Amsterdam Directions

by Martin Dunford

  Once you’ve arrived, the city’s VVVs (tourist offices) will make hotel reservations on your behalf either in advance or on the same day for a €4 fee, but note that during peak periods and weekends they get extremely busy with long and exhausting queues. There are always loads of people around Centraal Station touting accommodation, and although most of them are genuine enough, the best advice is to steer clear.

  Aside from a couple of ultra-cheap places, most hotels start at €65–85 for a double, and some form of breakfast – "Dutch" (bread and jam) or "English" (eggs) – is normally included in the price at all but the cheapest and the most expensive places. A number of hotels have large three- or four-bed family rooms available from €150. Most hotel prices include tax, but some of the more expensive places charge five percent on top of quoted prices.

  The Old Centre

  The Crown

  Oudezijds Voorburgwal 21; tel 020/626 9664, www.hotelthecrown.com.

  Friendly hotel overlooking a canal. Rooms with large twin beds from €45 per person, without breakfast. Triples, quads and six-person rooms also available, some with a view. Two-night minimum stay at weekends. Safe, despite the location. Late bar until 3am; 3min from CS.

  De Gerstekorrel

  Damstraat 22–24; tel 020/624 9771, www.gerstekorrel.com.

  Simple hotel steps away from the Dam, with pleasant staff and large, brightly decorated and well-lit rooms for €135 including buffet breakfast, but on a busy street, so ask for a back room. No lift. Tram #4, #9, #16, #24 or #25 to Dam square.

  The Globe

  Oudezijds Voorburgwal 3; tel 020/421 7424, info@hotel-theglobe.nl.

  A popular hotel and sports-screen bar, which is a favourite with those on all-day drinking binges. In addition to rooms (a steep €95 for a twin) they have dorm beds from €20, €25 on the weekend. Breakfast is extra from €4.50; 5min from CS.

  Grand

  Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197; tel 020/555 3111, www.thegrand.nl.

  Originally a Royal Inn dating from 1578, and after that the Amsterdam Town Hall, this fine building is one of the city’s architectural high points. The rooms are large and well appointed and decorated in crisp, modern style. All facilities including an inside pool.€420–460 excluding tax and breakfast. Tram #4, #9, #16, #24 or #25 to Dam square.

  Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky

  Dam 9; tel 020/554 9111, www.nh-hotels.com.

  Located in a huge and striking mid-nineteenth-century building, this luxurious hotel occupies an entire side of Dam square. If you can’t afford the rack-rate (€270 or more for a double), scrape together enough for lunch in the charming Winter Garden, a spectacular atrium in the heart of the hotel. Tram #4, #9, #16, #24 or #25 to Dam square.

  Hotel de l’Europe

  Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2–8; tel 020/531 1777, www.leurope.nl.

  Very central hotel which retains a wonderful fin-de-siècle charm, with large, well-furnished rooms and a very attractive riverside terrace. Liveried staff and a red carpet on the pavement outside complete the picture. €350 without breakfast and tax. Tram #4, #9, #16, #24 or #25 to Muntplein.

  Nes

  Kloveniersburgwal 137–139; tel 020/624 4773, www.hotelnes.nl.

  Extremely pleasant and quiet, with a lift; well positioned away from noise but close to shops and nightlife. Helpful staff. Prices from €150 – they vary depending on the view. Tram #4, #9, #16, #24 or #25 to Muntplein.

  Rho

  Nes 5; tel 020/620 7371, www.rhohotel.com.

  A very comfortable hotel in a quiet alley off Dam square that boasts an extraordinary high-ceilinged lounge, originally built as a theatre in 1908. The place looks a bit run-down from the outside, but it’s still a good city-centre option, with helpful and welcoming staff. Doubles from €115 including buffet breakfast and tax. Daily bike rental available. Tram #4, #9, #16, #24 or #25 to Dam square.

  Tourist Inn

  Spuistraat 52; tel 020/421 5841, www.tourist-inn.nl.

  Popular budget hotel, with clean and comfortable rooms and friendly staff. Six-person dorms with TV (€25), doubles without shower from €80. Triples and quads also available. Considerably higher rates on the weekend. Lift access; 5min from CS.

  Travel

  Beursstraat 23; tel 020/626 6532, info@travelhotel.nl.

  Small, simple hotel on a dingy street that backs onto busy Warmoesstraat. Inside it’s very clean and comfortable, with a quiet 24-hour bar and no curfew. Singles and six-bed rooms available, doubles from €80 without bathroom. Light years away from the backpacker places nearby and 10min from CS.

