SD › Amsterdam › Hotels › Sebastian’s Review
Updated: November 10, 2020
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Hotel Sebastian’s – Atmospheric boutique hotel in the upper reaches of the historic canal ring.
The little sister of the super-plush Hotel TwentySeven, this family-run, intimate boutique hotel occupies a beautifully-maintained canal house. In the rooms, an opulent color scheme of red, golds, and purples prevails, along with snazzy wallpaper, gilded mirrors, and mod-cons such as espresso makers, flat-screen TVs, and Rituals bath products in the spacious bathrooms, many of which have tubs as well as showers. Service is extremely professional and helpful, and Sebastian’s is well-located both for sightseeing and Amsterdam’s best shopping.
Hotel Sebastian’s – Location
- Address: Keizersgracht 15,1015 CC Amsterdam.
- Nearest Tram: Nieuwezijds Kolk.
- Area: On a quiet street overlooking the northern end of Keizersgracht canal in the historic Canal Belt, just a few minutes’ walk from the lively Jordaan district and the boutiques, cafes, and bars of the trendy Nine Streets neighborhood. The Dam Square and the Royal Palace are a 15-minute walk away, Anne Frank House is less than 10 minutes on foot, and the Museum Quarter is around 25 minutes away by tram. Good tram connections to the Centraal Station from the nearest tram stop (less than 10 minutes’ walk).
- How to Get There: Take the train from Schiphol Airport to Centraal Station, then tram #1, #2 or #5 to the Nieuwezijds Kolk stop, a 10-minute walk from the hotel.
- Handy to: Anne Frank House, Nine Streets, historic canal ring, Dam Square.
Hotel Sebastian’s – The Basics
- Ages: Most guests tend to be couples or friends on a city break, but children of all ages are welcome.
- View: Of the 26 rooms, the Small rooms face the inner courtyard, Medium rooms overlook either the courtyard gardens or the canal, and the Large rooms come with canal views of the Keizersgracht.
- Laundry: In-room laundry service.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: No private pools/jacuzzi.
- Extras: Bicycle rental available for guests. Young, knowledgeable staff is happy to book theater and museum tickets and make dining reservations.
- When to Book: Reserve 3 months in advance for the mid-March to mid-May tulip season, the July and August high season, and the Christmas-New Year period.
- How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
- Phone: 020-423-2342
- Email: info@hotelsebastians.nl
- Website: hotelsebastians.nl
Hotel Sebastian’s – Amenities
- Pool: No pool.
- Spa: No spa.
- Fitness Center: No fitness center.
- For Disabled Guests: Not suitable for disabled guests.
- For Families: Children under 12 stay free; cots, extra beds, and babysitting services provided at extra cost.
Hotel Sebastian’s – Food and Drink
- Restaurants: There is no onsite restaurant, but the bar serves light lunch, including a fresh soup-of-the-day, with snacks available throughout the day. • $$ • There are numerous evening dining options an easy walk away.
- Lounge/Bar: The atmospheric bar – all purples, crystal chandeliers, comfy chairs, and arty photos – is popular with guests and Amsterdammers alike, and serves a good mix of classic and signature cocktails.
- Breakfast: Not complimentary. A generous buffet breakfast with eggs to order is served from 8 am to 10.30 am and costs €13 per person.
- Room Service: No room service.
Hotel Sebastian’s – Rooms
- Room Types: Small • Medium • Large • Family
- Smoking Rooms: Rooms at Sebastian’s are 100% smoke-free, but there’s a designated area for smokers.
- Best Room: It’s hard to go wrong with one of the Large rooms with canal views. If there are 4 of you, Room 337 has only partial canal views, but is the most spacious of the Large rooms, and wonderfully bright to boot with windows on both sides.
- For Families: Some of the larger rooms can accommodate a family of 4.
Hotel Sebastian’s – Local Transport
- Walking: Anne Frank House, the Medieval Center, and the characterful Jordaan neighborhood are just minutes away on foot, the Royal Palace is less than 15 minutes away, as is the Red Light District.
- Tram: From the nearby Nieuwezijds stop, trams run north to Centraal Station and south towards Leidseplein and the Museum Quarter.
- Taxis, Uber: Taxis and Uber charge around €35 from the airport to the hotel. Within the city, Uber rides cost around half of taxi fares. It’s often quicker to walk, cycle, or jump on a tram.
Hotel Sebastian’s – What’s Nearby?
Recommended Nearby Tours
- Those Dam Boat Guys – Entertaining, small boat canal cruises involving wisecracking guides and craft beer. Depart near the Amsterdam Cheese Museum. Start location: 8-minute walk.
