Where to stay · Amsterdam · Netherlands
Where to stay in Amsterdam
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Canal Ring (Grachtengordel). Gabled merchants' houses along the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. Best alternatives — families: Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier); budget: Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam); nightlife: Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam).
Key facts
- First visit
- Canal Ring (Grachtengordel)
- Families
- Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier)
- Budget
- Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam)
- Nightlife
- Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam)
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) | Gabled merchants' houses along the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht |
| Families | Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier) | Grand villas, Museumplein and the Vondelpark |
| Couples | Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) | Gabled merchants' houses along the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht |
| Budget | Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam) | Medieval core around Dam Square, the Oude Kerk and the Red Light District |
| Luxury | Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) | Gabled merchants' houses along the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht |
| Nightlife | Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam) | Medieval core around Dam Square, the Oude Kerk and the Red Light District |
| Food lovers | Jordaan | Narrow streets, brown cafés and Saturday markets west of the canals |
| Solo travellers | De Pijp | Albert Cuyp market, global food and terrace cafés south of the centre |
| Shopping | Jordaan | Narrow streets, brown cafés and Saturday markets west of the canals |
| Quiet stays | Jordaan | Narrow streets, brown cafés and Saturday markets west of the canals |
Amsterdam neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, luxury and culture
Canal Ring (Grachtengordel)
The three main canals dug in the 17th century form a horseshoe around the old centre, lined with merchants' houses, hump-backed bridges and houseboats. Staying here puts the Anne Frank House, the Nine Streets and Rembrandtplein within walking distance, and the Golden Bend of the Herengracht has the grandest mansions.
- Good
- Picture-postcard setting; Walk to most sights; Quieter than the medieval centre at night
- Watch out
- High hotel prices; Steep, narrow stairs in canal-house hotels
- Nearby
- Anne Frank House, Nine Streets, Westerkerk, Golden Bend
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, quiet stays and shopping
Jordaan
Built for 17th-century workers and immigrants, the Jordaan is now one of the most sought-after neighbourhoods, with small canals, hidden almshouse courtyards (hofjes), galleries and brown cafés. The Noordermarkt hosts an organic farmers' market on Saturdays and a flea market on Monday mornings, and the Westerkerk tower rises over it all.
- Good
- Atmospheric and residential; Excellent cafés and restaurants; Walk to the centre
- Watch out
- Few large hotels; Pricey for the room size
- Nearby
- Noordermarkt, Westerkerk, Anne Frank House, Lindengracht
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and budget
Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam)
The oldest part of the city spreads from Centraal Station to Dam Square, with the Royal Palace, the Oude Kerk — Amsterdam's oldest building — and the canals of the Red Light District. It is the most convenient base for transport but the busiest and noisiest, with stag parties on weekend nights.
- Good
- Steps from Centraal Station; Plenty of hotels and hostels; Late-night bars
- Watch out
- Crowded and noisy, especially at weekends; Rowdy behaviour in the Red Light District
- Nearby
- Dam Square, Royal Palace, Oude Kerk, Centraal Station
$$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and budget
De Pijp
Built in the late 19th century, De Pijp is the city's liveliest dining district, with the Albert Cuyp street market, Turkish, Surinamese and Indonesian restaurants and terraces around Sarphatipark. It is a 15-minute walk from Museumplein, and the North–South Metro line stops at De Pijp station.
- Good
- The best area for eating out; Lively but local; Metro link to Centraal Station
- Watch out
- Few major sights in the area itself; Busy on weekend evenings
- Nearby
- Albert Cuyp Market, Sarphatipark, Heineken Experience, Museumplein
$$$$ · Best for families, culture, luxury and quiet stays
Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier)
The elegant streets around Museumplein hold the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk and the Concertgebouw, with the Vondelpark on the western edge and luxury shopping on P.C. Hooftstraat. It is calm and green, about 20 minutes' walk or a short tram ride from the canals.
- Good
- Major museums on the doorstep; Quiet, leafy streets; The Vondelpark for running and picnics
- Watch out
- Expensive; Little nightlife
- Nearby
- Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark, Concertgebouw
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and budget
Plantage and Oost
East of the centre, the Plantage has wide streets and 19th-century villas around Artis zoo, the Hortus Botanicus and the Dutch Resistance Museum, with the Jewish Cultural Quarter close by. Further east, Oost centres on Oosterpark and the Dappermarkt street market, and hotels are often better value than inside the canal ring.
- Good
- Family attractions within walking distance; Calmer and greener; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- 15–25 minutes' walk to the canal ring; Quieter in the evenings
- Nearby
- Artis, Hortus Botanicus, NEMO Science Museum, Jewish Cultural Quarter
$$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Amsterdam-Noord
Across the IJ from Centraal Station, Noord has turned former shipyards and factories into creative spaces: the A'DAM Tower, the EYE Film Museum, the NDSM wharf with its street art and flea market, and waterfront restaurants. Free ferries run frequently, some through the night, and the North–South Metro line reaches the centre in minutes.
- Good
- More space and lower prices; Creative venues and waterfront dining; Free ferry to Centraal Station
- Watch out
- Feels removed from the historic centre; Some areas are quiet at night
- Nearby
- A'DAM Lookout, EYE Film Museum, NDSM Wharf, Noorderpark
$$ · Best for food lovers, budget and quiet stays
Oud-West
West of the Vondelpark, Oud-West is a lived-in neighbourhood of 19th-century apartment blocks and shopping streets such as Kinkerstraat and Jan Pieter Heijestraat. De Hallen, a converted tram depot, holds the Foodhallen food court and independent shops, and the canal ring is a 15-minute walk or short tram ride away.
- Good
- Local feel with good food; Close to the Vondelpark; Better value than the centre
- Watch out
- Few sights; Fewer hotels than central areas
- Nearby
- De Hallen, Vondelpark, Leidseplein, Ten Katemarkt
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) | $$$$ | Anne Frank House, Nine Streets, Westerkerk, Golden Bend |
| Jordaan | $$$ | Noordermarkt, Westerkerk, Anne Frank House, Lindengracht |
| Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam) | $$$ | Dam Square, Royal Palace, Oude Kerk, Centraal Station |
| De Pijp | $$$ | Albert Cuyp Market, Sarphatipark, Heineken Experience, Museumplein |
| Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier) | $$$$ | Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark, Concertgebouw |
| Plantage and Oost | $$ | Artis, Hortus Botanicus, NEMO Science Museum, Jewish Cultural Quarter |
| Amsterdam-Noord | $$ | A'DAM Lookout, EYE Film Museum, NDSM Wharf, Noorderpark |
| Oud-West | $$ | De Hallen, Vondelpark, Leidseplein, Ten Katemarkt |
Getting to your hotel
Direct NS trains run from the station beneath Schiphol's terminal to Amsterdam Centraal in about 15–20 minutes, several times an hour and hourly through the night. Bus 397 runs to Museumplein and Leidseplein, and taxis take about 25–30 minutes to the centre.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Amsterdam for first-time visitors?
Canal Ring (Grachtengordel). The three main canals dug in the 17th century form a horseshoe around the old centre, lined with merchants' houses, hump-backed bridges and houseboats.
+Where should families stay in Amsterdam?
Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier): Major museums on the doorstep.
+Which area of Amsterdam is best for a budget stay?
Old Centre (De Wallen and Dam) ($$$): Medieval core around Dam Square, the Oude Kerk and the Red Light District.