Where to Stay in Amsterdam

The Centraal Station area is chock full of hotelsEurope. In the summertime, restaurants and cafes set
ranging from cheap hostel beds to luxury hotels. Theout wicker furniture for al fresco dining. The square is
neighbourhood is divided into two areas. To the left ofoften teeming with life past midnight on the weekends
the train station is the adult entertainment zone and toand daily during the summertime. You'll find a delightful
the right, you'll find a bustling shopping area. Thecocktail of trendy nightclubs and rowdy sports bars
Stedelijk Museum is also near the station.standing alongside the familiar Amsterdam coffee
Hotels in the wilder side of the city are generally lowshops. There are few hotels inside the square, but
budget options. The area is beautiful with windingmore options are available a short walking distance
streets and canals, but the area in comparison is full ofaway. These hotels can be mid-range or more
life until the wee hours of the morning, owing to theluxurious. There are a number of five-star hotels to be
large number of bars and small clubs that are locatedfound here. If you're on a tight budget, this may not be
there. In case you get hungry, there are also a fairthe best area to start a hotel search.
number of cafes and eateries that are open until lateLeidseplein is known for its entertainment value. It's an
at night. The wild side of Amsterdam is definitely aupmarket area, but not as trendy as Rembrandtplein.
party-goer's dream, but tends to distract you from theThe square is popular among tourists and locals and
other sights and sounds of Amsterdam, which arethere is much to see and do. You can spend your
equally, if not more, interesting.days sampling the cafes, bars, and coffee shops,
On the other side of the Centraal area is Kalverstraat.watching the street performers. Here, too, the wicker
This is a pedestrian-only street running through to Damchairs will be out during the summertime. Outside of
Square. This area is a favourite among shoppersthe main square are a vast number of restaurants and
owing to the large number of retailers selling theireateries to suit every taste. There are literally over 100
wares here among the alleyways. If there's too muchrestaurants within a couple hundred meters of the
to see in a day, you could always book your hotelcentre. For low prices, you can enjoy cuisines from
here. The area is packed with many options dependingTibet, Argentina, Greece, Indonesia, or Ethiopia. There's
on your budget. It tends to be quiet here at night, butalso a large casino in the area for those who are
fun and excitement (to the east) and culture in thefeeling lucky.
form of museums is a short distance away. Thus, forThis is definitely one of those must-see areas, but
its central location, this is probably one of the besthotels can be difficult to come by. The hotels in the
areas in which to book a hotel.square tend to be on the high end. You would need to
Rembrandtplein is far more glamorous than thecheck the options further south, where family-run
Centraal Station area and is within reach of most ofhotels offer cheaper prices. This area is also close to
Amsterdam's most interesting sites. Locatedthe Museum District and Vondelpark, which are huge
approximately 15 minutes away (on foot) from theattractions in Amsterdam.
station, it boasts a glamorous nightlife and the best of