Dam Square is Amsterdam's historic heart. The Royal Palace and the Nieuwe Kerk overlook the square. Kalverstraat, the city's main shopping street, starts just around the corner, and De Bijenkorf, Amsterdam's grandest department store, sits right on the square.
With so many hotels around the Dam, we've narrowed it down to the very best. We picked each one for its location, character, and sense of occasion. Grand historic landmarks sit alongside stylish design hotels in beautifully converted buildings. Stay right on the square, or on a quieter side street such as the Nes, Amsterdam's historic theatre street.
Canals, cafés and the Nine Streets are all a few minutes' walk away. Few addresses put the whole city this close.
Enjoy breakfast under a 19th-century glass roof with views of the Royal Palace, plus a Michelin-starred restaurant, a spa, and suites with private rooftop terraces.
Luxury
Spa
Fitness centre
Restaurant
Pet friendly
Sustainable
On-site parking
Room sizes from 26 m²Read the full story
Overlooking Dam Square
The hotel sits on Dam Square, the city's historic heart, opposite the National Monument. Busy shopping streets such as Kalverstraat lead off the square. The Nine Streets, with their independent boutiques and canal-side cafés, are about a six-minute walk away, and the Flower Market is under ten. Trams stop right outside, and Centraal Station is about a 15-minute walk.
From Coffee House to Grand Hotel
Krasnapolsky began in 1856 as a coffee house opened by Adolph Wilhelm Krasnapolsky, a Polish tailor. It grew into one of Amsterdam's best-known hotels. The Wintergarden, with its high glass roof, is still its most impressive space, and Anantara has added warmer, more residential touches.
Rooms, Rooftop Terraces & Suites
Rooms start at 26 square metres and include Nespresso machines, soundproofing, and air conditioning. Premium rooms offer more space, can accommodate up to 4 guests, and some overlook Dam Square directly. Executive rooms on the rooftop have their own private terrace, and the Royal Dam View Suite overlooks the palace.
Dining with a Sense of Occasion
The White Room, dating from 1885, holds a Michelin star. Grand Café Krasnapolsky overlooks Dam Square, and breakfast is served beneath the Wintergarden's glass roof. The Tailor is a stylish evening cocktail bar.
Spa & Fitness
The Anantara Spa has a sauna, steam room, treatment rooms, and relaxation areas that open onto the Summer Garden. The Technogym fitness centre also has a climbing wall.
Once a convent, an admiralty, and the city hall, it is now a hotel with a courtyard garden, pool, and hammam.
Luxury
Swimming pool
Spa
Fitness centre
Restaurant
Pet friendly
Sustainable
On-site parking
Room sizes from 30 m²Read the full story
Between Two Canals in the Old Centre
Few hotels put you this close to Amsterdam's beginnings. The Grand stands between two canals in the city's oldest quarter, where narrow streets lead to Nieuwmarkt, its medieval Waag and busy café terraces. Dam Square is a few minutes away on foot, the Nine Streets are a pleasant walk through the centre, and Rokin metro station is close by. Yet behind its gates, all is surprisingly calm.
Six Centuries of History
Parts of the building date back to a 15th-century convent. It later served as the Admiralty headquarters and, for most of the 20th century, as Amsterdam's City Hall. Princess Beatrix married Prince Claus here in 1966. Original architectural features sit alongside polished interiors with a French touch.
Spacious Rooms & Suites
Rooms start at a generous 30 square metres, with high ceilings and large windows. The interiors blend modern luxury with art and references to the building's history. Larger rooms and suites add canal views and extra space.
Bridges, Oriole & the Courtyard Garden
Bridges is the hotel's main restaurant, and Oriole offers Mediterranean dishes in a more relaxed setting. In warmer months, the secluded courtyard garden is a lovely place to eat or drink.
Spa, Pool & Hammam
Set over two floors, the Sofitel SPA is a peaceful escape in the heart of the old city. The heated indoor pool features a jet stream, plus a Jacuzzi, sauna, and traditional hammam. Treatments range from facials and body scrubs to Ayurvedic rituals, with couples' rooms. A quiet relaxation room completes the experience, and a fitness centre is on hand for a workout.
