van Braelstraat and Pieter Cornelilz Hoofstraat (kind of a 5th Ave / Newbury St Boston) where you find all the upscale fashion names.
The property manager Barbara met us, showed us all the home attributes, and provided us her contact info in case we needed her and I did text her a few times and had immediate responses. We were provided with a very detailed 5 page document of all the house workings from thermostat / laundry / kitchen equipment and more. Barbara met us upon leaving and I cannot say more of her Dutch hospitality as well as the home owners' hospitality which was evident in the great warmth of this location.