I have stayed at both the Esthera and the Ambassade but not your third choice. The rooms at Ambassade are larger and their public rooms nicer IMO. I liked the room furnishings at the Esthera better. Both are quite comfortable but I guess the Ambassade may have a bit of an edge and for the lower price that's quite amazing. Enjoy.

Central Amsterdam is not that big so everything in it is not that far from each other. However, I personally prefer the canal area in the western half of Amsterdam because in general it has more charm and less sleaze. For that reason, I'd say the Ambassade has a more desirable location than the Banks.

My husband and I stayed at the Estherea over Christmas and loved it. The common rooms and the hotel room was very nice. We had a canal-view room but it was very small.

What we loved the most about this hotel is they offered complimentary chocolates, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea 24/7 in their common rooms.

Thanks everyone!

I've stayed at the Ambassade twice, before it priced itself out of my range. It is a classy, literary hotel. (Think The Algonquin in NYC). Lots of authors on book-signing tours stay there while in the Netherlands. Your accommodation there sounds ideal. Good location, too.

I have stayed at both the Estherea and the Ambassade several times and I prefer the Ambassade. They are both lovely, canalside rooms. But the Ambassade rooms feel better to me.

Thank you again, everyone. After hearing all the feeback, I'm starting to lean toward The Ambassade vs Banks Mansion -- less expensive, more of the old-world ambience I prefer, larger rooms, prettier area. At first I was very taken in by the "free food" at Banks Mansion but for 44€ a day (difference between the two hotels), I suspect I can find myself a pretty good breakfast and snacks!!!

I don't know if it is open for breakfast but the Cafe Luxembourg has a great lunch menu, ambience, sort-of service, and outdoor seating. It is on the Spui a few blocks from the Ambassade. If you are into a before dinner drink try the Hoppe, one of the most famous "brown bars" in Amsterdam, 18h-20h and later on weekends. It is two doors north of the Lux. A bit further north on Spuistraat is the restaurant Luden. Great food, service, and reasonable €. A bit further north is the best known restaurant in Amsterdam, the Five Flies. What the heck, you only live once and you will remember this place.

Visit Haarlem. I used to live there. It's only 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam.

You will enjoy the Ambassade. It's old-shoe comfortable, and the staff are nice as well as professional. They have a lavish breakfast in a big 2nd floor room with lots of windows overlooking the canal, but it's fairly expensive so we did it only once for the experience.

We just spent three nights at the Marriott Amsterdam near Leidseplein. Pricelined at 105.00 US. All new decor, beds, bathrooms. Excellent service and concierge suggestions...bikes all day for 10 Euros. In busy area and an American chain, yet quiet and quaint. Would do it again even for double the price.

If you are still considering the Estherea vs. Ambassade question, be advised that the only "luxury" rooms at the former are the top floor canal view ones. I would not stay at the Estherea again if I had to sleep in the rooms I had on my first two visits. They were "triple-D" - drab, dark, depressing. No complaints about the housekeeping or the service though - both very good. In comparison, I've stayed in some of the Ambassade's "lesser" rooms - that is, not facing the canal and not a junior suite, and those rooms were still very pretty and comfortable. Just don't accept their ground-floor rooms, as they can be rather noisy.