Amsterdam Travel Question
 

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a weekend in Amsterdam and will be staying at the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky located at Dam 9. I was wondering the best way to get there from the airport since I've never been before and have no idea how far of a taxi ride it would be. Would a taxi be very expensive or is there a train or underground I could take. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Take the train. It is easier

I'd say you have two options:
rail (the trains run several every hour from Schiphol and it takes about 15-20 minutes to get to Centraal Station which is where you'd get off) you can buy tickets in the booking hall just before exiting the terminal; the platforms are one flight down via escalator.
Walking to the Dam from Centraal Station is about a five-six block walk (depending on your definition of a "block") straight out the door of CS and down Damrak.
Wne you get to the Dam you'll ahve passed the large department store on your left (the "Beehive" Bijenkorp) and at the sqwuare itself, turn left and there is the hotel.
Taxi: more expensive but will take you right to the Krasnapolsy door

Any tram leaving from the group of tracks to your left as you leave the central station will take you to de Bijenkorf/Dam Square (off the top of my head, the 9, 14, 24 come to mind). It would be about a ten minute walk from the station unencumbered by luggage.

Or, train from Schiphol to Centraal (about 3.5Euro) then taxi to hotel door, about 5-6Euro (estimating; our taxi past Leidseplein was 10Euro).

Taxi from Schiphol to hotel door will be about 35Euro roughly (maybe a bit more).

Agree on the train. If you've got lots of bags, take the train and then a taxi from Centraal Station to the Krasnapolsky (not far at all). The Connexion bus is also an option, but it can take forever with all the stops at multiple hotels.

Take a taxi all the way from the airport, it will cost under 50EUR and is the most comfortable and direct way to reach your destination.

The train is about 3.50 -4 euro. I think the savings are worth the oh-so-minor inconvenience of dragging your bag through Centraal station.

If one is staying at a deluxe property like this is, then one should be able to afford a taxi at the very least. Nothing looks worse than people turning up at luxury hotels using public transport (i.e. not a taxi or other chauffeur drive vehicle), if you can't afford that then stay at a budget property.

Unless the Original Poster is staying there on points saved. Or maybe the OP's relatives are paying for the room. Maybe the OP didn't eat for 2 months straight to afford the hotel. Who knows?

People make CHOICES with their money, and I've found that it's often the people who don't overspend when it's not necessary who tend to have the most of it. And taking the cheaper way is also a very, very Dutch thing to do.

And, by the way, who cares about your arbitrary aesthetic judgement?

I had fine experiences with the Connexxion shuttle bus from the airport then loops around to the various hotels; it only stops where passengers need to be let off. I believe it was 10 euro one-way or 18 euro round-trip. I thought it was a good compromise between a taxi and the train.

I have taken both the Connexxion shuttle and the train from Schipol into the city. If you are staying at a major hotel which is a scheduled stop on the Connexxion line, I would take the shuttle.
I recently took the train into Centraal and, while my hotel was within walking distance (not "easy" walking distance, mind you), guess what I found out! Those darned cobblestones were HELL on the wheels (hell on wheels!) of my luggage.
So take the shuttle - it'll be fine.

MEDS.

Take the train -- then the taxi.

The train from Schipol is VERY VERY easy. Actually the Krasnapolsky is only about 3 or 4 blocks from Centraal Station.

What did I miss? Why is m_kingdom now squared (or second generation)?

For some unknown reason my original username was blocked, how ridiculous!

Wow, that's impressive! They can't get rid of the wacko on the US board but they block poor little you. Go figure!

Having read some of the messages from m-kingdom2, I feel Fodors probably blocked their username intentionally. The one about how bad it looks for people to turn up at luxury hotels by public transport is such a hoot I can't believe these pretentious comments are serious.

The comments made by allovereurope and by martytravels were quite to the point. What kindom was m_kingdom2 writing from?

Take the Connexxion Bus..It is the best way to get there, have tried every other way...No hassel, stops right in front of your hotel...Don't have to carry your luggage..I think it departs from gate A9 at Schipol, if I remember correctly...Wish I was going to Amsterdam tomorrow!! Have fun.