Amsterdam and ???
 

We are planning a trip for August and September of this year and are looking for advice for a portion of that trip. We will have 9 nights (25 Aug - 2 Sep) to spend in the Netherlands, between a scheduled tour that ends in Bamberg, Germany and meeting some friends in Brugge, Belgium. We are currently thinking we will spend 4-5 nights in Amsterdam and would like to pick one other city or town to base the remainder of our stay. We will be traveling by train. We enjoy history (the older the better) but would also like to visit the more modern Delta works. Any suggestions on what city would make a good base for the other portion of our stay? Suggestions on how best to spend our time (more or less in Amsterdam)? Also, if there is anything in the Netherlands you think we shouldn’t miss, please let us know.

Train or car or bike or hike between places. Trains go practically everywhere - one interesting base could be Rotterdam - quite different from other Dutch regional cities in that it has few dreamy old parts (due to WW2 damage to what was and is one of Europe's largest ports if not its largest) but now striking modern architecture all over. And great bus connections to go to Delta Works. For info on Dutch trains check www.ns.nl; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves.com.

If basing in Rotterdam do day trips to nearby Delft, The Hague and Kinderdijk, Holland's largest collection of behemoth wooden windmills - can take a boat from Rotterdam -interesting ride.

I wrote a trip report on our stay in Amsterdam and day trips taken from there. It might interest you, although the reported crackdown on short term rentals in Amsterdam might mean that our second rental type is no longer available. Click on my name and then to "find trip reports" to find my report.

I would tend to agree with PalenQ: Rotterdam! Especially as you're traveling into Belgium and to Zeeland for the Delta Works.
Amsterdam - Rotterdam is 40 minutes by Intercity Direct.
Contrary to popular belief Rotterdam wasn't flattened in its entirety. Apart from Delfshaven, where you can see what "old Rotterdam" looked like, it's only the city center that was Ground Zero. The ring of 19th century streets wasn't hit and so much of that area still remains, for instance the entire Scheepvaartkwartier and Veerhaven and beautiful areas like Oud Kralingen with its Arboretum Trompenburg. Ironically, what now seems the most modern, Binnenrotte and vicinity, has always been the oldest part of Rotterdam. If you go to the Markthal and go down in the basement, you'll be able to see archeological finds that date best to the Iron Age.
Also be sure to check out Witte de Withstraat for its art spaces and innovative restaurants and bars.

Hotels:
Savoy on Hoogstraat is in an interesting neighbourhood, Hoogkwartier, a beautiful example of Rotterdam's "reconstruction" post-war architecture, and it's very central.
SS Rotterdam is the old HAL cruise liner now converted into a hotel, but it's a bit out of the way in terms of transport
Hotel New York is an old favorite, but likewise not terribly well served by public transport, although it's close to lively and interesting Katendrecht
CitizenM on Blaak is also good: bike rental, very near Oude Haven and the newly designed Gelderse Plein with a couple of interesting new restaurants.
Bilderberg Parkhotel right at the edge of "genteel Rotterdam"
Nhow Rotterdam, with the best views of the river Maas and a great bar and restaurant.

Yeh Rotteram has some neat old sections but the overwhelming look is strikingly modern and nicely done. A great base and a great town - especially eclectic museums.