We have a one night stop-over in Amsterdam, returning from Glasgow enroute back to Canada.
We arrive by noon on a Sunday and will be flying out by 4pm the next day.

Wondering what would be a good hotel to stay at for the one night considering we want to see as much as possible in the short time we are there . Also, don't know how prices are there, would it be possible to get a reasonable accommodation for $100/night for a twin/double?

What sights would you recommend for this short stay?

If you search on "Hotel Brouwer" you should be able to find the website. No elevator and no TV, fairly close to Centraal, under 100€.

Travelnut: Which hotel are you referring to?
$100 Canadian would equal approx. 73 Euros, Can I get something decent for that?

Hotel Brouwer..
?

So glad you asked! I just returned from a trip with a 20-hour layover in Amsterdam and we loved Hotel Estherea (www.hotels.nl/amsterdam/estherea/). It was about a 15-minute walk from the Centraal Station and perfectly situated for a quick visit of the old city. You're lucky to be arriving in time to see some art museums, which are an easy (maybe 15-minute) walk from the hotel.

The hotel is newly redecorated and beautiful, with a helpful staff. We had a double room (without a canal view but a nice view of the street below) for 99 Euro a night.

Sorry Travelnut, I thought you had mispelled Browser ie thought you wanted me to check a "hotel browser".

Thanks both of you for your suggestions. We shall do some research on both of these.

Abbydog, what were you able to accomplish in your 20-hour layover? what sights did you see, what did you do?

Another question: On the front end of our trip, we will be flying into London, via Amsterdam. We arrive in Amsterdam at 0715 and have to wait until 1330 to fly into London. Essentially, we have 6 hours wait. Any suggestions if we could take in a little sightseeing to benefit this wait, without missing our connecting flight? I don't know the layout of Amsterdam airport and it's proximity to sights etc.

Abbydog, thanks for posting your positive review of the Estherea. I'll be staying there for a night on my way home on my upcoming trip. You certainly got a great deal for that hotel!

There have been lots of discussions here about what to do with 6-hour Amsterdam layovers. Some people seem to pop into the city (it is SO easy) and others recommend shopping and seeing art exhibits at the airport. I certainly felt like I could have used more time to explore the airport -- it's great!

Re: my 20 hours, our plane was delayed and so we didn't get to the Centraal Station until after 4:00 pm. With no museum opportunities (although many are open late on Fridays), we checked into the hotel and then started walking.

We would have taken a canal tour but it was sleeting a bit and we didn't think we would see well through the glass that covers the boats. But it was easy to walk all over and we just thoroughly enjoyed the architecture, the canals, and the bicycle commuters whizzing past. We walked all the way down to the museums, then stopped for a beer, then searched for restaurants (several were recommended by friends) while gawking in the windows of the houses as the lights inside came on after dark.

We ate at Cafe de Jaren next to Hotel l'Europe, which was recommended by Fodorites. It was great -- inexpensive, wonderful view of the river and fantastic people watching (all sorts of locals and even a group of middle-aged women knitting around a table). Then we walked around the Dam area and took an obligatory stroll through the red-light district (ick!)

The next morning we walked through the Jordaan area -- full of shops and the homes of artists and students -- en route to the station.

The whole experience was very relaxing and easy, even in pretty bitter weather, and a fun introduction to a novel way of life.

Check http://www.bookings.nl for some cheaper hotels. But try not to book a hellhole hotel, as those seem to be in abundance at lower budget levels in Amsterdam.

LOL, ok I get that!
Hotel Brouwer
www.hotelbrouwer.nl/

Hotel Kap
www.kaphotel.nl/

Hotel de Munck
www.hoteldemunck.com/

Hotel la Boheme
http://www.la-boheme-amsterdam.com/

Thanks for your responses!

I really like the look of the Hotel Brouwer. They are quoting 90 Euros for the time I am going, which is approx. $124 Cdn. I am going to check further into that one.

Also, abbydog, thanks for your information. I will look for more threads on this.

Travelnut, Hotel Brouwer has responded that they have no accomodation available for the date I need. Do you have any personal experience with any of the other places you suggested? Which would be next on your list if you couldn't get the above?

Just returned on Sunday from a week-long trip to Barcelona, at the end of which we had an 18-hour layover in Amsterdam. Having spent a lovely week there last spring, we were excited to be back, even for a brief time. There were 4 of us, so we took a taxi to the city (35 euros). Stayed at the Hotel New Amsterdam at 13 Herengracht. Convenient location, nice small hotel, extremely helpful staff. We stayed in a room for 4 (actually two rooms, connected by a small doorless hall, with a shower in one room and the toilet in the other) at the top of the building, up a series of increasingly narrow steps (definitely not for the infirm or unbalanced!). The room was very well equipped (2 satellite TVs, hair dryer, toiletries) and comfortable, though not spacious. Breakfast (cold cuts, cereal, fruit, etc.) was included in the price. Enjoyed some good Dutch beers at a warm and welcoming bar a couple blocks away. Ate at an excellent, intimate Indonesian restaurant about a 10-minute walk from the hotel; then strolled the canals before returning to the hotel and an early wake-up call. If we had arrived just an hour earlier, we would have definitely revisited the Van Gogh Museum, but the timing just wasn't right. Have fun!

We have successfully booked Hotel De Munck , a lot of the smaller hotels did not have any accommodation for the night we needed. We particularly like the B&B type of places.
The charge is 110 Euro for a large double room with a view of the canal including breakfast, but does not include 5% tax.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and responses.