Hotels in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Best time to visit Amsterdam

The weather in Amsterdam is quite welcoming overall at any time of the year. From June – August, you can enjoy countless festivals, picnics in the park, outdoor dining and sunbathing on the sandy beaches. Summer is peak tourist season, so you can expect hotel rates to be higher. You can also plan your trip between April – May to see remarkably views of tulip fields, or from September – October, when the cobbled streets are filled with golden fall foliage. If you don’t mind the cooler temperatures between 0 – 5 degrees Celsius, you may find some great bargains on hotel bookings and air fares in the winter months of December – March (excluding the Christmas and New Year week).

Getting around Amsterdam

Cycling is a fun and efficient way to explore Amsterdam. Even if you don’t plan to bike around throughout your stay, riding for at least a few hours is part of a true Amsterdam experience. Bike rentals start at approximately €15.00 EUR per day. GVB operates the city’s public bus, tram and ferry network on a time-based ticketing system. A GVB 1-hour day ticket costs €2.90 EUR and allows you to travel on all GVB routes, regardless of transfers and distance covered within the hour. Similarly, a GVB day ticket for €7.50 EUR allows you unlimited day and night travel on all GVB routes. You can hail a metered taxi on the streets at any time of the day. It’s possible to explore the city in a scenic way by water taxi, but these are known to be expensive. The city’s ferries provide a free connection to pedestrians, cyclists and mopeds wanting to go across River IJ. All the other ferry routes are priced as per the GVB time-based ticketing system. With scarce parking, and several one-way and narrow streets, you may find that driving in the city is not a very pleasant experience. It’s better to rely on public transport.

Get an I Amsterdam City Card

Purchase an I Amsterdam City Card which allows you free entry to Amsterdam’s best museums and attractions, deals and discounts on dining and entertainment, and unlimited use of all GVB-operated public transport. A 24-hour City Card costs €57.00 EUR, while a 48-hour City Card costs €67.00 EUR.

Best places to stay in Amsterdam

A buzzing metropolis with a labyrinth of canals, picturesque bridges and world-class art museums, Amsterdam combines a glittering past with contemporary edginess. Bike rides along the canal, open air music, lazing in the park, al-fresco dining and museum-hopping are just some of the fun activities on your trip to this city. You can also choose from a wide range of accommodation options such as beautiful converted canal houses, sleek and chic urban hotels, traditional bed and breakfasts and hostels.

The Old Centre

The hub for most of the popular sites, shopping and nightlife, the Old Centre is also home to the famous De Wallen (Red Light District). Jostling crowds, buskers, flower markets, flea markets, and trams create a unique buzz in this charming neighbourhood. Enjoy the beautifully-appointed, luxurious rooms of Hotel De L’Europe Amsterdam, set in a period property overlooking the Amstel River. A 5-minute walk from the Royal Palace Amsterdam, you have Sofitel Legend, The Grand Amsterdam Hotel, a ritzy place with a Dutch Classicist façade, and sleek rooms furnished with period and modern touches.

Grachtengordel West

The streets to the west of the old city are lined with several quiet waterside hotels and houseboats. The area has plenty of cosy cafés, charming shops and fine restaurants. Overlooking the Keizersgracht canal, enjoy a luxurious stay at The Dylan Hotel Amsterdam that features individually designed rooms, tranquil gardens and a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can also look at glamourous, boutique-style accommodation at The Toren Amsterdam, set in two 17th-century historical buildings, just a 3-minute walk from the Anne Frank House museum.

Grachtengordel South

This neighbourhood is home to the Leidseplein area and Rembrandtplein square, the hubs of Amsterdam’s nightlife, restaurants and bars. Spread over 6 palaces built in the 17th-century along the canal, you have the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, a luxury hotel featuring elegant rooms with plush furnishings. You can also consider staying in the canal-view rooms of Banks Mansion, set in an imposing building beside the Herengracht canal.

The Jordaan

This is a trendy area, slightly away from the buzz of the central neighbourhoods. There are plenty of restaurants and some of the prettiest canals of the city thread through here. Stay in the relaxed, modern rooms of Linden Amsterdam hotel, set in a 19th-century red brick building next to Lijnbaansgracht canal. Try the cosy rooms of Hotel de Paris Amsterdam, a flashy, French-inspired hotel at an excellent location close to restaurants, clubs and museums. Enjoy quintessential Dutch elegance in an intricate maze of 25 inter-linked canal houses which make up the Pulitzer Amsterdam hotel.

