I just returned from a week in Amsterdam. Just wanted to say thanks to all of you who helped out with your suggestions. I found Amsterdam to be a fun, friendly and lively city. I stayed at the Renaissance hotel close to central station. It is mostly a business hotel but the staff were great and I had a really lovely room. The location was quite convenient, although there are prettier areas to stay in.
I visited many of the main sites(Royal Palace, Heineken, Vondelpark, churches etc)' however i found the city itself to be the main attraction. I've traveled solo before, but this was the first time I was able to meet and hang out with so many different people. I spent time with people from Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Australia and the US. Some were tourists and some were transplants. I had a great time(almost too much, nearly missed my flight home)and would love to go back.
I spent one day outside the city. I visited Delft and Haarlem. Delft is lovely and I picked up a beautiful vase to take home. Haarlem is also quite nice. Very picturesque but since I went on a Tuesday, the outdoor markets were not open. I had the city nearly all to myself. It was oddly quiet.
I used the trams to get around the city and I found it very convenient and user friendly. Central station is also convenient. I took the train to/from the airport. Super easy, don't bother with a taxi.
I realize that this isn't a really detailed report but what happens in Amsterdam should stay in Amsterdam. It's a fun, quirky, tolerant, beautiful place. I almost cancelled my trip and I'm so glad I didn't.