hotels in Amsterdam

[PatsyThompson]

Hi everyone:

My husband and I are going on our first river cruise in October. We're going to be staying in Amsterdam for a few days prior to our cruise. Does anyone have any hotels they would recommend in Amsterdam?

 

Thanks, Patsy

[Roz]

I like the Doubletree Centraal Station.  It's reasonably priced and conveniently located.  

[jklc123]

We enjoy boutique’y type hotels and liked the Banks Mansion Hotel, but that was 10 years ago. Centrally located for walking around and on the tram line.

[jimmymac613]

3 hours ago, Roz said:

I like the Doubletree Centraal Station.  It's reasonably priced and conveniently located.  

 

I second the Doubletree.  Great views and close to everything.  There's a supermarket right down the street.  We'd grab wine and sandwiches and eat in our room watching all the boat traffic.  When we were there Scenic was using this hotel.

[Roz]

@jimmymac613, Scenic was using the Doubletree when I was there last December. Is the supermarket you're referring to the Albert Heijn grab 'n' go in Centraal Station?  I bought salads and sandwiches there for a quick lunch or light dinner.  

[knoxclone]

Another option near the Centraal train station is the Park Plaza Victoria (Radisson). Newly refurbished rooms, and in the same price point as the Doubletree.  Stayed there in February and enjoyed it.

[pontac]

I used to work in Amsterdam several times a year. But that was some time ago and things change. At that time Holiday Inn was the only hotel in the City to have a swimming pool; and if you stay there ask for a corner room ( I used to know the room numbers) as these rooms are very much bigger.

 

The hotel nearest to where most river boats moor is the Movenpick; boats moor behind the hotel https://all.accor.com/hotel/B4I7/index.en.shtml

[jimmymac613]

25 minutes ago, Roz said:

@jimmymac613, Scenic was using the Doubletree when I was there last December. Is the supermarket you're referring to the Albert Heijn grab 'n' go in Centraal Station?  I bought salads and sandwiches there for a quick lunch or light dinner.  

No, it was right down the street to the left (opposite heading to the train station).  You didn't even have to cross any streets.  It's right in front of the floating asian restaurant.

[Roz]

I forgot about that one.  Yes, very convenient.  Near the library.

[RobInMN]

6 minutes ago, pontac said:

The hotel nearest to where most river boats moor is the Movenpick; boats moor behind the hotel https://all.accor.com/hotel/B4I7/index.en.shtml

Not quite. Immediately behind the Movenpick is where the ocean cruise ships dock. We stayed there before a Royal Caribbean cruise. I could look into the bridge from my room the morning of the cruise, and we literally just walked next door to check in for the cruise. Current Google Maps photo shows Jewel of the Seas docked there.

From what I recall from 2022, river cruise ships appeared to be docked in many places. The closest to the Movenpick is that you have to walk East from the hotel a 1/2 block, then cross an in-fill restaurant, then walk west a few blocks over a canal entrance bridge, then either down some steps, or walk another block to a road access where you then walk back East a block. But like I said, there appeared to be river ships docked in a number of other locations.

I do recall that Viking had a seemingly permanent table set up in the lobby.

 

For access to the Amsterdam Cruise Port, Movenpick can't be beat. But it adds 25 minutes walk to anything else in the Central Area.

[texasstar]

We stayed at the Kimpton, which was very nice and convenient to the metro.

[bubbulz]

7 hours ago, jklc123 said:

We enjoy boutique’y type hotels and liked the Banks Mansion Hotel, but that was 10 years ago. Centrally located for walking around and on the tram line.

Same here. I stayed at the Canal House a few years ago and also Banks Mansion last year. When I go back I will definitely stay at Banks Mansion again. Loved it!

[Host Jazzbeau]

The reason so many US cruisers favor the Doubletree is that it is in the Hilton rewards group.  I have stayed there several times, and never paid cash!

[pontac]

13 hours ago, RobInMN said:

Not quite. Immediately behind the Movenpick is where the ocean cruise ships dock

 

 

That was 2022.

 

I was there in March 2024. Lots of river boats  moored behind Movenpick, not one ocean boat. Some one said on this forum that the ocean boat terminal at Movenpick was now closed. All I can say is that it was the main mooring for river boats. They used to moor by the Centraal Station. Not now.

 

It's true though, at busy time river boats may moor at further out places.

Edited June 5 by pontac

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, pontac said:

 

 

That was 2022.

 

I was there in March 2024. Lots of river boats  moored behind Movenpick, not one ocean boat. Some one said on this forum that the ocean boat terminal at Movenpick was now closed. All I can say is that it was the main mooring for river boats. They used to moor by the Centraal Station. Not now.

 

It's true though, at busy time river boats may moor at further out places.

 

We are staying at the Movenpick in November hoping that our River ship will be docked there.  We were on Treasures of the Rhine this past December and it docked right behind the Movenpick.

 

We do know that it may be docked elsewhere however....

[RobInMN]

3 hours ago, pontac said:

 

 

That was 2022.

