Where to Stay in Amsterdam

The Centraal Station area is chock full of hotels ranging from cheap hostel beds to luxury hotels. The neighbourhood is divided into two areas. To the left of the train station is the adult entertainment zone and to the right, you'll find a bustling shopping area. The Stedelijk Museum is also near the station.

Hotels in the wilder side of the city are generally low budget options. The area is beautiful with winding streets and canals, but the area in comparison is full of life until the wee hours of the morning, owing to the large number of bars and small clubs that are located there. In case you get hungry, there are also a fair number of cafes and eateries that are open until late at night. The wild side of Amsterdam is definitely a party-goer's dream, but tends to distract you from the other sights and sounds of Amsterdam, which are equally, if not more, interesting.

On the other side of the Centraal area is Kalverstraat. This is a pedestrian-only street running through to Dam Square. This area is a favourite among shoppers owing to the large number of retailers selling their wares here among the alleyways. If there's too much to see in a day, you could always book your hotel here. The area is packed with many options depending on your budget. It tends to be quiet here at night, but fun and excitement (to the east) and culture in the form of museums is a short distance away. Thus, for its central location, this is probably one of the best areas in which to book a hotel.

Rembrandtplein is far more glamorous than the Centraal Station area and is within reach of most of Amsterdam's most interesting sites. Located approximately 15 minutes away (on foot) from the station, it boasts a glamorous nightlife and the best of Europe. In the summertime, restaurants and cafes set out wicker furniture for al fresco dining. The square is often teeming with life past midnight on the weekends and daily during the summertime. You'll find a delightful cocktail of trendy nightclubs and rowdy sports bars standing alongside the familiar Amsterdam coffee shops. There are few hotels inside the square, but more options are available a short walking distance away. These hotels can be mid-range or more luxurious. There are a number of five-star hotels to be found here. If you're on a tight budget, this may not be the best area to start a hotel search.

Leidseplein is known for its entertainment value. It's an upmarket area, but not as trendy as Rembrandtplein. The square is popular among tourists and locals and there is much to see and do. You can spend your days sampling the cafes, bars, and coffee shops, watching the street performers. Here, too, the wicker chairs will be out during the summertime. Outside of the main square are a vast number of restaurants and eateries to suit every taste. There are literally over 100 restaurants within a couple hundred meters of the centre. For low prices, you can enjoy cuisines from Tibet, Argentina, Greece, Indonesia, or Ethiopia. There's also a large casino in the area for those who are feeling lucky.

This is definitely one of those must-see areas, but hotels can be difficult to come by. The hotels in the square tend to be on the high end. You would need to check the options further south, where family-run hotels offer cheaper prices. This area is also close to the Museum District and Vondelpark, which are huge attractions in Amsterdam.

Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing Amsterdam accommodation rentals & Vacation rentals apartments.

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