  Utopia

  Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 132; tel 020/626 1295, www.hotelutopia.nl.

  Self-proclaimed "smokers’ hotel" above a coffeeshop with tiny, musty rooms over the street, reached by a near-vertical staircase. Basic, and generally welcoming, though there have been complaints about unhelpful staff during peak season. Doubles €60 with shared bathroom. 10min from CS.

  Victoria

  Damrak 1–5; tel 020/623 4255, vicres@parkplazahotels.nl.

  The Victoria is one of the landmarks of the city – a tall, elegant building, wonderfully decorated throughout – and one of the classiest hotels, with every possible amenity. Grimy location, opposite CS. Standard doubles from €300.

  Vijaya

  Oudezijds Voorburgwal 44; tel 020/626 9406, www.hotelvijaya.com.

  Stately old canal house in the heart of the Red-Light District, with plain rooms and accommodating management, who also own an Indian restaurant of the same name. En-suite rooms from €95 including breakfast. No lift; 10min from CS.

  Winston

  Warmoesstraat 129; tel 020/623 1380, www.winston.nl.

  Popular but noisy hotel designed for an arty crowd. Rooms (sleeping from one to six) are light and airy, some en suite, some with a communal balcony, and many are specially commissioned "art" rooms, including the Durex Room, Heineken Room and Schiffmacher Room. €65 with breakfast. Lift and full disabled access. 10min from CS.

  Grachtengordel

  De Admiraal

  Herengracht 563; tel 020/626 2150, de-admiraal-hotel@planet.nl.

  Friendly hotel close to the nightlife, with wonderful canal views. Breakfast an extra €5. Reception sometimes closes during the day. Doubles from €70 without bathroom, en suite from €98. Quads from €180. Tram #4, #9 or #14 to Rembrandtplein.

  Ambassade

  Herengracht 341; tel 020/555 0222, www.ambassade-hotel.nl.

  Elegant canalside hotel made up of ten seventeenth-century houses, with elegant furnished lounges, a well-stocked library and comfortable en-suite rooms from €165. Friendly staff and free 24-hour Internet access. Breakfast is an extra €16, but well worth it. Family rooms from €340. Tram #1, #2 or #5 to Spui.

  American

  Leidsekade 97; tel 020/556 3000, www.amsterdam-american.crowneplaza.com.

  Landmark Art Deco hotel dating from 1902 (and in pristine, renovated condition), right on Leidseplein and the water. Large, double-glazed, modern doubles from around €140, with triples also available. Rates exclude tax and breakfast. Tram #1, #2 or #5 from CS to Leidseplein.

  Blakes

  Keizersgracht 384; tel 020/530 2010, www.blakes-amsterdam.com.

  The latest Anouchka Hempel hotel (following the well-established one in London), housed in a seventeenth-century building, centred on a beautiful courtyard and terrace. Both the decor and the restaurant menu combine Oriental and European styles. Each of the 41 hip but unpretentious rooms is opulently decorated, featuring exposed beams and natural fabrics. Luxury suites overlook the Keizersgracht canal. Doubles from €390. Tram #1, #2 or #5 from CS to Keizersgracht.

  Dikker & Thijs Fenice

  Prinsengracht 444; tel 020/620 1212, www.dtfh.nl.

  Small and stylish hotel on a beautiful canal close to all the shops. Rooms vary in decor but all include a minibar, telephone and TV – those on the top floor give a good view of the city. Standard doubles from €245. Tram #1, #2 or #5 to Prinsengracht.r />
  Estherea

  Singel 303–309; tel 020/624 5146, www.estherea.nl.

  Chic, standard-issue hotel converted from a couple of canal houses. Great location and, although the rooms lack the personal touch, they are all perfectly adequate; the best overlook the canal. €237 excluding tax and breakfast. Tram #1, #2 or #5 from CS to Spui.

  Hegra

  Herengracht 269; tel 020/623 7877, www.hegrahotelamsterdam.com.

  Welcoming atmosphere and relatively inexpensive for the location, on a beautiful stretch of the canal. Rooms are small but comfortable; a few have a private bath instead of a shower. Doubles from €65 with breakfast. Tram #1, #2 or #5 to Spui.

  Hoksbergen

  Singel 301; tel 020/626 6043, www.hotelhoksbergen.nl.

  Friendly, standard-issue hotel, with a light and open breakfast room overlooking the canal. Basic en-suite rooms, all with telephone and TV, from €85 for smallest room to larger doubles for €104. Breakfast and tax included. Self-catering apartments also available. Tram #1, #2 or #5 from CS to Spui.