 

I was there in March 2024. Lots of river boats  moored behind Movenpick, not one ocean boat. Some one said on this forum that the ocean boat terminal at Movenpick was now closed. All I can say is that it was the main mooring for river boats. They used to moor by the Centraal Station. Not now.

 

It's true though, at busy time river boats may moor at further out places.

Interesting. I know that Amsterdam voted to kick the larger cruise ships out of the Central area, but I thought that was for some number of years from now so that a new cruise terminal could be built further out. Jewel of the Seas is still using it this season. However Royal Caribbean won't be going out of Amsterdam after this year because they won't be doing the fjords cruises that they run out of there due to new UNESCO emission regulations for the most popular fjords that will be starting.

 

[Canal archive]

The ports of Amsterdam started their reorganisation immediately it was announced, they certainly caught a few carriers on the hop. Now I think I’ve got this right (I’m sure someone will put me right if not) looking at the Ariel view with the railway station on the far left look across to just past the entrance to the city canal system you should see just a few river cruise vessels moored up! Don’t worry Amsterdam taxi’s are excellent and the Dutch are wonderful. Have a great cruise.

[sharkster77]

For our tulip cruise two months ago we and one other Viking ship were docked behind the Movenpick.  I believe those who did the pre-cruise with Viking were based there as well.

 

When we did the Viking pre-cruise 5 years ago they put us up in the Pestana Amsterdam, in the de Pijp neighborhood.  Fantastic location for access to the museums area, etc.  Nice area.

 

Note:  this was for the Rhine Getaway, in October.

[PatsyThompson]

Hi everyone:

Thanks for your recommendations, we really appreciate it. We'll take a look at the websites for the hotels that you recommended.

 

Patsy

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I’m staying at the Ibis Amsterdam Centre in October. Just the other side of the train station from the Doubletree and actually a shorter walk to the train, metro and trams. Well priced clean hotel, but rooms fairly basic and small. For a city like Amsterdam where I’ll be spending only enough time to shower and sleep in my room it’s a good choice. 

[ddaley822]

19 hours ago, knoxclone said:

Another option near the Centraal train station is the Park Plaza Victoria (Radisson). Newly refurbished rooms, and in the same price point as the Doubletree.  Stayed there in February and enjoyed it.

Happy to hear this as I’ve booked it pre-cruise in August. 

[pontac]

This live location map taken just now shows Viva One & Viking Lif moored behind Movenpick with Viking with Viking Sigrun looking like its rafted to Ama Prima ahead of them.

 

Scenic Opal and the other two river boats (A Rosa Acqua & Thurgau Gold) are between cruises and moored mid water ( actually there is a narrow jetty by them) but when they're ready to start a cruise they'll move to a customer accessible place.

 

I'm not making any hotel recommendations: it's a long time since I stayed in Amsterdam. If it's just one night at the beginning or end of a cruise them the Movenpick is at the place river boats moor*, but it is a 20-25 minute walk to Centraal Station (or one stop on tram 26). If one is staying longer and wanting to be at the centre of things them there are plenty of choices at all price points.

 

*subject to harbour master's instructions. At busy times one's boat may moor further away.

Edited June 5 by pontac

[Nosleepatall]

We stayed last April (2023) at the Ambassade Hotel on the Herengracht canal and highly recommend it. Make sure to get a rate that includes breakfast - it was a peaceful start to each day, sipping coffee and looking out the large windows onto the canal, eating a delicious breakfast.  (Their restaurant is also quite well-reviewed for dinner but we chose not to eat there as we wanted to try different places.) Five canal houses that were combined to make one hotel, quirky layout but lovely rooms (we were on the fifth floor with French doors looking out over the canal) and original art throughout the hotel.   You do need to be ok with a few steps here and there, as the hallways don’t always line up - adds to the charm though.  The staff were crisp, multi-lingual Continental perfection, while also being pleasant and helpful. The location is not right next door to Centraal station as the others mentioned above are but, if your intent is to really feel “in Amsterdam”, it is a beautiful hotel in a less-crowded location and so convenient to walk or take the streetcar anywhere and it is very easy to have the hotel call you a taxi for the quick ride to the train station (we did this).  Right in the middle of the gorgeous Nine Streets area, walking distance to the Museumplein, Anne Frank Huis, and about a million great restaurants, cafes and bars. 

[JordanF]

4 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

I’m staying at the Ibis Amsterdam Centre in October. Just the other side of the train station from the Doubletree and actually a shorter walk to the train, metro and trams. Well priced clean hotel, but rooms fairly basic and small. For a city like Amsterdam where I’ll be spending only enough time to shower and sleep in my room it’s a good choice. 

We stayed at the Ibis in 2016 pre-cruise.  Great location--can walk many places, trams right out front, and we even walked to our river boat to get on board.  This place is less expensive than most others, especially with the great location.  It is a bit basic--but it was clean and efficient and checked all the boxes for us.  

[1of4]

We stayed at the Hilton Doubletree Centraal Station in April this year for 3 nights before our river cruise. It was the suggested hotel with free airport transfers and port transfer but we walked to our boat in less than 10 minutes. Good location and free breakfast in a corner king room. That breakfast buffet was extensive and very good.