We were there last year and had 5 full days. I expected we'd have plenty of time for at least one day for a side trip, but we were busy in Amsterdam the whole time. In fact there were things we didn't have time to do right in the city. Of course, we spent some time most days in the cafes just enjoying the scene. I wish we'd had another couple of days for the city, so the short answer is there's plenty to keep you occupied for 4 days.

Sorry, I can't comment on the hotels, although I didn't much care for the Dam Square area.

Hi Carol,
I won't say we are experts on Europe travel, but we just returned from Italy and the Netherlands last week, so at least this comment is "fresh."
We stayed at a Best Western for 5 nights, but it was in Leidse Square, not Dam, and I would highly recommend it. The hotel itself could be considered just 'average,' but the location was perfect, quiet, and beautiful. Dam Square seemed to me to be way too much in the middle of things, loud, crazy, but Leidse was just out of the way enough to be comfortable. And with the Tram system, it's SO simple to get anywhere you want in the city, and if you're into renting a bike, it's even simpler. Or you can just walk anywhere you want. Having Vondelpark right out the back door of the hotel was especially nice. And the price was pretty good, considering Amsterdam high prices for lodging.

For side trips, we visited both Haarlem and The Hague, and would recommend taking the train to both of these. We really loved the MC Escher Museum in The Hague. Plus, if the weather is warm, head to the beach as well from either of these destinations. And one of our favorite excursions was renting a couple of bikes and heading up the Amstel River to Ouderkerk Amstel for a great lunch. Hope this all helps....

Mark

I can't speak to the Best Western, but I returned from Amsterdam (and some other places) last month. I stayed at the Hotel Piet Hein, and it was fabulous. I made my reservation thru www.booking.com, and there weren't any cancellation fees when I made my reservation. The front of the hotel was directly across the street from Vondelpark, and the tram was three blocks away, in front of the VanGogh Museum. The Rijkmuseum was five blocks from the hotel.

What I liked about the Piet Hein was the quiet. It was on a tree lined street away from the hustle and bustle. Dam Square was a brief tram ride away if I wanted some noise, LOL!

Other places to visit would be Haarlem and the Hague, just a short train ride.

Hope you have a great time; happy travels!

Another hotel near the Leidesplein that I've stayed at, and will stay at again.

http://www.owl-hotel.nl/gb/ Reasonably priced, including breakfast.

One block off of a busy avenue near the Leidesplen, the location is very quiet. It's less than a 10 minute walk to the Museumplein, with your choice of museums.

Trollies are close by and easy to catch.

We stayed at the Estherea for 4 nights in December and absolutely loved it! Somehow they have managed to create the reception in such a way that you feel as though you are returning home at the end of the day. Almost everyone lingers in the reception rooms after their day out - a lot of this probably has to do with the fact that they have free tea (ceylon / herbal / rooibos), great coffee & hot chocolate available in reception. There are fully stocked sweetie jars as well and in the afternoon (I have a sweet tooth so I really enjoyed these), various pastries /cakes are put out to eat as well as some snacks in the bar area. They also have all the international newspapers available for reading in the library area and 2 computers available for guests to use at any time at no extra charge. If however you require wifi in your room, there is a charge (not sure how much though as we didn't have a need for it). We found the position of the Estherea to be really great - central, 2 blocks from a tram and yet peaceful as it is on one of the smaller canals.
I would not recommend staying in an 'inside' room - we had a canal view room and that was beautiful but our children were in an inside room and it was a bit claustrophobic.
You will find your 4 days go really quickly - there is so much to do in Amsterdam - it is a fantastic city - something for everyone.

Echoing the comments of mcscleo, I recommend the Hotel Piet Hein in Amsterdam. I stayed there for seven nights this month, and I appreciated its proximity to the Rikjsmuseum and Van Gogh museum, the #2 and #5 trams (convenient to Amsterdam Centraal), and several excellent restaurants (Zaza, Pulpo, De Knijp, and Brasserie van Baerle). It's also right next to Vondelpark and within easy walking distance of the city's major symphony hall, the Royal Concergebouw. Sleek and modern, in black and grey, the Piet Hein has a helpful staff, comfortable lobby, a great bar, and provides an excellent breakfast. http://www.hotelpiethein.com/

hi, thanks for the info...ill be travelling this june solo, ill check the pointers u guys gave..thanks
do u have any idea, how to go to paris from amsterdam?

Thalys train will get you to Paris Book well in advance to get the cheap fares. http://www.thalys.com/be/en/

Since Dam Square came up, the Hotel V Nesplein (http://www.hotelvnesplein.nl/) will open next month which might be an interesting option. It's part of the Hotel V family, and they did some good stuff. We'll see.