Is your preference old-world charm combined with luxurious quarters? Glitzy modernity with every conceivable amenity? Small, intimate, family-run hotels? A historic canal house reflecting the lifestyle of centuries past? A modern, medium-size hotel on the fringe of inner-city bustle? A bare-bones dorm room which frees up scarce dollars for other purposes? Amsterdam has them all, and more. Some hotels share more than one of these characteristics: A common fusion is that of historic canal house on the outside and glitzy, amenity-laden modernity on the inside.
You probably have your own idea of what makes a great hotel. My advice is to let your choice reflect the kind of city Amsterdam is -- democratic, adventurous, quirky, and always in search of that enigmatic Dutch quality, gezelligheid, which is the ambience that makes a place warm, cozy, and welcoming. You can find this quality at all price levels, and especially among moderately priced hotels owned by locals.
Summer Stays: Reserve Ahead -- July and August are tough months for finding rooms in Amsterdam; you're advised to reserve as far ahead as possible. If you have problems getting a room, contact the VVV Amsterdam tourist information office, which can usually find you a room somewhere -- though it might not be in the kind of hotel you're looking for and you might need to pay more than is typical for a room in a higher-class hotel.
It can be particularly difficult to find hoteliers willing to give away rooms for a single night when that might cost them a longer booking. What to do? In this circumstance, a last-minute search might be called for, since a hotel that's had a last-minute cancellation would be more likely to consider single-night occupancy -- this is a possible exception to the rule that a last-minute search is the wrong way to go about finding a hotel room in Amsterdam.
Booking a B&B -- B&B accommodations are available by contacting Bed & Breakfast Holland, Theophile de Bockstraat 3, 1058 TV Amsterdam (tel. 020/615-7527; fax 020/669-1573; www.bedandbreakfast.com). Rates per person range from 30€ to 235€ ($38-$294), depending on amenities, location, and season. There's generally a 2-night minimum stay.
Best Value: Taking all factors into account -- price, location, facilities, hospitality, Dutchness, and that indefinable element that makes a stay memorable -- the Estheréa, Singel 303-309 (tel. 020/624-5146), is the best value in town.
Best for Tradition: Die Port van Cleve, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 176-180 (tel. 020/624-6429), is one of Amsterdam's oldest hotels, but has entirely modernized rooms, so you can celebrate the 17th century in 21st-century comfort.
Best for Families: The Crowne Plaza Amsterdam City Centre, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 5 (tel. 020/620-0500), provides reliable accommodations and service in a family-friendly environment close to Centraal Station and the main public transportation links. There's also an indoor swimming pool.
Best for Business Travelers: The NH Barbizon Palace, Prins Hendrikkade 59-72 (tel. 020/556-4564), is modern, luxurious, stylish, efficient, and has an excellent location -- opposite Centraal Station -- and a full range of business facilities.
Best Unknown Hotel: This accolade goes to Seven Bridges, Reguliersgracht 31 (tel. 020/623-1329) for its combination of location, decor, personal service, enthusiastic owners, and general all-around quality.
Best Budget Hotel: Many cheap hotels in Amsterdam leave a lot to be desired. Not so the Museumzicht, Jan Luykenstraat 22 (tel. 020/671-2954), a plain, clean, and friendly hotel at a superb location across from the Rijksmuseum.
