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Amsterdam Hotels Map

Updated: August 9, 2026 • By Santorini Dave

My Favorite Hotels in Amsterdam

• 5-star: Waldorf Astoria
• 4-star: Kimpton De Witt
• 3-star: Linden
• Boutique: Pulitzer
• For Families: Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium
• For Couples: The Dylan
• Near Train Station: art’otel
• Cruise Port: Mövenpick
• Dam Square: TwentySeven
• Red Light District: Rosalia’s Menagerie

Where Should You Stay in Amsterdam?

Best overall: Jordaan
• First visit: Jordaan or Canal Ring
• Couples: Jordaan or Nine Streets
• Families: Museum Quarter or Oud-Zuid
• Nightlife: De Pijp or Leidseplein
• Museums: Museum Quarter
• Train connections: Centraal Station
• Cruise passengers: Eastern Docklands or Centraal Station
• Quieter local feel: Oud-West or Plantage

Most first-time visitors should stay in or near the Canal Ring. The Jordaan and western Canal Ring are my favorite areas for atmosphere, restaurants, beautiful streets, and an easy central location. Museum Quarter is excellent for museums and families, while De Pijp has more nightlife and a younger, more local feel. Staying near Centraal Station is convenient for short visits, day trips, early trains, and cruise connections, but the immediate area is busier and less charming. Amsterdam is compact, so a hotel inside or just outside the Canal Ring keeps most major sights within walking distance or a short tram ride.

Map of the best hotels in Amsterdam, including the Canal Ring, Jordaan, Museum Quarter, De Pijp, and Centraal Station.
Best Hotels: • 1. Crane Faralda • 2. Linden • 3. The Toren • 4. Pulitzer • 5. The Hoxton • 6. The Dylan • 7. Andaz Prinsengracht • 8. art’otel • 9. Kimpton De Witt • 10. W Amsterdam • 11. TwentySeven • 12. Sofitel Legend The Grand • 13. Rosalia’s Menagerie • 14. Estheréa • 15. De L’Europe • 16. Seven One Seven • 17. Waldorf Astoria • 18. Seven Bridges • 19. Zoku • 20. InterContinental Amstel • 21. Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium • 22. Sir Albert • 23. Okura

Affordable Hotels: • 24. Nadia • 25. Hotel De Hallen • 26. CityHub • 27. Owl • 28. The Social Hub

Amsterdam Map Tips

My son and me in Amsterdam.

My son and I in Amsterdam.

  • Understand the Canal Ring. Centraal Station sits at the northern edge of central Amsterdam, with the Canal Ring curving around it in a series of semicircles. Dam Square is south of the station, Jordaan and Nine Streets are to the west, and Museumplein and De Pijp are farther south. Once you understand that basic layout, Amsterdam is much easier to navigate.
  • Neighborhood matters more than hotel star rating. A simpler hotel in Jordaan or the Canal Ring will give most visitors a better Amsterdam experience than a luxury hotel well outside the center. Staying inside or just beyond the Canal Ring keeps sightseeing, restaurants, and nightlife close.
  • Use trams for hotels outside the center. Amsterdam’s tram network makes Museumplein, De Pijp, Oud-West, and other slightly less central neighborhoods easy bases. With OVpay, you can check in and out using a contactless debit or credit card or a phone.
  • Watch the bike lanes. Bike lanes are everywhere and can look like sidewalks to first-time visitors. Cyclists move fast and quietly, so look both ways before crossing and don’t stand or walk in a bike lane.

Best Areas to Stay in Amsterdam

Our room at the Ambassade Hotel in Amsterdam.

Our room at the Ambassade Hotel.

1. Jordaan

Best for: First-time visitors, couples, restaurants, atmosphere
The Jordaan is my favorite area of Amsterdam. Narrow streets, beautiful canals, small shops, excellent restaurants, and traditional brown cafés give it plenty of character, while the Anne Frank House and western Canal Ring are close by. The Toren is my favorite romantic hotel in the area. Mr. Jordaan is simpler and less expensive, with an excellent location on a quiet canal.

