First time in Amsterdam

Most of the hotels in the RLD cater to the backpacker/hostel crowd strictly looking to smoke as much weed as they can during their stay. I don't think you would be comfortable with that scene;) Try the RHO Hotel or the Avenue Hotel.

Amsterdam is surprisingly expensive. And steep stairs abound!! We stayed here: www.hotelvanonna.nl
Got the job done on our meager budget, close to Anne Frank Huis and various kinds of transportation. Not really close to the rld but easy enough to get to via tram. Nice, clean, quiet area.

The Red Light area (De Wallen) is neither fun and has a terrible vibe made of a combination of obnoxious tourists, tacky shops and tourists traps (like the Dungeon, Sex Museum etc). If you are concentrating in the museums, I'd suggest an area in the Jordaan or near (but not exactly at) Leidseplein.

Hotel Brouwer is very good. Book months in advance. Best Western Tulip Inn is also good with a great location. Jordaan area is very nice. Good B&B's in this area. Boogaards. Book months in advance.

Joanne, I have stayed in perhaps a dozen different hotels in Amsterdam over the last 20 years. I can confidently recommend two of these to you. 1st is the Hotel Piet Hein, which is across the street from Vondel Park. It is perhaps a 10 minute walk from the Van Gogh museum and the Rijkes museum. It is also about 10 minutes from the nightlife and restaurants of Leidseplien. 2nd is the Hotel Schiller in the city's other main entertainment district, Rembrandt Plien. This hotel has a tram stop right out front which takes you to Amsterdam Centraal in 5 minutes. From there you can tranfer to a tram for anywhere in the city. Both of these hotels are in areas where you can find restaurants with varied types of food at all price levels.

We are going to be in Amsterdam before a river cruise in December. We booked a b&b in the Jordaan district. We tried booking Boorgard's, but they were full and recommended Bee's B&B. It gets very good reviews on Trip Advisor. Very reasonable rates, too. It is close to the Anne Frank Haus, but I suspect traveling in Amsterdam is quite easy. Can't wait. You can check it out on Trip Advisor.

I would not stay in the Red Light area. Interesting for an hour or 2, but ultimately depressing as you consider these young women are forced into a life of prostitution by organized crime, also lots of drug dealers trying to sell cocaine, ecstacy, viagra, etc...
read trip advisor for a hotel recommendation and enjoy the other parts of Amsterdam.

I would never stay in the RLD or near the Dam. There are other areas that are prettier. We like the nice people at the Hestia Hotel, behind the Marriott on a quiet street near Leidesplein. It's near Vondel Park, walking distance to museums, rents bicycles. No A/C but fans. You can walk about 2 blocks to to catch a tram either towards the Central Station or to connect towards other areas, and enjoy the scene like near Rembrandtplein.
Last summer we got a priceline deal at the Movenpick which had very interesting views of the river and working ships. Not at all like the other hotels we've enjoyed, but way cheaper than the Ibis at Centraal.

We have stayed at the Beethoven Hotel twice for six days total. Go to Sud (South) Station buy a tram ticket, get on No. 5 Tram and get off at the third stop. The hotel is right there. Its about a fifteen minute walk to the museums and is in a very interesting neighborhood with shops for what you need. We have walked all the way from there across town to Central Station. You wil go through the flower market on the way. You can catch the No. 5 Tram at the tram station at Central Station and go back to the Beethoven.