44 Best Hotels in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Most of the businesslike rooms in this striking glass skyscraper, built on an island within the docks area on the IJ River, offer stunning views of the Amsterdam skyline and beyond; you can't get closer to the river cruise ships if you are planning on taking a cruise. The location is not as remote as it might seem: a complimentary shuttle connects the hotel with Centraal Station; culture vultures can make the most of classical and jazz concerts at the neighboring Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ complex; and the NEMO Science Museum, a must-see for kids, is within walking distance. The hotel is Green Globe–certified for its sustainability policy, which extends to organic coffee, eco-friendly linens, and economic use of water and electricity.

Although this stately 18th-century Amsterdam fixture close to lovely Vondelpark has one foot in the past, the other is firmly planted in the here-and-now with modern decor and a cosmopolitan ambience. Downstairs, the Asian fusion restaurant MOMO and elegant Bar Claes are local favorites. The neon lights of Leidseplein are around the corner, and the peaceful environs of Amsterdam's gorgeous Vondelpark are across the road, beckoning you to take an early morning jog (there's an in-house, 24-hour fitness center, too). Major art museums are also within walking distance.

Combining a contemporary decor with the historic remains of a 17th-century church, this centrally located Marriott Bonvoy property has minimalist public areas and vibrant lounges and restaurants as well as a 24-hour fitness center. The erstwhile church serves as a conference center. Top-floor rooms provide panoramic views of the city, and the downstairs Koepelcafé has a pleasant atmosphere and peaceful terrace overlooking charmingly crooked old Amsterdam houses. 

Perched on the IJ River in Westerdok, this large, striking edition in the Spanish hotel chain has well-designed and spacious (if a tad generic) rooms, friendly service, and an international feel. Each of the 12 floors contains rooms with a different color scheme, mod chairs and desks, and basic but sparkling white bathrooms; some rooms have views across the river. Contemporary art, including a bronze ceiling-high sculpture, fills the soaring lobby. The basement gym is small but well equipped.

Guest rooms in this intimate 19th-century house are named for different composers and writers, and reflect the eye of a discerning designer, filled with nicely framed art, flowers, and antiques. Overstuffed armchairs and sofas furnish the plush library and the Stravinsky Room, where coffee, cakes, and wine are available by request throughout the day and evening; there's also a pretty back patio. If you're not a fan of steep, narrow stairs, ask for a room on a lower floor, as the inn has no elevator.

Once merchants' abodes, these three quirky, charmingly lopsided 17th-century canal houses, near Centraal Station, now welcome guests in comfortably modern though fairly simple rooms with spare furnishings and black-and-white-photo print wallpaper of old Amsterdam. Single travelers take note: Singel Hotel still offers single rooms, a rare feature in Amsterdam hotels these days. Rooms in front have a view of the Singel canal through large sash windows. There’s also free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.

This industrial-chic hotel on eight floors of the historic A'DAM Tower building, just a three-minute walk from the ferry station, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the IJ River and EYE Filmmuseum next door, as well as a unique music theme throughout the hotel. Ultracool rooms, a bit on the small side, take the music theme to the next level: each room includes a guitar or DJ set and a Crosley record player as well as music-theme art. Guests also get a selection of records in their rooms upon arrival, and can choose their favorites from the collection in the lobby. Sir Adam attracts young (and young-at-heart) guests who want to see and be seen in the open lobby/co-working space, which includes not only a branch of THE BUTCHER Social Club (specializing in burgers), but also a pool table, video-game machines, and bar.

Set in a 19th-century former diamond factory, this atmospheric hotel aims to make guests feel like they're staying in a deluxe private mansion and with its urban, masculine vibe and location in a trendy neighborhood, it largely succeeds. Instead of a lobby, there's a study filled with brown leather armchairs, a library, and an open fireplace, and contemporary guest rooms are done up in sleek brown and black. Most feature open-plan bathrooms with high-powered rain showers, while all suites also have Philippe Starck soaking bathtubs. Contact the concierge in advance to book a table at the buzzy Izakaya Asian Kitchen & Bar, filled with beautiful people every night; or if you're not in the mood to see and be seen, opt for the room service menu, which has bento boxes from downstairs as well as burgers and pizza from popular neighborhood joints The Butcher and Toni Loco.