2. Canal Ring & Nine Streets

Best for: First-time visitors, couples, shopping, central location
This is classic Amsterdam and one of the best locations for walking almost everywhere. Nine Streets sits in the western Canal Ring and is especially good for boutique shopping, cafés, restaurants, and a quieter atmosphere than Dam Square. Pulitzer is one of Amsterdam’s best hotels and has a fantastic location across a collection of historic canal houses. The Dylan is smaller, quieter, and particularly good for couples. Ambassade Hotel is another favorite in a superb Herengracht location.

3. Dam Square & Centraal Station

Best for: Short stays, first-time visitors, trains, airport connections
This is Amsterdam’s most convenient area for transportation and one of the easiest bases for a short visit. Centraal Station has direct train service to Schiphol Airport and easy connections throughout the Netherlands, while Dam Square is about a 10-minute walk south. The tradeoff is atmosphere: the streets immediately around Damrak and the station are among the busiest and most touristy in Amsterdam. Kimpton De Witt is my favorite near the station. Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky is the best luxury choice directly on Dam Square.

4. Museum Quarter & Oud-Zuid

Best for: Families, museums, quieter nights, luxury hotels
Stay here if the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum are priorities. The neighborhood is greener, calmer, and less touristy than the historic center, with Vondelpark close by. It’s also one of my favorite areas for families. The Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium is the standout luxury hotel beside Museumplein. Hotel JL No76 is smaller and less expensive while still putting the museums within an easy walk.

5. De Pijp

Best for: Restaurants, nightlife, younger travelers, local atmosphere
De Pijp is south of the Canal Ring and centered around the Albert Cuyp Market. It has one of Amsterdam’s best concentrations of restaurants, cafés, and bars and feels more residential than the historic center. It’s a good choice if nightlife and food matter more than being beside the major sights. Sir Albert is my favorite hotel in the neighborhood.

6. Oud-West & Leidseplein

Best for: Restaurants, nightlife, Vondelpark, good value
Oud-West is a good compromise between central sightseeing and a more residential Amsterdam neighborhood. Foodhallen, local restaurants, shops, and Vondelpark are close, with easy tram service into the historic center. Leidseplein at the eastern edge is much livelier, with theaters, bars, clubs, and late-night activity. Hotel De Hallen is my favorite Oud-West choice. Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American has the better location for Leidseplein and the eastern side of Vondelpark.

7. Plantage

Best for: Families, quieter stays, Artis Zoo
Plantage is leafy, calm, and close enough to the historic center without feeling overwhelmed by visitors. Artis Zoo and Hortus Botanicus are here, making it a particularly good family base. It isn’t as atmospheric as Jordaan or the Canal Ring, but you get quieter nights and good tram connections. The Lancaster Amsterdam is directly across from Artis Zoo.

8. Amsterdam Noord

Best for: Something different, modern hotels, views, nightlife
Amsterdam Noord sits across the IJ from Centraal Station and works best for travelers who have already seen the historic center or want a less conventional base. The free ferries make the waterfront areas around Overhoeks and NDSM surprisingly convenient, but I would still choose Jordaan or the Canal Ring for a first visit. Sir Adam is beside the A’DAM Tower and EYE Film Museum. DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam NDSM Wharf is better for the NDSM area, while Crane Hotel Faralda is the unusual splurge, with rooms built into a former industrial crane.

The Best Hotels in Amsterdam

Sofitel Legend The Grand hotel on an Amsterdam canal.

The marvelous Sofitel Legend The Grand, one of my favorite hotels in Amsterdam.

About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave in Athens, Greece Santorini Dave was started in 2011 when I posted a short guide to visiting Santorini with kids. Now, my site publishes regularly updated guides to Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Crete, Athens, and all of Greece.

Questions? Email me at dave@santorinidave.com.