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Hotels Overview

A 17th-century canal-house guest room: Late-morning sunshine streams through a drift of tulle curtains; outside the window floats a Vermeer-worthy view of the Keizersgracht, the most elegant of Amsterdam's canals. After lolling under crisp sheets, the down-stuffed duvet, and a bed canopy, you get ready to face the day by heading for breakfast, stepping down the steep and narrow canal-house stairway. You enter a breakfast nook that is the epitome of gezellig, a term that embodies the notions of coziness, comfort, and pleasure. The table is set with ham, rolls, jams, and cheeses, and the lady serving you is as courteous as the ontbijtkoek (gingerbread cake) is velvety and rich.

If you consider your hotel an integral part of your travel experience -- not simply somewhere to spend the night -- then staying in one of Amsterdam's registered historic monuments-turned-guesthouses is a true thrill. These lovely gabled buildings, which often overlook canals and have carefully tended gardens, allow you to intimately experience this city's rich sense of history -- from the inside.

Of course, not everyone likes the idea of beaming themselves back to the 17th century, so it's good that Amsterdam is equally famous for its sleekly modern, ultra-designed hotels catering to savvy business types. And for those who'd rather combine some historic charm with present-day amenities, there are also a few top places (like the Dylan Amsterdam and the Pulitzer) that combine the best of the old and the new. These properties offer a kind of trompe l'oeil experience: the exteriors are historic, but their interiors are all high-gloss and luxury. No matter where you stay, though, chances are your room will have been scrubbed only hours, or minutes, before your arrival. In the world of Amsterdam accommodations, cleanliness is truly next to godliness.