De Pijp

De Pijp is one of Amsterdam’s hotspots for food stores, dining, and cafés. The area is abuzz with shoppers and café-hoppers in the day, and cheery revellers at night. The kilometre-long Albert Cuyp Market which runs in the middle of this neighbourhood is lined with scores of eateries and bars. Enjoy the stylish and refined rooms of Hotel Okura Amsterdam, set in a tall, modern building in the heart of De Pijp. You can also look at Hotel V Frederiksplein, a quirky hotel with eclectic rooms and self-catering lofts set in a red brick townhouse.

Museum Quarter

An area with no canals but tons of museums, this neighbourhood has several good hotels and it’s home to the beautiful Vondelpark. Stay in The College Hotel Amsterdam, an elegant hotel set in a converted 19th-century schoolhouse featuring modern rooms, a swanky bar, and a chic terrace, just a 7-minute walk from Museumplein (Museum Square). You can also consider a luxurious stay at the Conservatorium hotel, set in a former music conservatory with a Neo-Gothic façade, just a 3-minute walk from the Van Gogh Museum.

Cheap hotels in Amsterdam

Several cheap hotels in Amsterdam offer convenient locations, canal views, stylish design and architecture, and funky bars. In the heart of the city within a short walk from all major attractions, you have the Misc eatdrinksleep hotel with bright rooms, set in a 17th-century home. Adjacent to Amsterdam Centraal train station, you can stay at the Flying Pig Downtown Hostel. In Grachtengordel West, enjoy a cosy stay in a converted canal house hotel, The Heregracht 21 Bed and Breakfast. Try the spacious and tastefully decorated rooms at the elegant Hotel Prinsenhof in Grachtengordel South. In the Old Jewish Quarter, you have the Hotel Adolesce set in an old canal house opposite the Hermitage Amsterdam museum.

A trip to Amsterdam can be summed up as a combination of canal life, culture fix, museum mania, al-fresco dining, urban beaches, art and parks. There is so much to see and do that it’s possible to discover something new each time you visit the city.

• Admire masterpieces of several artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, displayed in over 1.5 kilometres of galleries at the Rijksmuseum.
• See the Museum Het Rembrandthuis which is the artist Rembrandt’s historic house, converted into an art museum.
• Trace Van Gogh’s life and the largest collection of his work at the Van Gogh Museum.
• The city has close to 75 different museums. Visit some of the notable ones, such as Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum for modern art, NEMO Science Museum for interactive technology and hands-on science, and National Maritime Museum to know about Dutch maritime history.
• Enjoy a picnic, ride a bike, or spend an afternoon relaxing at the leafy and lush green Vondelpark.
• Discover the melancholy work and life of the famous young diarist at the Anne Frank House museum.
• Spend time at the Foodhallen, an international food hall set in former tram sheds. It is home to several breweries and eateries serving a variety of international cuisine choices.
• Watch an opera or music concert at the Het Concert Gebouw, an 1888-built concert hall near Vondelpark. Take a guided tour or enjoy a 30-minute, free lunchtime concert which usually takes place every Wednesday from September – June at 12.30 p.m.
• Tour the magnificent Royal Palace Amsterdam to discover its rich history and interiors as you walk through the various state rooms.
• Check out the huge cultural complex De Hallen Amsterdam, which features a food hall, designer shops, a cinema, a lively daily market (except on Sundays), and themed weekend markets.
• Go on a shopping spree at the countless vintage and designer shops at Negen Straatjes (9 little streets), in Amsterdam’s canal belt.
• Buy a drink and listen to vintage jazz music at the In’t Aepjen brown bar, which is set in a 15th-century wooden building, 1 of the only 2 wooden buildings that remain in the city.
• Go to The Heineken Experience, a 90-minute tour that will take you through the beer giant’s heritage, processes, and innovations in a former brewery, with a tasting room finale.
• Spend a leisurely evening at the Amsterdam Roest, a laid-back bar and beer garden set in converted industrial buildings, featuring a terrace overlooking the canal, a huge playground, hammocks, street art, and a sandy beach.
• A visit to Amsterdam is hardly complete without exploring the infamous De Wallen (The Red Light District), where you’ll see women standing in windows decorated with glowing red lights, trying to lure customers.