Hotel Sebastian’s in Amsterdam

SD › Amsterdam › Hotels › Sebastian’s Review
Updated: November 10, 2020

See Also

Review of Sebastian's Hotel in Amsterdam.

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

Nearby Market or Grocery

Hotel Sebastian’s – The Hotel

The lobby bar is popular for its romantic ambiance and excellent cocktails.

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

The ground floor features a cozy guest lounge.

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

The canal-facing rooms offer great views of the Keizersgracht canal.

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

The colorful single room is ideal for solo travelers.

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

The single room has a large rain shower.

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

All except 1 Small double rooms overlook the inner courtyard.

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

The Medium rooms offer canal views.

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

Most bathrooms have a bath-and-shower combo, while some have showers only.

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

Some Large rooms are spacious enough to accommodate an extra single bed.

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.

The most spacious room is Room 337.

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

The neighborhood around the hotel has an industrial vibe.

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.

De Belhamel is known for its quality French menu and canal-side location.

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.

Chills & Thrills is a good place to pick up quality magic truffles and weed.

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.

De Silveren Spiegel offers fine dining in a 17th-century house.

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.

Café Tabac is popular for its indoor and outdoor ambience.

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.

Vesper Bar sells arguably the best martinis in Amsterdam.

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.

Cellarich is recommended for it quality leather accessories.

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.

Noordermarkt is home to Noorderkerk, cafes, and bars.

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.

Noordermarkt holds farmers' markets on Mondays and Saturdays.

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.

Toscanini is renowned for its romantic ambience and refined Italian dishes.

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.

De Kat in de Wijngaert hosts live jazz on Monday nights.

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.

Tapas Café Duende is one of Amsterdam's oldest bars.

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

Wijnbar DiVino is known for its Italian wines and charcuteri platters.

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.

La Perla is one of Amsterdam's best pizzerias.

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.

‘t Smalle is popular for its selection of local jenevers and outdoor terrace.

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.

Rock Archive sells limited edition music prints.

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

Universe on a T-Shirt lets its customers choose the design.

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

The Tulip Museum showcases the country's centuries-old obsession with tulips.

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.

Westermarkt tram stop is close to Westerkerk.

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.

Anne Frank House is one of Amsterdam's most popular destinations.

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.

The Pancake Bakery serves delicious traditional Dutch filled pancakes.

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

Spanjer en van Twist serves an imaginative and ever-changing menu.

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.

I Love Vintage is popular for its vintage apparel and accessories.

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.

Café de Vergulde Gaper is set in a former canal-side apothecary.

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.

Restaurant Bleu is known for its burgers, salads, and steaks.

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

Torensluis square is by the Singel canal, and leads to the historic canal ring.

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

Puccini Bomboni specializes in the city's best handmade chocolates.

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

Reypenaer Cheese Tasting offers cheese tastings in its cellar.

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).

Amsterdam Duck Store specializes in novelty rubber ducks.

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

‘t Arendsnest serves 200+ bottled and 30+ on tap Dutch beers.

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.

Breda offers imaginative, seasonal, multi-course tasting menus.

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.

All Amsterdam Hotel Reviews

Read More

Get All New Content

• My Travel Newsletter