The Lobby draws as many locals as guests, in a stylish hotel on a theatre square just off Dam Square.
Boutique
Trendy
Restaurant
Sustainable
Room sizes from 18 m²Read the full story
In the Theatre District, off Dam Square
Hotel V sits on Nesplein, a small square on Nes, one of Amsterdam's oldest streets and home to several theatres. The narrow lane is lined with stages, cafés and bars, and comes alive in the evening. The Flower Market and Rembrandtplein are a short walk south, and the Nine Streets are about ten minutes west. Rokin metro station is about four minutes away.
Warm, Contemporary Design
The interiors are warm and contemporary, with wooden floors and walls, vintage design furniture and rich, layered textures. The lobby has a library and an open wood-burning fireplace.
Bright, Comfortable Rooms
Every room has at least one window, wooden floors and vintage furniture. The hotel's own V Dreamer beds come with premium linens, and bathrooms have rain showers. Superior rooms are more spacious, with Nespresso machines, and some have a bathtub. Suites add a seating area, and connecting rooms suit families.
The Lobby Restaurant
The Lobby serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from menus built on local produce. It draws as many locals as hotel guests. In summer, the terrace overlooks the square, and a small stage hosts occasional live music.
Newspaper history, playful design and a lively cocktail bar, in the old centre a few minutes from Dam Square.
Trendy
Fitness centre
Restaurant
Sustainable
Room sizes from 19 m²Read the full story
In the Historic Centre, near Dam Square
INK occupies three historic buildings on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, the street that was once the heart of Amsterdam's newspaper industry. Centraal Station is 700 metres away, and Dam Square and the Royal Palace are a few minutes on foot. Head west, and the old centre gives way to the Nine Streets' boutiques, vintage shops, and canal-side cafés, with the Anne FrankHouse not far.
A Former Newspaper Headquarters
For nearly a century, the building housed the Dutch newspaper De Tijd. The hotel takes its name and identity from that history, with print and journalism references throughout.
Rooms with Newspaper-Inspired Design
Rooms feature comfortable beds, rainfall showers, and decor inspired by the newspaper's past. In some, a hand-drawn map of the city hangs above the bed, pointing out places worth visiting.
Press Room Bar & Restaurant
The Press Room Bar is a lively cocktail spot. The restaurant offers a relaxed setting for lunch and dinner.
Two 17th-century buildings with bold, playful Dutch design, five minutes from Centraal Station and home to an acclaimed cocktail bar.
Luxury
Trendy
Fitness centre
Restaurant
Pet friendly
Sustainable
On-site parking
Room sizes from 18 m²Read the full story
Between Centraal Station & Dam Square
Kimpton De Witt is on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, one of the main streets into the historic centre. Centraal Station is a five-minute walk away, and Dam Square and the Royal Palace are a short walk. To the west lie the Nine Streets and the Jordaan, two of the city's most attractive neighbourhoods for shopping, cafés and canal-side strolls.
Playful Dutch Design
The hotel opened in 2017 as the first Kimpton outside the United States. Designer Jacu Strauss kept the original beamed ceilings of the two 17th-century buildings. He then added bold art, humour and plenty of references to Dutch culture.
Colourful Rooms & Family Options
Most rooms are in the modern wing, decorated in blues and greens inspired by Delft tiles, with playful touches such as bird-shaped reading lamps. Premium rooms include a triple-occupancy category, and a Premium room with two double beds can accommodate families of four. The penthouse has its own rooftop terrace, spiral staircase and fireplace.
Super Lyan & Celia
Super Lyan is the cocktail bar created by acclaimed bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana, known as Mr Lyan. It sits in a third historic townhouse and has been ranked among Europe's best bars. Upstairs, Celia serves modern American cooking with a Californian influence.
Freestanding baths, a snug bar and much-praised breakfasts, on the quieter harbour side of the old centre, ten minutes from Centraal Station.
