lodging in Amsterdam that people recommend

In 2022, we stayed at DeVergulden Eenhoorn. We booked via booking.com We were very happy with our stay, the host (Deen) and the area in general. It was also very convenient to public transportation.

We've stayed at Hotel Jakarta twice this year. https://hoteljakarta.com/ it's not in the central tourist zone but it's on a bus route and close to a tram route or a 20 minute walk to Centraal Station. Service is outstanding and the breakfast is even better.

Next time we're in the neighbourhood though we're going to stay in Leiden which is about a 15 minute train from the airport. The city is a gem and much nicer than Amsterdam. We stayed at Breathe Hotel. https://www.breathehotelleiden.nl/en

We really loved The Toren and the location was fantastic!

There's a section of the Forum dedicated to reviews of hotels and restaurants in the Netherlands:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/netherlands-reviews
Here is a review I wrote of Hotel Nadia, where the staff were very friendly:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/netherlands-reviews/hotel-nadia-recommendation-with-lots-of-caveats

We enjoyed the Hotel Nadia, which is near the Anne Frank House and easy to visit the city from there walking.
The room was small, but bathroom was normal size. Our window faced the canal and bridge.
We stayed a week for $1,000 and that is VERY reasonable for expensive Amsterdam.

I stayed at ‘t Hotel, on a side canal close to the Anne Frank house in May 2024 & really liked it. It was a splurge for me for sure (ave $350-$400/night) but i thought it was worth it. My room was HUGE, beautifully decorated, had a really nice bathroom, a canal view, and AC (which turned out to be unexpectedly needed…forecast before I left called for mid-60’s, but it hit over 80° for a few days). The price included continental breakfast in their cafe downstairs.

The location was fabulous for just wandering & taking in the beautiful scenery and there was a tram stop fairly close by. There was also a great bar just a couple doors down that became my local…nice spot to have a nightcap and chat with the bartender and actual regulars.

We stayed at the Hotel Estherea and loved it! It sits right on a canal. It is quiet, yet easily walkable to everything as we never needed to take a tram.

I have twice stayed at the De Ware Jacob boutique hotel which is well placed for Museumplein (Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh) and the tram to the center and to/from Centraal station.

(Obviously I was pleased with it since I returned !)

We loved Hotel Boutique Staats in Haarlem. You may want to consider Haarlem when you see the prices in Amsterdam in 2026. Haarlem has canals, windmills , and plenty of charm.
I also recommend Leiden as an Amsterdam alternative. It's a quick commute.
Have a great trip in this wonderful country. Safe travels!