Beyond the Neoclassical courtyard and carved marble pediments is a haven of style and luxury, a stunning symphony of color and chic furniture with such luxurious amenities as personal butler service and a gorgeous spa with an indoor pool. The Sofitel's surroundings are appropriately deluxe for a guest list that includes rock stars and heads of state. What's now one of the city's most exclusive hotels, was built as a convent in the 14th century, went on to house the offices of the Amsterdam Admiralty, and was Amsterdam's city hall until 1988 (HRH Princess Beatrix, the former Queen of the Netherlands, was married here in the 1960s). Breakfast (not included) is excellent and extensive, the acclaimed Bridges restaurant serves delicious French-international cuisine beneath a mural by Dutch artist Karel Appel, and afternoon tea in the glorious inner garden is an Amsterdam tradition.

Elegant enough to please a queen and extroverted enough to welcome A-list celebrities, this grand hotel, with its palatial facade and regal guest quarters, has wowed just about everyone since it opened its doors in 1867. The magnificent lobby has a grand double staircase and fresh floral displays; Persian carpets, warm hues, and elegant marble bathrooms (with separate tubs and showers) enliven the guest rooms. The generous staff-to-guest ratio, elegant Dutch-international restaurant, a riverside terrace, a large heated indoor swimming pool, and an endless stream of extra "little touches" ensure a truly baronial experience.

This unique and stylish 1895 landmark, which once housed a school, is a training ground for students of the country's top hotel-management programs, which accounts for the fresh-faced staff and eager though sometimes hit-or-miss service. Individually designed rooms are modern with warm colors, if a bit on the dark side. The location in the ominous-sounding Duivelseiland ("Devil's Island") neighborhood between Zuid and De Pijp is convenient to the Big Three museums, the Eastern Canal District, and the eclectic De Pijp neighborhood, with its shops and restaurants and a busy daily market on Albert Cuypstraat, is also within easy walking distance.

The rooms at this early-20th-century house opposite the Concertgebouw are more simple than stylish, but they're spotless, featuring neutral tones and photographs of famous jazz and pop musicians. They also come in a range of sizes, with single, double, triple, and quadruple rooms. The main museums are within walking distance, and the Jordaan is only a few tram stops away.

An urban industrial look permeates this hip hotel in the former Volkskrant newspaper plant, which has been completely transformed into an affordable space to stay, work, drink, dance, do yoga, and even get your hair cut. The rooms are cool but basic, with a mod red-black-and-gray color scheme, and sleep up to four; nine of them are “special rooms” designed by artists-in-residence—like the wacky “White Bike Room,” where you sleep in a big bakfiets (a Dutch bicycle cart) in a room decorated with bikes, and two white bicycles are included in the price of your room. You'll find creative types on their computers in the large workspace off the lobby, chatting over drinks in the adjacent bar or unwinding in the seventh-floor restaurant, club, and terrace with panoramic city views. 

This design-focused hotel on the edge of Dam Square occupies two historic buildings—the Royal Dutch Post telephone switchboard building (called "the Exchange") and a bank ("the Bank," obviously)—yet the W Amsterdam still bears the chain's trademark cool and contemporary rooms and public areas, with moody grays throughout. The Exchange has a hipper-than-hip lobby ideal for people-watching with floor-to-ceiling windows, a cocktail bar, and a narrow outdoor pool, while the Bank houses the gym, a spa with subterranean plunge pool, and the X Bank art and design store. Guests have their pick of restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Mediterranean restaurant The Duchess, housed in a beautiful space with soaring ceilings, as well as the Mr. Porter steak house, sceney W Lounge, and a branch of The Butcher burger chain.