- Gs Brunch Boat – The world’s only brunch boat sets sail year round from Keizersgracht 177. Extensive menus are accompanied by mimosas and bloody marys, together with an hour and a half’s Amsterdam canal tour. Start location: 8-minute walk.
- Secret Food Tours – Sample raw herring, stamppot, stroopwafel, pancakes, and more on this walking tour of traditional Dutch food hotspots. Meet at the Anne Frank House. Start location: 9-minute walk.
- Jewish History Amsterdam – Themed walking tours of Jewish Amsterdam; tours of the western canal ring typically start at the Anne Frank House. Start location: 9-minute walk.
- Lovers Canal Cruises – Hour-long small boat canal cruises depart from the dock near the Anne Frank House. Start location: 9-minute walk.
Best Nearby Restaurants
- De Belhamel – Romantic French restaurant serving the likes of sea bass risotto and sirloin with fondant potatoes. Great canal-side location. 3-minute walk.
- Restaurant Bleu – Salads, hamburgers, and croquet monsieurs for lunch and carpaccios and steaks for dinner at this hip brasserie. 4-minute walk.
- Tapas Café Duende – The oldest tapas bar in Amsterdam shines when it comes to patatas bravas and mejillones picantes. Flamenco performances most Saturdays. 4-minute walk.
- Pancake Bakery – Traditional Dutch pancakes with sweet and savory toppings, cooked in an open kitchen opposite the Anne Frank House. 5-minute walk.
- Toscanini – White tablecloths, refined Italian dishes, homemade bread, a fine wine list, and a romantic ambience. Dinner reservations recommended. 5-minute walk.
- De Silveren Spiegel – Beautifully presented contemporary takes on Dutch dishes in an atmospheric house dating back to 1614. 5 to 8-course tasting menus only on Fridays and Saturdays. Romance your loved one here. 7-minute walk.
- Spanjer en van Twist – Frequently changing, internationally-inspired menu, excellent apple tart, and a great canal-side terrace for people-watching. 7-Minute walk.
- La Perla Pizzeria – Thin-crust pizza wood-fired in a traditional stone oven. Bring your family or bring a date. Bookings recommended. 9-minute walk.
- Breda – One for special occasions. Multi-course, seasonal lunch and dinner menus by some of the city’s most creative chefs, plus 15 wines by the glass. Reservations essential. 10-minute walk.
Best Nearby Bars and Breweries
- Café Tabac – Atmospheric bar with beamed ceilings and a great location at the intersection of 2 beautiful canals. Good Asian snacks. 2-minute walk.
- Café de Vergulde Gaper – Former apothecary turned popular canal-side bar, with vintage posters and sunny terrace. Good for a coffee, beer, burger, or light lunch. 4-minute walk.
- ‘t Arendsnest – Dutch beer only: almost 200 bottled brews, and 30 on tap. Choose between the canal-side terrace, or the gorgeous brown café interior, complete with copper jenever boilers. 5-minute walk.
- Vesper Bar – Stylish cocktail bar serving killer martinis and signature cocktails such as Victoria’s Secret. 6-minute walk.
- De Kat in de Wijngaert – Intimate bar attracting arty types. Good for a beer, sandwich, and live jazz and DJ sets on Monday evenings. 6-minute walk.
- Wijnbar DiVino – Superb selection of Italian wines – by the bottle and by the glass – with a supporting cast of cheese and charcuterie platters. 7-minute walk.
- ‘t Smalle – 18th-century jenever distillery turned beautiful brown café, with porcelain beer pumps and appealing riverside terrace. 8-minute walk.
Nearby Shopping and Cool Shops
- I Love Vintage – Vintage dresses, jewelry, and accessories from 1920’s-1950’s, as well as retro-style new threads. 5-minute walk.
- Chills and Thrills – Smart shop selling magic truffles, herbal trips, accessories, and more. 6-minute walk.
- Cellarrich – Leather accessories, from leather-bound notebooks to bags, gloves, and wallets. 7-minute walk.
- Amsterdam Duck Store – Nothing but rubber ducks here, from classic yellow to Batman, S&M, and Game of Thrones ducks. 8-minute walk.
- Universe on a T-shirt – Cute little store with original t-shirt and sweatshirt designs. 8-minute walk.
- Rock Archive – Limited edition prints of icons such as Leonard Cohen, Bjork, and Robert Plant. 8-minute walk.
- Puccini Bomboni – Some of Amsterdam’s best handmade chocolates. 1 of 3 branches. 9-minute walk.
- Reypenaer Cheese Tasting – Peruse the cheeses in the shop above or descend into the cellar to taste 6 of the offerings (book ahead). 9-minute walk.
Nearby Market or Grocery
- Noordermarkt – Lively farmers’ market; Monday & Saturday (9 am-1 pm). 5-minute walk.
Hotel Sebastian’s – The Hotel

