Looking for a good area to stay in Amsterdam is not always easy, because although most tourist attractions are quite close to each other, there are many neighborhoods and hotel options to choose from.
It is for this reason that after our experience, we want to leave you a selection of what are for us the best areas to sleep in Amsterdam especially if your visit is only a few days.
Based on our visit to the island during our 5-day trip to Amsterdam, in which we wrote this Amsterdam guide, we leave you a selection of places to stay in Amsterdam and the best neighborhoods. Let’s get started!
Places to stay in Amsterdam
The first and most important thing before going into what are the best areas to stay in Amsterdam is to know that the city is divided into 8 districts, most of them known for their diversity that together make Amsterdam one of the most open and diverse cities in the world.
- Amsterdam Centrum: also known as Centrum, this is the most central location of the city and is the most recommended area to stay in Amsterdam. It is surrounded by the Singel canal and forms what is known as the inner ring of canals, which in turn is the central area of the city.
Within this district are some of the most famous areas of Amsterdam as Dam Square, the Red Light District or Jordaan, a popular spot for students and artists. Another very famous area is Spui, which is the heart of the city and one of the places with more restaurants. - Amsterdam Zuid: this district is formed by the Zuideramstel and Oud-Zuid neighborhoods and is considered one of the most upmarket locations in the city. Here you can find attractions such as Voldempark, Museumplein, home to some of Amsterdam’s best museums and Willemspark as well as the recommended walks through Oud-Zuid and De Pijp, the Latin Quarter.
- Amsterdam Oost: this is the peripheral area of Oost, where you will find the Museum of the Tropics, Oosterpark, Dappermarket, a place where you can enjoy a multitude of restaurants of different cuisines of the world.
- Amsterdam West: this district is the place where Westerpark is located, one of the liveliest parks in the city, which together with the many new businesses that are betting on the area, have made this one of the trendiest areas of the city, in which the Bos en Lommer and De Baarsjes neighborhoods stand out.
- Amsterdam Noord: in the area opposite the shore where the Central Station is located is this district that has recently become one of the trendiest neighborhoods thanks to the commitment of those who have opened new restaurants and locals, where the animation and good atmosphere are assured. In addition there is a free ferry that crosses from the shore of the Central Station to the neighborhood, something that makes it even more pleasant.
- Amsterdam Zuidoost: this is where De Bijlmer, Heineken Music Hall and the Amsterdam Arena are located. In addition to these attractions it is a very cosmopolitan area where people from more than 150 countries live together.
- Amsterdam Neiuw-West: this district has undergone a major renovation when in 1951 the vast majority of its housing was renovated, starting with the residential area of Tuinstad Slotermeer to which the Slotermeer, Geuzenveld, Slotervaart, Overtoomse Veld and Osdorp neighborhoods have been added over time, forming the Nieuw-West district.
- Amsterdam Westpoort: this is the port and industrial area of the city.
As you have seen, there are many options to stay in Amsterdam, so we will choose to talk about only a few districts, which we believe are the best places to find accommodation in Amsterdam and within these, we will talk about the best areas and neighborhoods in addition to leaving you a selection of the best hotels in each of them.
Amsterdam Centrum
This is the district that most travelers want to know and the place where most of the essential places to visit in Amsterdam are concentrated. In addition to this it has a wide range of restaurants and very good communication with the rest of the city and the country, as this is where the Central Station is located, so it is also the best option where to stay in Amsterdam.
The most common area to look for accommodation is the one located within the ring of canals, keep in mind that most locations in Amsterdam Centrum can be reached on foot in about 30 minutes.
1. Dam Square, the best place to stay in Amsterdam
Located in the center of the city, it is also the place where locals and travelers who want to know the city meet. It is also the place where you can find tourist attractions such as the National Monument, the New Church, the Royal Palace or Madame Tussauds museum.
It is also one of the most lively areas along with the Red Light District, so if you want the chosen place to sleep in Amsterdam to have a good location and atmosphere, this is undoubtedly your place.
Keep in mind that for these reasons is one of the most expensive areas of the city but if you stay in the square, you can find a cheaper option.
The price of accommodation in Dam Square is usually 250-300 euros per night although in low season you can find hotels at a tighter price and in high season prices tend to skyrocket.
