The Golden Bear Amsterdam

Founded in 1948, The Golden Bear was Amsterdam's first ever gay hotel. The hotel itself is located in two of the city's characteristic monumental buildings that date from 1737. The Golden Bear also has a modern side to it however, with contact via Skype available and the owner, Theo, maintaining a blog for the hotel. It's easy to see why this is one of Amsterdam's most popular hotels on the gay scene and, in 2008, The Golden Bear was voted in the top 3 of The Netherlands' 1 star hotels.

Location
As with all Leidseplein hotels, to reach The Golden Bear from Centraal Station get on trams 1, 2 or 5. Get off at Keizersgracht and walk along the tram tracks for a short distance. On your right will be Kerkstraat with the Polish tourism offices and the distinctive sign of Dolphin's coffeeshop. The Golden Bear is just past Dolphin's on the right hand side, easily visible by the rainbow flag suspended outside.

Dining
The Golden Bear offers a complimentary Dutch breakfast, which is served in the hotel's lounge between 8:30 and 12:00. The streets in and around Leidseplein abound with great places to eat and, whether its an Italian meal for EUR 5 or high quality international fusion cuisine, you can be sure to find a restaurant to suit your tastes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Rooms
With just 17 rooms, The Golden Bear isn't the largest hotel near Leidseplein; however, they do strive to offer all the luxuries they can. Rooms are available in standard, superior and deluxe varieties, and even the single rooms come with a double bed. Superior and deluxe rooms have ensuite bathrooms, while others share a shower and toilet on the same floor. All rooms have cable TV with a DVD player, as well as a wash basin, safety deposit box and direct dial telephone. Each room also comes with a small fridge, distinct from a minibar, in which guests can store their own food and beverages, either purchased from reception or elsewhere.

Hotel Services
As The Golden Bear does not have 24 hour reception, the front desk is closed between 22:00 and 08:00. Guests are provided with a front door key instead, so 24 hour access to the hotel is still possible; nobody likes a curfew in Amsterdam. While reception is open, refreshments can be bought here and the staff are usually happy to offer what advice they can on how to make the most of your trip to Amsterdam. Wireless internet is also available throughout the hotel for those with laptops and, after 12:00, guests without laptops can get online for EUR 2 per half hour.