Boutique
Room sizes from 15 m²Read the full story
Prins Hendrikkade, near Nieuwmarkt
The Hendrick's sits on Prins Hendrikkade, along Amsterdam's old harbour front. Nieuwmarkt is a seven-minute walk away, a lively square ringed by cafés and restaurants around the medieval Waag. From here, streets lead to Chinatown and the old centre, and Dam Square is about a 12-minute walk away. NEMO and the Scheepvaartmuseum are also within walking distance.
Classic Dutch Style with a Maritime Touch
The interiors blend traditional Dutch character with modern comfort. Warm colours and elegant details are paired with subtle references to the city's seafaring past, and a fire burns in the lobby.
Cosy Doubles to Junior Suites
Entry-level rooms are cosy doubles, with several larger categories for more space, up to superior rooms and junior suites. All have air conditioning, rainfall showers, espresso machines and minibars. Some superior rooms have a large freestanding bathtub, and interconnecting rooms are available for families or friends travelling together.
Breakfast, Café & Bar
Breakfast is one of the hotel's strengths and is consistently praised by guests. During the day, a small café is available, and the snug bar is a pleasant spot for an evening drink.
Sleep where Rembrandt's Night Watch once hung, with the Amstel outside and the Flower Market minutes away.
Luxury
Restaurant
Sustainable
Room sizes from 16 m²Read the full story
On the Amstel in the Historic Centre
In a prime spot on the Amstel, Tivoli Doelen sits in the heart of the historic centre. The Flower Market, with its floating stalls of tulips and bulbs, is a few minutes away. Rembrandtplein, lively with cafés and bars, is nearby. Dam Square and the Nine Streets are an easy walk, and Rokin metro station is just 350 metres from the hotel.
A Building with Rembrandt History
The hotel stands on the site of the Kloveniersdoelen, the militia headquarters for which Rembrandt painted The Night Watch. The painting hung here for more than 70 years before moving to the Rijksmuseum. The wall where it hung is now part of the Rembrandt Suite.
Classic Rooms & Suites with Canal Views
Rooms combine historic character with marble bathrooms and Natura Bissé toiletries. Some have balconies, and the Superior and Deluxe room categories feature canal views. The Rembrandt Suite has its own balcony with canal views, making it a fine choice for a special occasion.
Restaurant & Bar
The restaurant's menu draws inspiration from Rembrandt's palette and uses locally sourced ingredients. After dinner, the bar is a comfortable spot for a drink with views of the water.
Watch the Amstel from your window, dine at a two-Michelin-starred table and swim below, in a grand 1896 hotel.
Ultra luxury
Swimming pool
Spa
Fitness centre
Restaurant
Pet friendly
Sustainable
Room sizes from 25 m²Read the full story
On the Amstel, near the Flower Market
Right on the water, where the Amstel flows into the old centre, De L'Europe looks across the river to the cafés and bars of Rembrandtplein. The floating Flower Market is a couple of minutes' walk away, and from there you can explore the canal belt and the Nine Streets on foot. Rokin metro station is close by when you want to venture further afield.
A Grand Hotel with a Creative Spirit
The hotel has all the presence of a grand hotel but a more creative personality. Dutch art, craftsmanship and modern design sit alongside the historic architecture, giving it a glamorous, distinctly Amsterdam feel.
Rooms & 't Huys Suites
Rooms start at 25 square metres and blend traditional details with modern comforts. Higher categories have larger windows and fine views over the Amstel. Each 't Huys suite celebrates Amsterdam's worlds of art, fashion, and design.
Dining with a Creative Edge
Flore, led by chef Bas van Kranen, is the hotel's culinary showpiece, with creative cooking in an intimate room. Marie is more relaxed and overlooks the Amstel. Freddy's Bar is a classic, elegant hotel bar, perfect for a nightcap.
Spa & Indoor Pool
The spa is a calm place to unwind after a day in the city. Its heated indoor pool offers water views and includes a sauna, steam room, and Jacuzzi. Facials use Biologique Recherche, the Paris skincare brand known for tailoring each treatment to the individual. The hotel also offers massages, scrubs, and body wraps, and a well-equipped fitness studio completes the facilities.
