Next month, we're taking the train to Amsterdam from Paris for 4/3 nights. Can you recommend a nice hotel, in a great location, and some things to do?

I loved canal house. Rooms were charming and location great. Definitely eat the Indonesian risstafel. Loved the van gogh museum and just walking around

Thank you libra5556. I will check that place out right now.

Is we a couple or? What is your hotel budget?

We stayed in the Hotel Aalders a couple of years ago and loved it. It's about a block from the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum and about another block from a main tram line. Check it out.

After staying in Amsterdam more than 15 times, mostly on extended business, I finally found the Owl Hotel. http://www.owl-hotel.nl/gb/

They are in a great location, on a quiet street. They are also about a 3 minute walk to the Leidesplein. They are between the Leidesplein and the Museumplein.

It's less than 10 minute simple walk to the Museumplein.

Nice rooms, at least as good as the 4**** Golden Tulip. Breakfast is included in the price, and the management staff are nice and funny.

Nearby is the Sama Sebo Restaurant. It's a Rijstafel restaurant that is very good, and has great reviews. I highly recommend the restaurant too. It's next to the ritzy shopping area near the Museumplein.

http://www.samasebo.nl/en/

nytraveler, we are a couple. It's my husband and I.

libra5556, I <3<3<3 Canal House. Having never been to Amsterdam, can you tell me a lil about the location please? We will be taking the train from Paris. Will we be able to walk (mostly) everywhere we'll want to go?

Tom18, will check out Hotel Aalders right now.

Rastaguytoday, I just found another recommendation for the Owl Hotel. Thank you!

I stayed at the Hotel Piet Hien (http://www.hotelpiethein.com/home.html). The hotel is located on a quiet street three blocks from the Van Gogh Museum and Museumplein, and five blocks from the Rijkmuseum and the IAMsterdam sign. Also the #2 and #5 tram, which runs from Centraal Station, stops in front of the Van Gogh Museum, and the #3 and #12 tram stop is one block away. Vondelpark is right outside the front door of the hotel, and there are eating establishments in the general area. I really liked staying there...

You can walk anywhere in central Amsterdam. Trams are convenient for getting from one end of the city to the other. Be aware that tram lines cut through the central canal area or go around it, but not to the center of it, so it pays off to know the street number if you visit a place along a canal. Street numbers start from the northern end of a canal and move up towards the south. It makes an enormous difference whether a place is at number 100 or number 700.

Go to Trip Advisor and look up the threads for "Bidding on a 4 star..." and "Bidding on a 5 star..." They are usually in the first couple of pages in the Netherlands forum.

How about a 5 star hotel like the Barbizon Palace for around $100 a night? Using Priceline's Name Your Own Price you can find deals like that. Amsterdam is one of the best places to use NYOP and if you bid 4 star or higher in the 2 zones for the center of the city it's impossible to go wrong.

Good luck!

If you would like a B & B, The Hotel Zandbergen might be worth looking into. I love the location, near Vondel Park and right on Tram 2, easy ride into Centraal Station area and Leidseplein. Owner, Henk is terrific!

http://www.hotel-zandbergen.com/

Thank you all!

I agree about the Owl Hotel. We recently stayed there and a great location, clean, wonderful staff, good breakfast. Our room was small but fine with us.

yes i walked most places from canal house. i was alone but i took the tram as well. it was very pleasant and easy to use. you can also rent bikes i guess. they have good bike lanes and lots of people do that.
canal house was nicely decorated. every room was different. i think it included braekfast too. i stayed a bit further out the first time. i forget the name. it was nice but i had to take the tram everywhere and i prefered a location by a canal.

Early in the morning is the best time IMHO to walk through the red light district, at that hour the windows are closed and you can admire the architecture and canals with out feeling like a sailor on leave. Have a cup of coffee in a coffee shop. Buy flowers at the flower market for your room. Just look around, Amsterdam is full of art. The hotel I stay at is a 4 story walk up with a typical dutch stair case, but it has a covered balcony that looks over the Westerkerk.

Seconding the suggestion of Hotel De L'Europe. If you book through Virtuoso, for the same rate you can get an upgrade at time of booking, full American breakfast for two, a 3-course lunch or dinner for two, and a free one-way private transfer to the airport or train station. Check out http://tinyurl.com/ccecvhr