Seeking must do’s for 3 days in Amsterdam and where to stay

We loved staying in the Canal Ring neighborhood. Our wonderful hotel was a restored merchant’s home, l’Ambassade.

Not knowing what your personal preferences for travel experiences might be, here is the RS list of sites and suggestions for Amsterdam: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/netherlands/amsterdam

If you want to visit Anne Frank house you need to pay close attention and purchase tickets as soon as they are available for your travel dates, they will likely sell out the day they go on sale. Search this forum for how to do this.

You are really late to be booking lodging for May, and Amsterdam averages $400 a nite for modest lodging. Do your research using the RS Guide books and booking.com, then book directly with the property. Perhaps charming Haarlem would be a better base for Amsterdam, it's a bit cheaper.
Lots of tips already shared here, just review posts under the NL.
Have a great trip.

You can't go wrong staying in the Jordaan neighborhood. Harlaam is more convenient if departing on an early morning flight, otherwise, sleep in Amsterdam.
The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museums are must-sees. The Red Light District is an unusual experience to stroll through.

I'm going there on Sunday and staying at the Nadia, which I saw recommended on here. It is not as expensive as some of the other places. If I were not traveling with a friend with whom I do not wish to share a bed, I would be staying at sweets.com, which are bridge houses converted to accommodation. So cool!
I don't believe in "must sees" because whatever you feel you must see is the must see for you.
One AMS-specific (though really, it's Indonesian) is rijstaffel. We are going to Sampurna, which I chose because it had the best wine list. Also, lots of recommendations here and elsewhere.
Most folks seem to do a canal tour. I enjoyed the evening tour with Those Dam Boat Guys so much that I'm doing it again but in winter. Brr. A local friend of a friend is taking us on a beer and bitterballen crawl after the canal tour.
Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum among the most popular sights to see. Both are fantastic. If you want to see the Old Master (snooze), then the Rijksmuseum. This time, I am going to visit the Resistance Museum and take their "podwalk" walking tour.
Just walking along the canals is so fascinating. I'm excited for my trip. Happy travels to you!

You might want to check booking.com for hotels that are still available. The first part of May is still tulip season and things book up quickly and Amsterdam is quite crowded during that time.

We were in Amsterdam a year ago and stayed at Hotel Estherea. Loved it! My daughter found a promo on their instagram page that included breakfast, so this actually came in more cost efficient than the other hotel I had initially booked.

Definitely book the Anne Frank House as soon as tickets go on sale. Also be sure to buy tickets for the Van Gogh ahead of time as the day we were there at least, they were not selling any tickets at the door.

For a canal cruise, I highly recommend https://amsterdamprivateboattour.com . Jack is a great guide and very engaging. His cruise lasts 90 minutes and you can opt for shared or private. We opted for the shared one, but were the only 2 that night. We were there in February though, so far fewer people and in May I would expect this to fill up. We also did a cruise with Flagship Amsterdam and it was just ok. it was a regular cruise with wine, and our particular cruise the people were more interested in drinking as much as they could, and there was very little commentary on what we were going past.

We also did a free walking tour and enjoyed it very much. The group was initially 15 people, so they broke that into two groups and had a guide for each. That worked out great. We tipped at the end.

The Pantry was one restaurant that we absolutely loved. Their oven bake dish is not to be missed. We also enjoyed Fulu Mandarin.

Rijksmuseum a must, tickets must be bought online in advance

Update: it’s my last night in Amsterdam and the Nadia worked out great for us. Great location, friendly staff, adequate breakfast. Two things: the stairs are nearly a ladder! This is a common here. No lift. The staff will carry your bags up/down. I was lucky to get a room on the first floor (with a view of Westerkerk). Also, the twin beds are very narrow. Maybe 30”? My average-sized friend has done alright, but I’m a big lady and a side sleeper, so every time I turn over is an adventure! The hotel is older and a little funky (in addition to the above), but it’s clean and well run.

We did the Nadia Hotel for a week a couple of years ago and the room was small but adequate. Cost was $1000 for a week. Great location near Anne Frank House.