Hotels in Amsterdam

Hotels in Amsterdam: prices, timing and areas

When to book a stay in Amsterdam for less

Amsterdam is cheapest in the middle of winter. February is usually the bottom of the market, about 35 percent below the yearly average, with November the second cheap window. April is the priciest, when the tulips bloom, the Keukenhof gardens open and King's Day falls, and rates reach their highest of the year. The arrival day matters too: Sunday is the cheapest, Tuesday the most expensive. There is a catch: Amsterdam books up fast, so even though the best rates can show up close to the date, popular dates may simply sell out of rooms in the centre, so it is better not to wait.

What a stay costs by property type

Amsterdam has a wide spread of prices, so a hostel bed and a romantic room on a canal are worlds apart. The cheapest sleep is in hostels and two-star places; you pay the most for five stars in the very centre. Below are indicative nightly rates.

Indicative rates for a double room, outside the April peak. In Amsterdam the gap between a quiet February and a tulip-season April can be huge, so check the real price for your dates in the search above.

Where a stay is cheaper and where it costs more

The most popular area among guests is Centrum, the very centre with the canals, Dam Square and the museums within a walk. It is also the most expensive district, about 28 percent above the city average. The cheapest sleep is in Amsterdam-Zuidoost in the south-east, often about 25 percent below the average. Oud Zuid by the Vondelpark and the Rijksmuseum is the quiet, elegant alternative. Trams, the metro and bikes reach the centre in a quarter of an hour, so a base further from the canals is still convenient.

Which stay in Amsterdam suits whom

• First time in Amsterdam. Centrum is the easiest base. From here it is a few minutes to Dam Square, the canals and the Anne Frank House.
• For families. Family rooms in mid-range hotels near the Vondelpark and the ARTIS zoo. Easy to mix sightseeing with a break for a bike ride.
• For couples. Canal-side rooms in Centrum and the cafes of Oud Zuid, with an evening canal cruise. Most museums are close from there.
• With breakfast. Many hotels in Centrum include a buffet in the rate, which helps you set off early for the museums. Handy in an expensive city where breakfast out adds up.
• Near the airport. Hotels by Schiphol airport suit an early flight or a layover. The train runs from the airport to the centre in a quarter of an hour.
• With a view. Properties on the canals and the IJ river look out over the water and the gabled houses. The most such rooms are in Centrum.

Example hotels in Amsterdam with prices

From a hostel bed to a hotel on a canal, a few Amsterdam names with a from price. Just a starting point, as rates can climb noticeably in April and on Tuesdays.

From prices for a double room. In Amsterdam the same hotel can differ a lot between a Sunday and a Tuesday, so check your exact dates in the search.

When Amsterdam is more expensive

Prices rise in the season of events and in spring. They climb the most in April, when the tulips bloom, the Keukenhof gardens run and King's Day falls on 27 April, with the city awash in orange. Summer draws Amsterdam Pride, and in winter the Amsterdam Light Festival lights up the canals. On those dates rooms in Centrum go fastest, so it is worth booking early.