Very quiet hotel (with the exception of Gregory the cat) with friendly and helpful staff. Good location particularly for museums and trams. Single room more than adequate with a small balcony overlooking garden of hotel. Recommended if you want a small, friendly hotel in a busy city.

I'll start with the positives:
First, the staff at this hotel are fantastic! Ruth (I think was her name) was so helpful and friendly. She answered all our stupid questions with a smile.
Second, the location is good. It is steps from Leidseplein while still quiet enough. We, of course, walked everywhere, but it is convenient to have so many places to eat or grab a drink nearby.
Lastly, the breakfast and breakfast area were nice. We ate outside in the garden area the first day. There were breads, cereals, meats, cheeses, and other things that kept us full until lunch.
Okay, now for the not-so-good:
The room: We stayed in a small double, which was small but not the smallest we stayed in. It just didn't feel clean enough, although I think it could just be the walls and bedding and such. A paint job and some new linens would go a long way.
The bathroom: It smelled.
In general: We didn't bring our cell phones because it was cheaper for us to buy a calling card to call the U.S. I used the card at the hotel but had to pay per minute just to call out. I don't understand why they would charge you to make a free call. I don't care if every other hotel in Amsterdam does it, too; that doesn't make it right. We stayed on the 4th floor and walked up the incredibly steep spiral stairs every time we needed to get to the room because the lift was VERY slow.

The city: Amsterdam was not my favorite city. It is really neat and cute with all the canals and old houses, but it all felt dirty. There were urinals on the street! Also, my husband and I had a few beers at a bar and I had to pay to use the restroom there! I was already paying 5.20 euros per beer and I had to pay .50 euro to use the restroom! While we did enjoy the Anne Frank House and the museums, I don't think we would go back.

Great location, GREAT staff, quiet area, nice room.

The Hotel Hestia is a small hotel, with very friendly staff. It is very well located, close to the Leidseplein for restaurants, trams and canal boats. The breakfasts were good and the dining room very pretty with an outlook to the garden, a bonus in the middle of the city. However, our room and bathroom were Very Small, even by small room standards. The stairs are extremely steep and winding, luckily there is a small lift. The rooms are really in need of a facelift. However, the location and the friendly staff compensate for that. Amsterdam is an expensive location for accommodation, but make sure you ask for a large room!