My husband and I stayed at Colette's the first week in September, 2011. Upon our arrival, Colette met us at the ferry stop, across from the train station. We immediately fell in love with the town of Lansmeer, where the B&B is. It is just a short walk to the bus station from her B&B, then a short bus ride into the center of Amsterdam.

Our room was very well appointed, roomy and spotless. She had everything we neended. The breakfasts were delicious, with eggs, yogurt, meats, cheeses, breads, jams, fruit, a sweet treat, and great coffee, all delivered to our room!

What a tour guide! She gave us recommendations for places to go, how to get there, and what to do. If it was a walk in a specific Amsterdam neighborhood, or a visit to a nearby village on a bicycle, Colette knew the specifics on the best way to do it. It was a lifesaver for us, because Amsterdam can be overwhelmingly large, with lots to do. We were ending a 5-month trek around Europe, and Colette opened her home to us and made us feel like we were part of the family. We will definitely stay with her again when we return to Amsterdam.

My brother and I stayed with Colette for five days as part of my 49th birthday celebration. We live in different countries and decided to meet there as we had not seen much of Amsterdam separately. From the time I inquired about availability until the morning we left (before 8 am) for the airport Colette was helpful, friendly and a very welcoming host. I definitely recommend her B&B as a quiet and relaxing place to stay nearby Amsterdam.
Her house is immaculate and while the bedroom we stayed in was not large it was just what we needed - comfy beds, refrigerator and electric kettle in good order, and always hot water in the shower! We were very pleased with our breakfast the first day: yogurts soft-boiled eggs, brown and white bread, margarine, sliced cheese and ham, fruit, juice, coffee and tea. The addition of two bags to put sandwiches in for the day was very much appreciated as well. We asked for breakfast at 8:30 and it was brought to us on time every day, and even the last day when we asked only for coffee at 7:15 on Sunday, it was no problem. The neighborhood is quiet and very lovely and the nearby shops offer almost everything you might need last minute, but of course all the shops seem to close by 6 pm.
As far as the distance from Amsterdam is concerned: If you are good at navigating public transport it's no problem, it will take about half an hour door to door if you walk to the local bus (which is not included in the transport passes you can buy from GVB) near the house and take it all the way into Amsterdam CS. It's longer to walk to the GVB bus (fifteen minutes) and take it to the ferry and cross with the ferry, but it's not hard. That's what we did most days, as we had bought a five day OV GVB chipcard, and it's a great value. We chose to use our budget to enjoy time together rather than to get to every place in the shortest possible time.
One recommendation: RENT A BIKE!! There is a hardware store that rents bike for daily or weekly rates, it's a ten minute walk from Colette's and the area around Landsmeer is perfect for bicycling! We rented bikes (which come with saddlebags to hold your things, including any shopping you might pick up) and rode out to Broek en Waterland, which is in a lovely section of countryside and an easy six kilometre ride each way. The next day we explored Landsmeer itself which is also quite nice - lovely gardens and parks, and if we had had more time, we would have made it all the way to het Twiske recreational area. The bike paths are well marked and well maintained and Holland is FLAT, so it's easy to ride for an hour or two and get a bit of exercise in the fresh air. Of course it helps if the weather cooperates.
Another recommendation: if you're not sure how to get somewhere or if there's another way to find something - ask Colette! She's a wealth of information and is only too happy to draw maps and provide explanations. She really went out of her way to help us get tickets to "A Taste of Amsterdam" when we couldn't buy them at a Free Record Shop.
One thing I would choose to do differently: not to take a package bus tour to see the windmills in Zaandse Schans (?), Volendam and Marken. They're all nice places, but pretty much overun with tourists, and if you're staying with Colette, it's much more economical to rent a bike and make the trip out to Volendam yourself! The "tour" consisted of a five minute introduction at each place, up to an hour to explore the first two and ten minute explanations fo cheesemaking at Zaandse Schans and clogmaking at Marken. There is a taped commentary that you can listen to on the bus, but I can't honestly say I got much out of it.
All in all, if I were to travel again to Amsterdam, either alone or with another person, I would certainly stay at Colette's!

Staying at Colette's b&b was great! I felt very well taken care of. The entire house is clean and tidy. The rooms here are comfortable and spending time on the deck next to the canal was quite relaxing. The location is nice especially if you would like to spend time in Amsterdam and in the countryside. The bus to Amsterdam Central Station only takes 15 minutes and the shop to rent a bike is a short walk from the b&b. Colettle is extremely helpful as well. She knows all of the information about various transportation routes, museums, tours, and festivals going on in the area. Colette and her family are lovely people. I definitely recommend staying here. I had a great time!

We stayed at Colette's for four nights, and enjoyed it thoroughly.

The b&b is situated a reasonable bus ride from Amsterdam, and Colette will help you with everything you need for the public transport. The last bus comes back from the city around 1am, but after a full day in the city, we never had energy to stay out any later than that anyway!

The room was very comfortable and we had our own bathroom. The breakfast that was served in-room each day was ample and delicious, with coffee, tea, juice, a selection of breads and pastries, jams and cold cuts, yoghurt and eggs.

Colette and her husband are lovely, and extremely helpful. They will provide you with maps and all kinds of suggestions and explanations about the city and what you can do there.

For a party trip to Amsterdam, this might not be the best choice, but I cannot recommend it enough if you're travelling as a couple.