  La Bohème

  Marnixstraat 415; tel 020/624 2828, www.labohemeamsterdam.com.

  One of the best of the many, many hotels spreading up the Marnixstraat from Leidseplein, this small establishment with super-friendly staff has brighten-suite doubles for €100. Tram #1, #2 or #5 from CS to Leidseplein.

  Maas

  Leidsekade 91; tel 020/623 3868, www.hemhotels.nl.

  Another of the well-situated hotels located on this quiet stretch of water, just a short hop from Leidseplein. Modern, clean and well-equipped en-suite rooms – you could ask for one with a waterbed. Double rooms from €145, marginally more for a canal view. Tram #1, #2 or #5 to Leidseplein.

  Marcel van Woerkom

  Leidsestraat 87; tel 020/622 9834, www.marcelamsterdam.com.

  Well-known, popular B&B run by an English-speaking graphic designer and artist, who attracts like-minded people to this stylish restored house. Four en-suite doubles available for two, three or four people sharing. Relaxing and peaceful amidst the buzz of the city, with regulars returning year after year, so you’ll need to ring well in advance in high season. Breakfast not included, but there are tea and coffee-making facilities. Rates start at €100 for a double. Tram #1, #2 or #5 to Leidseplein.

  De Munck

  Achtergracht 3; tel 020/623 6283, www.hoteldemunck.com.

  Fine, family-run hotel in a quiet spot steps from the Amstel, with clean, light and well-maintained rooms. The Sixties-style breakfast room sports a Wurlitzer jukebox with a good collection of 1960s hits. Doubles €85 including breakfast. Booking recommended. Tram #4 from CS to Frederiksplein.

  NH City Centre

  Spuistraat 288; tel 020/420 4545, www.nh-hotels.com.

  Built in the 1920s, this appealing chain hotel occupies an immaculately renovated Art Deco former textile factory. Well-situated for the cafés and bars of the Spui, and the Museum Quarter. Rooms vary in size, some have canal views, and all boast extremely comfy beds and good showers. Doubles from €89, more at weekends. The buffet breakfast is an extra €16, but will set you up for the day. Tram #1, #2 or #5 from CS to Spui.

  Op de Gracht

  Prinsengracht 826; tel 020/626 1937, www.opdegracht.nl.

  B&B in a good-looking canal house on one of the main canals, run by the very pleasant Jolanda Schipper. Two rooms tastefully decorated, both with en-suite bathroom. Minimum stay two nights. Doubles €80 & €90. Tram #4 from CS to Prinsengracht.

  Prinsenhof

  Prinsengracht 810; tel 020/623 1772, www.hotelprinsenhof.com.

  Tastefully decorated, this is one of the city’s top budget options with doubles at €60 without shower. Booking essential. Tram #4 to Prinsengracht.

  Pulitzer

  Prinsengracht 315; tel 020/523 5235, www.starwood.com.

  An entire row of seventeenth-century canal houses creatively converted into a five-star chain hotel. Very popular with visiting businessfolk, but although the public areas are tastefully decorated and the breakfasts very good, the modern rooms lack character and some – considering the price – are very disappointing. From €240 for a double. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  Quentin

  Leidsekade 89; tel 020/626 2187, fax 202/622 0121, www.quentinhotels.com.

  Very friendly small hotel, often a stopover for artists performing at the Melkweg. Welcoming to all, but especially well-regarded among gay and lesbian visitors. Double rooms €90, more at weekends. Breakfast of fruit and cereal extra €7. Tram #1, #2 or #5 to Leidseplein.

  Schiller Karena

  Rembrandtplein 26–36; tel 020/554 0700, nhschiller@nh-hotels.com.

  Once something of a hangout for Amsterdam’s intellectuals, the Schiller still has one of the city’s better-known and more atmospheric bars on its ground floor. Named after the renowned painter and architect, whose works are liberally sprinkled throughout the hotel. Fetching Art Deco furnishings in all the public areas. The drawback is its location – on tacky Rembrandtplein. Rates begin at about €200 per double without breakfast. Tram #4, #9 or #14 to Rembrandtplein.

  Seven Bridges

  Reguliersgracht 31; tel 020/623 1329.

  Perhaps the city’s most charming hotel – and certainly one of its better-value ones. Takes its name from its canalside location, which affords a view of no less than seven dinky little bridges. Beautifully decorated, its spotless rooms are regularly revamped. Rates start at €100 per double, and vary with the view. Small and popular, so often booked solid. Breakfast is served in your room. Tram #4 or #9 to Prinsengracht.