2. Central Station, the best place to sleep in Amsterdam to be close to everything
Located just 700 meters from Dam Square, the Central Station area is a very good option to stay in Amsterdam if you want to have a good connection to the city center, want to move around the country or just want to be close to your hotel when going from Amsterdam airport to the center.
You will also be next to Chinatown and its excellent range of restaurants and you will also have a wide range of hotels and restaurants at lower prices than in the rest of the district.
The price of accommodation in the Central Station is usually 100 euros per night.
3. The Red Light District, the best if you want to stay in a lively area
Although for us it is far from being the best area to stay in Amsterdam, we understand that if you are a traveler who wants to enjoy the nightlife and what has become a tourist attraction in the city, this can be a good choice.
Here you will find streets full of locals focused on adult entertainment and the sex industry, which highlights the windows in which you can see girls offering their services. Keep in mind that although this area is also visited a lot during the day is especially at night when tourists roam the streets, making it one of the noisiest places in the city, so we believe it is not the best place to sleep in Amsterdam.
Despite what it may seem, this area is totally safe, both day and night. The only thing that we do think is important is that as much as it may seem “weird” or “curious”, it is important to be respectful and not take pictures of the windows or take the visit to the neighborhood as if it were an exhibition site.
The price of accommodation in the Red Light District is usually 75-100 euros per night.
4. Jordaan, another of the best neighborhoods to sleep in Amsterdam
Next to the Dam Square area, Jordaan is for us the best neighborhood to stay in Amsterdam. With a quite marked residential character, it is located in the western part of the city just 15 minutes walk from the downtown area and has elegant shops and art galleries as well as a quiet and relaxed atmosphere, which is perfect for enjoying long walks between canals.
The only bad thing is that the hotel offer is scarce and the one that exists has quite high prices throughout the year.
The price of accommodation in Jordaan is usually 130-150 euros per night.
Amsterdam Zuid
Located in the southern part of the city and formed by the neighborhoods of Oud Zuid, De Pijp and Zuidoost this district is one of the liveliest as well as being the heart of the art of Amsterdam and we can not forget that here is where you can find many of the most important museums in the city as well as many music venues and restaurants that have included in their menus many innovative dishes making the district another of the best places to stay in Amsterdam.
5. Museumplein, the museum district and another of the best places to stay in Amsterdam.
This is another of the most interesting areas in which to stay in Amsterdam because although it is in the Amsterdam Zuid district, somewhat further away from the most central area of the city, it is home to some of the most important museums in the world as Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum.
The whole neighborhood is very safe, although it is outside the ring of canals and is also much more central than other areas that we have discussed in the post, so after our experience and taking into account that hotels also tend to have tighter prices, Museumplein is a perfect alternative area to sleep in Amsterdam.
The price of accommodation in Museumplein is usually 100-120 euros per night.
Amsterdam West
Located in the western part of the city center, this is another of the districts that can be taken into account to stay in Amsterdam, especially if you focus on some of its areas or neighborhoods closer to the central area or ring of canals of Amsterdam.
In addition, as we said before, here you can find Westerpark, one of the liveliest parks in the city as well as many charming local recently opened that have made this one of the trendiest areas of the city.
6. Oud West, the museum district
Bordering the ring of canals of the city this is one of the most popular and lively neighborhoods in which there is no shortage of cafes, good restaurants and trendy stores. In addition to this it is a quiet area, with a very good location, as it is relatively close to the center and has tighter prices than other more central areas of the city.
The price of accommodation in Oud West is usually 100 euros per night.
Tips for finding cheap accommodation in Amsterdam
In addition to the recommendations on the best places to stay in Amsterdam that we have been unraveling in the post, we want to leave you some recommendations and tips to make your choice as easy as possible.
- Whenever you can and as we have repeated several times in the post, it is better to opt for a central location, even if it is a little more expensive, than one that is far away from the tourist attractions and every day you have to walk a lot or take public transport.
- Keep in mind that accommodation in Amsterdam is usually quite expensive, so in the end the difference between sleeping in a more or less central area may be minimal.
- Another recommendation is that if you are traveling to Amsterdam in high season, holidays or during a special event, try to book as far in advance as possible. We once coincided with a congress and ended up paying more than double for accommodation.
- Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate we recommend you to use the Revolut card and the N26 card, which are the ones we use, are free of charge and will save you a lot of money.
