2026 Amsterdam Hotel Suggestions
We are traveling in May on the Basil to Amsterdam river cruise. We will be staying four nights in Amsterdam to see all there is to see.
Would love suggestions for hotels in the area around the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. Boutique hotels are our favorites, and we would like to be on a canal. 4* is our preference. I am at a loss, having never been to the city.
Thanks, Jan B
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Although I always listen to other people’s suggestions, I also google hotels in the area and read about what they have to offer and their locations. I do take reviews a bit like tongue in cheek. We once were about to book a hotel when our original booking was canceled over the Christmas holidays period, We were surprised there were still rooms and then found out that some residents had just been murdered there.
Amsterdam is a great city. I’m sure you know you have to book tickets well in advance of all the major attractions especially Anne Frank’s house which sell out immediately after tickets are released.
You can look at Tauck’s website for an overview of the hotels they choose for their trips beginning and ending in Amsterdam. We’ve stayed at many, most recently at the Sofitel Legend The Grand which is close to many of the areas we enjoy.
By staying at the Tauck designated hotel specific for your tour, you will enjoy complimentary full breakfasts each morning of your stay and you are more likely to see fellow travelers from your tour, some of whom you may have befriended.
It’s a wonderful city and easily explorable by foot and water taxi. Enjoy.
We stayed at the Kimpton De Witt. Has the 4 Cs: Clean, Comfortable, Convenient, Cost Effective. Easy access to the Nines and Jordaan area. Easy access to public transportation including Amsterdam Centraal and it is easy to use and safe even at night. Lots of nearby selection for breakfast. More boutique: Pulitzer, Hoxton, Andaz Amsterdam, and the Dylan.
You definitely need to look at a map of Amsterdam first as it's a very unique city layout. Most canals are in the central part within a set of horseshoe concentric rings cross-crossed by smaller canals. The open end of the horseshoe is the waterway where your river ship will be docked not far from Damrak (the original dam over the Amstel) and the central train station. The Anne Frank house is in the Jordan the western section whereas the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum are just outside the outer ring.
At the end of one of our cruises we stayed 3 days at the Kimpton Dewitt which is a 4star boutique hotel. It has a contemporary dutch vibe. It's not on a canal but it's close to central station and is on one of the tram lines making it easy to get around the city. Given it's location, I was pleased with how quiet it was. The service was great
A couple of years ago we stayed at the Ambassade Hotel. It is a boutique 4 star hotel and is between two canals. It has about 56 rooms of various sizes and decor. They had a nice breakfast, a bar and a restaurant. It is located about halfway between Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum. The hotel arranged transportation to the ship since this was not the Tauck hotel. I would be happy to stay there again if I ever get back to Amsterdam. https://ambassade-hotel.nl/
We used the Tauck hotel, the Pulitzer and enjoyed our extended stay there and the unique layout of the hotel. It is within a quarter mile of the Anne Frank House, on a canal, and a comfortable walk to the museum district.
I stayed at The Andaz (by Hyatt), which was a Tauck designated hotel. It was a former library and very much a boutique hotel. The hotel was in the famous Nine Streets area and a short walk to the Anne Frank House. I had a canal view room. The breakfast buffet was excellent and the staff very helpful.
https://www.hyatt.com/andaz/en-US/amsaz-andaz-amsterdam-prinsengracht
Jan_Beeman,
My favorite area, and as mentioned by several fellow travelers above, is the Nine Little Streets—perfect for window shopping, eating traditional cuisine and just strolling along. Several of the hotels mentioned are located there or very close by.
A lesser known museum is the Lord in the Attic, a once-functioning Catholic Church hidden in a canal home when worshiping Catholicism was prohibited (Reformation). I do not know if they still hold limited services.
Also fun to do is to tour a houseboat to experience how some locals live. Taking a luncheon canal cruise is another option.
And try some snert—traditional Dutch pea soup.
Have a great journey!
I second the Ambassade on the Herengracht Cabal. I have stayed there twice, and it is beautifully appointed with a friendly, helpful staff. We walked to the Anne Frank House from there.