12 Best Hotels in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Friday's book market on nearby Spui Square lends a literary ambience to these 15 connected, stylishly decorated 17th- and 18th-century houses, where charming guest rooms are decked out in rich fabrics and colors, with striking details (wood-beam ceilings, elegant chandeliers) and modern 20th-century paintings. Canalside rooms are spacious, with large floor-to-ceiling windows, and service is attentive and friendly. Public spaces are also beautifully decorated with Oriental rugs, chandeliers, clocks, paintings, and antiques. Restaurant Ambassade offers French cuisine in a setting filled with colorful Dutch paintings from the CoBrA movement, while the Library Bar serves up cocktails surrounded by thousands of books, all signed by authors who have stayed at the hotel.

Set on a picturesque canal near The Nine Streets shopping area, this cozy, family-owned hotel is designed with loads of old-world charm. Flowery wallpaper, boldly upholstered furniture, antiques, and crystal chandeliers are put together harmoniously, and the comfy public areas of the six interconnected houses—a breakfast room, a lounge, and a library—invite guests to linger and relax throughout the day with free coffee, tea, candy, and often cookies or cake. All this traditional beauty comes with a modern touch: free Wi-Fi in all rooms.

A labyrinth of narrow halls leads to surprisingly large and modern guest rooms, with wood-beam ceilings and stylish contemporary decor, that overlook the Prinsengracht and the Keizersgracht canals or nicely landscaped courtyards. The surprisingly coherent-yet-rambling assemblage was created from a clutch of 17th- and 18th-century houses—25 in all—and an appropriately historical soundtrack is provided every half hour, when the nearby Westerkerk chimes. Pulitzer's Bar is a cozy place to get a seriously good cocktail, and Jansz restaurant serves up contemporary cuisine in a stylish setting. The location is perfect for shopping in The Nine Streets, visiting nearby Anne Frank House or wandering through the lovely Jordaan area.

This bulky, modern hotel, with spacious (though slightly dated) rooms looms over a tree-lined street within walking distance of the upscale boutiques on Cornelis Schuytstraat, the Royal Concertgebouw concert hall, Big Three museums, and Vondelpark. While the property lacks any sort of historical allure, you'll find plenty of charm in the lovely streets nearby. Adjoining rooms, family suites, and free baby beds make this a good choice for families.

The rooms at this early-20th-century house opposite the Concertgebouw are more simple than stylish, but they're spotless, featuring neutral tones and photographs of famous jazz and pop musicians. They also come in a range of sizes, with single, double, triple, and quadruple rooms. The main museums are within walking distance, and the Jordaan is only a few tram stops away.

These two 18th-century buildings on leafy Jan Luykenstraat (yes, that’s where the name comes from!) may look traditional, but in the lounges and guest rooms everything is stylishly contemporary, with Dutch art on the walls, colorful wallpaper, and natural fabrics. Among the many amenities are great showers, a courtyard garden, and an honesty bar where guests can help themselves to a drink or snack; all of the well-appointed executive rooms contain Jacuzzis with built-in TVs.

If you've always wanted to stay in a hidden room behind a library bookcase or sleep inside an old tram car, this quirky budget hotel, inside a large brick complex in the up-and-coming De Baarsjes area, is for you. Artists from the Eindhoven Design Academy have built out concepts like the Casa No Casa (in the style of a Spanish villa) and the Printed House Room (where much of the decor, down to the comforter cover, has literally been printed) to create 23 unique places to sleep—although that's pretty much all they are, since each is only big enough for a bed or two, very spare, and (most) share a large communal bathroom reminiscent of a hostel. That said, guests are encouraged to spend more time hobnobbing in the sleek, industrial bar (cheekily named Kevin Bacon), lounging in the comfy couches in the sitting area, or exploring nearby restaurants.

With multiple Michelin-starred restaurants, this Japanese-owned hotel on the outskirts of De Pijp is highly recommended for foodies, and from the moment you enter the lobby, with its marble floors and elegant furnishings, you'll bask in an Asian sense of luxury and service. The spacious rooms are plushly decked out with comfy beds and dining options are dazzling: French fare at the top-floor Le Ciel Bleu; traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine at Yamazato, overlooking a serene Japanese garden; teppanyaki at Sazanka, where the chefs cook your food right in front of you on a sizzling griddle; international cuisine at the downstairs Serre and breakfast prepared to order at Le Camelia. Don't miss sampling a perfectly mixed cocktail at the Twenty Third Bar, named for the panoramic views from the 23rd floor. If you're after some relaxation, the lovely spa and health club are also worth a visit.

Named for the leafy residential street on which it's located, a stone's throw from the Leidseplein, Vondelpark, luxe shopping areas, and major museums, this is a good choice for travelers who want to be near everything but not in the midst of the madness. Owner Arjen van den Hof's zest for modern art shows up throughout the hotel, including in the guest rooms. Some bathrooms have flat-screen TVs and sometimes a Jacuzzi tub. There's also a lounge opening onto a small garden. 

Most of the businesslike rooms in this striking glass skyscraper, built on an island within the docks area on the IJ River, offer stunning views of the Amsterdam skyline and beyond; you can't get closer to the river cruise ships if you are planning on taking a cruise. The location is not as remote as it might seem: a complimentary shuttle connects the hotel with Centraal Station; culture vultures can make the most of classical and jazz concerts at the neighboring Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ complex; and the NEMO Science Museum, a must-see for kids, is within walking distance. The hotel is Green Globe–certified for its sustainability policy, which extends to organic coffee, eco-friendly linens, and economic use of water and electricity.

Although this stately 18th-century Amsterdam fixture close to lovely Vondelpark has one foot in the past, the other is firmly planted in the here-and-now with modern decor and a cosmopolitan ambience. Downstairs, the Asian fusion restaurant MOMO and elegant Bar Claes are local favorites. The neon lights of Leidseplein are around the corner, and the peaceful environs of Amsterdam's gorgeous Vondelpark are across the road, beckoning you to take an early morning jog (there's an in-house, 24-hour fitness center, too). Major art museums are also within walking distance.

Perched on the IJ River in Westerdok, this large, striking edition in the Spanish hotel chain has well-designed and spacious (if a tad generic) rooms, friendly service, and an international feel. Each of the 12 floors contains rooms with a different color scheme, mod chairs and desks, and basic but sparkling white bathrooms; some rooms have views across the river. Contemporary art, including a bronze ceiling-high sculpture, fills the soaring lobby. The basement gym is small but well equipped.