The best hotels in Amsterdam

The best places to stay in Amsterdam in all price ranges

Amsterdam has plenty of beds (yes, besides those in the Red Light District), but the hotel crunch can get tight in July and August—especially among budget places, which fill up with students eager to test Amsterdam's legendary lenient drug policy.

Amsterdam lodging options
Hotels: Venere.com, Booking.com
B&Bs: Venere.com, Booking.com, Bedandbreakfast.com
Apartments: Venere.com, Booking.com, Rentalo.com, Vrbo.com, Belvilla.org
Hostels: Booking.com, Hostelworld.comMany of those picturesquely tall, gabled houses lining canals and historic streets have been converted into inns, but be warned: Dutch staircases give new meaning to the word "steep." The older the building, the harder it is for a hotel to get permission to install an elevator, so be sure to ask before booking if stairs present a problem.

Rooms with canal views cost more, but they are often worth it for the atmosphere; plus, they're often better outfitted and are sometimes larger than the viewless rooms.

The half-dozen choices listed below are all in pleasant, safe neighborhoods. Each carries an entirely subjective Reid's Rating of zero to three stars based on a complex algorithm combining location, style, price, amenities, friendliness, and Reid's whims.

Reid's Recommended Amsterdam Hotels

• Hotels by Neighborhood
• Hotels by Price
• Hotels by Reid's Rating

Hotels in the City Center

★ RHO Hotel [€€€–€€€€] - This recently renovated hotel in a former gold company building is one of the most conveniently located in Amsterdam. It's on a quiet side street off Dam Square, with an Art Nouveau lobby that hints at its origins as a turn-of-the-century theater. Nes 11-13...

Avenue Hotel [€€€€] - The Avenue has all the bland, standardized charm of any international chain. But for solid, reliable comfort, American-style amenities at a great price, and a safe location very near the rail station, you can do no better. Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 27...

Hotels in the Canal Zone

★★★ Hotel The Toren [€€€€–€€€€€] - One of the best values in chic canalside living, the Toren has medium-sized rooms in two buildings on a posh stretch of canal. The furnishings are worn, but the staff is very helpful, and there's even a cute (read: floral prints) little guest house available for extra privacy. Keizersgracht 164...

★★ The Hoxton [€€–€€€€] - In the heart of canal land, the Hoxton (fomerly known as The Rembrandt Classic) has many canalside rooms. Whether you end up in the main 18th-century house or one of the small 16th-century homes lining the Singel out back, you have a very good chance of securing a canal view. The rooms are more modern than their settings. Herengracht 255...

Hotels in the Museumplein

★★ Hotel Museumzicht [€€] - Perhaps my favorite place to stay in Amsterdam. A charmingly old fashioned, friendly, and inexpensive hotel in a 19th century mansion on Museumplein with simple, smallish rooms and lovely views, some of the Rijksmuseum which lies just across the street. Jan Luykenstraat 22...

★ Hotel Jan Luyken [€€€–€€€€] - Set in a trio of 19th-century buildings between the city's top museums and P. C. Hooftstraat's shops, this hotel of refined amenities and personalized service is a gracious splurge option. It offers the best of both an intimate inn—with comfortably furnished bedrooms and complimentary afternoon tea in the lounge—and a pricey hotel. Jan Luykenstraat 54-58...

Hotels farther afield

★ Amsterdam Botel [€€–€€€] - By far the most interesting hotel in Amsterdam is this boat anchored just across the canal from the city center in the Buiksloterham neighborhood of Amsterdam Noord. The staterooms are nice, there's a restaurant, bar, and games room on board, and a free ferry just a short stroll away whisks you down the broad canal cut to the Old City of Amsterdam in just 10 minutes. NDSM-Pier 3, Amsterdam-Noord...

Hotels under €100

★★ Hotel Museumzicht [€€] - Perhaps my favorite place to stay in Amsterdam. A charmingly old fashioned, friendly, and inexpensive hotel in a 19th century mansion on Museumplein with simple, smallish rooms and lovely views, some of the Rijksmuseum which lies just across the street. Jan Luykenstraat 22...

★★ The Hoxton [€€–€€€€] - In the heart of canal land, The Hoxton (formerly known as the Rembrandt Classic) has many canalside rooms. Whether you end up in the main 18th-century house or one of the small 16th-century homes lining the Singel out back, you have a very good chance of securing a canal view. The rooms are more modern than their settings. Herengracht 255...