  Wiechmann

  Prinsengracht 328–332; tel 020/626 3321, www.hotelwiechmann.nl.

  Canal-house restoration, family-run for fifty years, with dark wooden beams and restrained style throughout. Large, bright rooms in perfect condition with TV and shower cost €120. Close to the Anne Frank House. Prices stay the same throughout the year. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  Western canals and the Jordaan

  Acacia

  Lindengracht 251; tel 020/622 1460, acacia.nl@wxs.nl.

  Well-kept hotel, situated right on a corner, so some of the rooms have wide views of the canal and its adjoining streets. There are also self-catering apartments. Doubles from €80 including breakfast; three, four and five-bed rooms too. A 15-minute walk from CS.

  Aspen

  Raadhuisstraat 31; tel 020/626 6714, www.hotelaspen.nl.

  One of a number of inexpensive hotels situated in the Art Nouveau crescent of the Utrecht Building. Family-run with basic but tidy rooms, which are checked every day. Small doubles €46 or €76 with en suite. No breakfast. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  Canal House

  Keizersgracht 148; tel 020/622 5182, www.canalhouse.nl.

  Magnificently restored seventeenth-century building, centrally located on one of the principal canals. Comfortable rooms, but generally brusque staff. Doubles from €150. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  Clemens

  Raadhuisstraat 39; tel 020/624 6089, www.clemenshotels.nl.

  Friendly, well-run budget hotel, with knowledgeable owner, close to the Anne Frank House and museums. One of the better options along this busy main road. Individually decorated doubles without shower from €70, with shower €110. Breakfast extra. Prices stay the same throughout the year. All rooms offer free Internet connection, and you can rent laptops for €8. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  ’t Hotel

  Leliegracht 18; tel 020/422 2741, th.broekema@hetnet.nl.

  Extremely pleasant hotel located along a quiet canal. Owned by the proprietor of an antique shop, who believes in making people feel at home. Eight spacious rooms, large beds, TV, fridge and either bath or shower. No groups. Minimum three-night stay at the weekend; €134 with breakfast. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  Pax

  Raadhuisstraat 37; tel 020/624 9735.

  Straightforward city-centre cheapie,
owned by two brothers. A mixture of fair-sized rooms sleeping one to four persons, but plans are afoot to refurbish the rooms in the minimalist style of room no.19 – the large double on the top floor. In the meantime, as with most of the hotels along this street, ask for a room at the back. Doubles €75 or €90 for three people. Tram #13, #14 or #17 to Westermarkt.

  Ramenas

  Haarlemmerdijk 61; tel 020/624 6030, ramenas730@hotmail.com.

  Welcoming budget hotel that’s only recently changed hands, and is run by the owners of the bar downstairs. Large, basic rooms at sensible prices, though those at the front can be a bit noisy. Located to the northwest of the centre, away from the nightlife, but with reasonably good access to the city centre; 15min from CS. Doubles €70 without breakfast.

  Toren

  Keizersgracht 164; tel 020/622 6033, www.hoteltoren.nl.

  Fine example of an imaginatively revamped seventeenth-century canal house, once the home of a Dutch prime minister and now popular with American visitors. Opulently designed en-suite doubles with a touch of class from €285. Some deluxe rooms have a Jacuzzi. Friendly and efficient staff. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  Van Onna

  Bloemgracht 102; tel 020/626 5801, www.vanonna.nl.

  A quiet, well-maintained, family-run place on a tranquil canal. The building dates back over three hundred years and still retains some of its original fixtures. Simple setup, no TV, no smoking and cash payment only. Rooms sleeping up to four people for €40 per person, including all services. Booking advised. Tram #13 or #17 from CS to Westermarkt.

  The Old Jewish Quarter and the East

  Adolesce

  Nieuwe Keizersgracht 26; tel 020/626 3959, www.adolesce.nl.

  Popular and welcoming hotel, with ten neat if unspectacular rooms and a large dining room and bar. Closed Oct–April. Doubles €100, triples available. No breakfast. Tram #9 from CS to Waterlooplein.

  Fantasia

  Nieuwe Keizersgracht 16; tel 020/623 8259, www.fantasia-hotel.com.

  Nicely situated family-run hotel on a broad, quiet canal just off the Amstel; the rooms are well maintained, connected by quaint, narrow corridors, and there are also some very attractive attic doubles for €84. Triples and a family room also available. Closed Jan–March, and most of Dec. Tram #9 from CS to Waterlooplein.