The subtly-lit lobby bar is popular with locals and guests alike, both for its romantic atmosphere and its excellent cocktails.

There’s a cozy guest lounge on the ground floor.

Typical view of the Keizersgracht canal from the canal view rooms.

Of the Small rooms, the single is ideally suited towards solo travelers.

The compact single room on the ground floor is equipped with an oversized rain shower.

Of the Small doubles, most look out onto the inner courtyard, but you can request the single canal view double in advance.

The well-sized Medium rooms are located at the front of the hotel, and most overlook the canal.

Most rooms come with the bath-and-shower combo, though some have walk-in showers only.

Some of the Large rooms accommodate an extra single bed, and come with a variety of views. If canal view is a deal breaker, request it in advance.

Room 337 is the most spacious of the family rooms, but canal views are only partial.

The northern end of the historic canal ring where the hotel is located has a more industrial vibe than further south, with historic warehouses and a proliferation of house boats.

There are several restaurants along Brouwersgracht canal, just to the north of the hotel. De Belhamel stands out for the quality of its French dishes and its pleasant canal-side terrace.

East across the Singel canal, busy Haarlemstraat turns into the touristy pedestrian street, Nieuwendijk. Tacky souvenir shops and kebab takeouts aside, here you can pick up quality magic truffles and weed from a number of shops. Chills & Thrills is locally recommended.

If you take one of the tiny lanes that branch off Nieuwendijk to the south, you find yourself facing De Silveren Spiegel, an early 17th-century house turned Dutch fine dining venue. Expect creaky floors, low ceilings, and multi-course tasting menus; reserve ahead.

A block east of the hotel along Brouwersgracht canal, Café Tabac overlooks its confluence with Prinsengracht canal. Though the historic bar has an atmospheric interior, on warm days locals take their drinks outside.

Further along, if you take the next bridge across Brouwersgracht canal, you reach the Vesper Bar, a popular little cocktail venue. Many Amsterdammers swear that the martinis here are the city’s best.

A block north, busy Haarlemstraat is lined with coffee shops, casual eateries, and a few independent stores. Cellarich is worth checking out for its quality leather accessories.

Just south of Café Tabac is Noordermarkt, the main square in the Jordaan district, lined with cafes and bars, and home to the imposing Noorderkerk.

Taking over the nearby Noordermarkt square on Mondays and Saturdays, this lively farmers’ market is a great place to stock up on local produce, cheeses, cold cuts, and more.

A block northwest, tree-lined Lindengracht is home to a number of good restaurants including Toscanini, a romantic place renowned for its refined Italian dishes.

Diagonally across the street is De Kat in de Wijngaert, one of Jordaan’s many lively little bars. This one is popular with arty types, and typically hosts live jazz on Monday nights.

Nearby is Tapas Café Duende, Amsterdam’s oldest tapas bar that’s going strong after many years.

A block southwest of Noordermarkt, along the main Westerstraat, Wijnbar DiVino is one of several excellent Italian places in Jordaan. This is more a wine bar than a restaurant, with lots of Italian wines by the glass, plus huge charcuterie platters. Bring friends.

A couple of blocks south, along Tuinstraat, is La Perla, considered one of Amsterdam’s best pizzerias, with thin-crust pizzas fired in a traditional wood-burning oven. It’s super-popular, so book ahead.

Further south, on the edge of the narrow Egelantiersgracht canal, ‘t Smalle is one of the most atmospheric bars in the city for trying the local jenever spirit. Great little outdoor terrace too.

Across the canal, Rock Archive is the place to shop for limited editions prints of David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, and other music icons.

Nearby is another independent gift store – Universe on a T-Shirt – where you get to choose the design.

If you’re not in Amsterdam during tulip season, it’s well worth visiting the nearby Tulip Museum to understand the country’s centuries-old obsession with the flower.

Across the canal to the east is Westermarkt, with one of the city’s best Belgian fry takeouts beneath the Westerkerk. From here, you can take the tram into the Medieval Center and Centraal Station.

Half a block north along the Prinsengracht canal is the house where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis and one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions. Book your ticket online to beat the queues.

Nearby, the Pancake Bakery is good any time of the day for traditional Dutch pancakes with sweet or savory fillings.

Just across the Leliegracht canal, Spanjer en van Twist is one of the most imaginative restaurants in this part of the city, with a frequently changing, internationally-inspired menu. Great little outdoor terrace too.

There are a few independent boutiques dotted around the part of the historic canal ring. I Love Vintage stands out for its vintage dresses and accessories, as well as vintage-style women’s apparel.

Around a block north, the Café de Vergulde Gaper is one of the few bars in the northern part of the canal ring; it’s a former apothecary’s with a popular canal-side terrace.

Around the corner, Restaurant Bleu is a reliable bet for burgers, salads, and sandwiches for lunch and steak dinners.

Half a block north of the Anne Frank House, Leliegracht leads east to the tiny Torensluis square that overlooks the Singel canal.

There are 2 worthwhile shops facing Torensluis: one is a branch of Puccini Bomboni – some of Amsterdam’s best handmade chocolates.

Across the street is the Reypenaer Cheese Tasting; there are cheese shops with a wider range of Dutch cheeses, but this place does regular cheese tastings in the cellar (book ahead).

A short walk west is the Amsterdam Duck Store; novelty rubber ducks range from Harry Potter and Madonna to Game of Thrones characters.

A block north along Herengracht canal, ‘t Arendsnest is the perfect haunt for beer lovers: it serves over 200 Dutch bottled beers, over 30 on tap, and has both an atmospheric interior and a wonderful canal-side terrace.

Just south of Torensluis is Breda, one of the most imaginative restaurants in the city, the higher-end sister to Guts & Glory (off Rembrandtplein), and a great place to bring a date. Reserve well ahead for the seasonal, multi-course tasting menus.
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