★ Amsterdam Botel [€€–€€€] - By far the most interesting hotel in Amsterdam is this boat anchored just across the canal from the city center in the Buiksloterham neighborhood of Amsterdam Noord. The staterooms are nice, there's a restaurant, bar, and games room on board, and a free ferry just a short stroll away whisks you down the broad canal cut to the Old City of Amsterdam in just 10 minutes. NDSM-Pier 3, Amsterdam-Noord...

Hotels under €150

★ Hotel Jan Luyken [€€€–€€€€] - Set in a trio of 19th-century buildings between the city's top museums and P. C. Hooftstraat's shops, this hotel of refined amenities and personalized service is a gracious splurge option. It offers the best of both an intimate inn—with comfortably furnished bedrooms and complimentary afternoon tea in the lounge—and a pricey hotel. Jan Luykenstraat 54-58...

★ RHO Hotel [€€€–€€€€] - This recently renovated hotel in a former gold company building is one of the most conveniently located in Amsterdam. It's on a quiet side street off Dam Square, with an Art Nouveau lobby that hints at its origins as a turn-of-the-century theater. Nes 11-13...

Hotels under €250

Avenue Hotel [€€€€] - The Avenue has all the bland, standardized charm of any international chain. But for solid, reliable comfort, American-style amenities at a great price, and a safe location very near the rail station, you can do no better. Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 27...

★★★ Hotel The Toren [€€€€–€€€€€] - One of the best values in chic canalside living, the Toren has medium-sized rooms in two buildings on a posh stretch of canal. The furnishings are worn, but the staff is very helpful, and there's even a cute (read: floral prints) little guest house available for extra privacy. Keizersgracht 164...

★★★ Hotel The Toren [€€€€–€€€€€] - One of the best values in chic canalside living, the Toren has medium-sized rooms in two buildings on a posh stretch of canal. The furnishings are worn, but the staff is very helpful, and there's even a cute (read: floral prints) little guest house available for extra privacy. Keizersgracht 164...

★★ Hotel Museumzicht [€€] - Perhaps my favorite place to stay in Amsterdam. A charmingly old fashioned, friendly, and inexpensive hotel in a 19th century mansion on Museumplein with simple, smallish rooms and lovely views, some of the Rijksmuseum which lies just across the street. Jan Luykenstraat 22...

★★ The Hosxton [€€–€€€€] - In the heart of canal land, The Hoxton (formerly known as the Rembrandt Classic ) has many canalside rooms. Whether you end up in the main 18th-century house or one of the small 16th-century homes lining the Singel out back, you have a very good chance of securing a canal view. The rooms are more modern than their settings. Herengracht 255...

★ Hotel Jan Luyken [€€€–€€€€] - Set in a trio of 19th-century buildings between the city's top museums and P. C. Hooftstraat's shops, this hotel of refined amenities and personalized service is a gracious splurge option. It offers the best of both an intimate inn—with comfortably furnished bedrooms and complimentary afternoon tea in the lounge—and a pricey hotel. Jan Luykenstraat 54-58...

★ RHO Hotel [€€€–€€€€] - This recently renovated hotel in a former gold company building is one of the most conveniently located in Amsterdam. It's on a quiet side street off Dam Square, with an Art Nouveau lobby that hints at its origins as a turn-of-the-century theater. Nes 11-13...

★ Amsterdam Botel [€€–€€€] - By far the most interesting hotel in Amsterdam is this boat anchored just across the canal from the city center in the Buiksloterham neighborhood of Amsterdam Noord. The staterooms are nice, there's a restaurant, bar, and games room on board, and a free ferry just a short stroll away whisks you down the broad canal cut to the Old City of Amsterdam in just 10 minutes. NDSM-Pier 3, Amsterdam-Noord...

Avenue Hotel [€€€€] - The Avenue has all the bland, standardized charm of any international chain. But for solid, reliable comfort, American-style amenities at a great price, and a safe location very near the rail station, you can do no better. Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 27...

» More hotels in Amsterdam (from €51)

» B&Bs in Amsterdam (from €50)

» Apartments in Amsterdam (from €75)