4 Best Hotels in Red Light District, Amsterdam

Movie buffs may remember this gracious landmark, overlooking the Amstel River and the Muntplein, as the setting of Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent; all guests will relish the elegant rooms with Coco-Mat mattresses, Carrara marble bathrooms with heated floors and Diptyque amenities, and all sorts of other luxuries. A spectacular redesign (completed in 2023) has transformed the entire ground floor combining gold-trimmed ceilings with "Amsterdam icons of art, style and luxury" in a new wing with eight design-led waterfront suites, a brilliant bookstore, spa and florist. The two Michelin-starred restaurant Flore is famed for some of the city's finest dairy-free fine dining, while French brasserie Marie is known for its wonderful waterside terrace, Graziella serves Italian classics in cozy environs; and Freddy's Bar, named after Freddy Heineken (of the beer dynasty that owns the hotel), serves award-winning cocktails. 

Beyond the Neoclassical courtyard and carved marble pediments is a haven of style and luxury, a stunning symphony of color and chic furniture with such luxurious amenities as personal butler service and a gorgeous spa with an indoor pool. The Sofitel's surroundings are appropriately deluxe for a guest list that includes rock stars and heads of state. What's now one of the city's most exclusive hotels, was built as a convent in the 14th century, went on to house the offices of the Amsterdam Admiralty, and was Amsterdam's city hall until 1988 (HRH Princess Beatrix, the former Queen of the Netherlands, was married here in the 1960s). Breakfast (not included) is excellent and extensive, the acclaimed Bridges restaurant serves delicious French-international cuisine beneath a mural by Dutch artist Karel Appel, and afternoon tea in the glorious inner garden is an Amsterdam tradition.

While you can still inhale a true Belle Epoque atmosphere in some of the hotel’s public areas, including the soaringly beautiful Wintertuin ("Winter Garden," now the hotel's breakfast room) and the stuccoed and gilded White Room restaurant, most of this Dam Square landmark’s interior is completely modern in style. Smack in the middle of the Dam Square action, the Krasnapolsky attracts business travelers and tourists alike, including many families. Rooms, tastefully renovated in 2022 and decorated in warm, neutral colors, come in a wide variety of sizes; some feature terraces, Dam Square views, and Jacuzzi tubs. Breakfasts in the Winter Garden, a masterpiece of 19th-century allure—under a greenhouse roof and with Victorian chandeliers—might make you feel like a countess or duke. Enjoy lavish, globally inspired, locally sourced cuisine in the Michelin-starred White Room restaurant, or sip a bespoke cocktail in the award-winning Tailor bar before hitting the hay.