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Quick family stay in Amsterdam - Hotel and area suggestions

We are flying from Rome to Amsterdam on a Wednesday night during spring break. Our flight arrives in AMS at about 10 p.m. Our flight to the US leaves Friday at 1:00 p.m. We scheduled flights this way so we could also take our boys (ages 13, 15) to see AMS along with Rome.

Right now I have two rooms booked at the Doubletree using about 240,000 Hilton points - which is a lot. I am now reconsidering and would like to stay somewhere else. I have thought a couple different ideas. One, stay the first night at an airport hotel since we come in so late, then get an early start in the a.m. into central Amsterdam, then stay somewhere centrally located that evening.

Or stay both nights in a central location.

I have seen at the Hotel Sebastian (which receives good reviews on Trip Advisor) that we could get one room with 4 twin beds for not a terrible price.

I would prefer to spend about $400 US dollars per night - I also do not know what would be the best location for basically one full day of sightseeing. As it is one day, I think location may be key.

Posted by
11056 posts

Look at the Central Canal Ding to feel like you are in Amsterdam. Convenient. Hotel l’Ambassade is right on the Herengracht Canal.

Posted by
888 posts

If its the Doubletree by Central Station and location is most important I'd take it. Very centrally located both to sights and to public transport to get around the city. We wanted to stay there last June but couldn't get a reservation even looking almost a year in advance.

We did stay at the Kimpton De Witt which is on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal - a short walk to central station and with a tram route than runs right in front of the hotel. In spite of the very central location, it was quiet at night. Their rates depend on the night of the week you're staying but Wed/Thur generally around the $250 mark per night for a double (two people). It's kind of a funky hotel but a group of 6 of us really liked it and would stay again.

If you're staying at two different hotels, are you going to drag your luggage around the city with you? I know the hotel would lock it up but do you want the extra hassle.?

Posted by
3551 posts

Stay with Doubletree for such a short trip. U can take short tram ride to a lot in Amsterdam. The views also are fab from Doubletree rooftop. Pick up a canal cruise also very close, a great way to see a lot of Amsterdam by floating by about an hour ride.

Posted by
25 posts

I would second the recommendation for the CitizenM hotel at Schiphol. It's so convenient to walk to your hotel room from the gate and to take the train into Amsterdam.

Posted by
426 posts

I just did a long weekend in Amsterdam with my college aged son and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Sloterdyck. It was very inexpensive (barely $100 us per night for a large modern room with two twin beds and a good breakfast) and they have connecting rooms, because our room had a closed door to its neighbor. This is something we loved when our kids were the ages of your boys. You will need to take a sprinter train for about 10 minutes to get there, but it is right in the midst of the train station - literally tracks on either side and the trams and buses on a third side. Once there, the same train will take you in 5 minutes to the central station, but Tram 19 is awesome for getting to the Museums, or within an easy walk of the Anne Frank Huis. We typically headed in early in the morning and spent the whole day in town, then came back out to sleep. Super easy back to the airport as one of us left at 7:10am and the other at 11:40.

I will say there is nothing quaint about a brand new HI Express, but sometimes comfort, a modern bath with a great shower and a 3 hour long breakfast buffet fits the bill.

I would definitely not consider moving hotels during a two night stay.