We will be arriving late November and prefer to take a taxi to city center hotel. Is it possible to just hire a taxi upon arrival at the airport. The internet is full of "advertisements" for companies to reserve with prior to arrival. I guess I am OK with that except that I have a bit of skepticism as to will they really be there after I have already paid for the service. I guess good reviews would help, but I have not been able to find those. And advice would be appreciated. Jim

Yes you can hire a taxi on arrival. Ignore the touts in the terminal and go to the taxi rank. Make sure the taxi has blue licence plates, and is displaying it's taxi licence.
You could book a taxi ahead of time. the Schiphol website has links to reliable companies https://www.schiphol.nl/en/page/by-t...from-schiphol/

The train is an easy and cheap way of getting to the city centre, as is the bus. Taxis are not cheap.

While trains are often cheaper, they're not necessarily easier. We arrived at Schiphol with 8 tired people, including 4 very tired kids. We followed the words/arrows on the ground that took us right to the official taxi stand and got a van that took us straight to our apartment. With there being 8 of us i'm not sure we paid more than the train either.

I didn't say it was always easier, but it is a good option from Schiphol, which not everyone realises.

Taxis are lined up at the taxi queue. When I had to use a taxi, there weren't any queue at the stand perhaps because it was quite expensive, not fixed rate so you pay more depending on the traffic, and in my experience, drivers were grumpy but got the job done. One thing you need to realize that you DON'T have to take the taxi at the head of the queue. You can take ANY taxi in the queue.
Usual issue with the prearranged transfer is as you stated. You get a fixed rate in return, however. Not all transfers have permits to use the tram track. During rush hour, depending on where you are heading, a permit to use the tram track, which all the taxis seem to have, can speed up your trip once you get to the center.
Depending when where in Amsterdam you are heading, there are other options.

Depending on where your hotel is in Amsterdam, it can be faster to take a train to Zuid WTC station, and get on Metro 52, direction North, from there.

Thank you very much, helpful information. Jim

Thank you. We won't have kids with us, but I am sure we will be tired which might justify a taxi.

Thanks for the feedback. We will be trying to get to Rho Hotel which "is located in the heart of the old city in a quiet side street, a few steps from the historic DAM square, I wonder if that is walking distance from Central station with a medium sized suitcase? Or which bus/train stops might be within walking distance. ?

Thanks again, Jim

Unless you are arriving after 9pm you could get the Conexxion hotel bus from Schiphol. It stops at Dam square and you can easily walk from there.

We took a taxi from the airport to our hotel and found it very easy. To me, the splurge and simplicity after a very long flight (from California) was well worth it.

It totally is, Jim. And also Nes, the street where the hotel is, has roadworks going on, so for a taxi to get there will be fairly tricky. If you decide on walking, take the side of Damrak where the canalboat tours are, not where all the shops and restaurants are. It's much quieter there, and once you pass the Bijenkorf department store and cross Dam, behind the monument, you are right opposite Nes (that's the narrow street ahead of you). Rho hotel is about 75 - 100 meters from there, on your left.

Actually for the Rho hotel, the Rokin metro stop is nearer than is Central Station.

Conexxion hotel bus mentioned in post #10 is what I used. Was very easy.