The cheapest nicest hotels in Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s most affordable hotels are, just like the city itself, brimming with character and vibrant nature. Those in the know love the Dutch capital for so much more than its party scene – though that alone remains a reason to visit. A land of canals, cobbled streets, bicycle culture and charming independent eateries make it easy to spend a day simply ‘being’. Once you’ve worked through the best things to do in Amsterdam and ticked off Vondelpark and the Museum District, where the Big Three (Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum) take up prime real estate, forgo an agenda and immerse yourself in lesser known districts to live like a local. Here’s where you’ll find some of the cheapest, nicest hotels in Amsterdam, as well as some of the best Air BnBs in Amsterdam. For our top recommendations regardless of budget, see our edit of the best hotels in Amsterdam.
How we choose the cheapest, nicest hotels in Amsterdam
Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We’re always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve. For more information on how we review hotels and restaurants, please look at our About Us page.
hotelJan Luyken
Museumplein
Rooms with canal views may affirm a quintessential sense of place in Amsterdam, but seasoned visitors to the ‘Venice of the North’ can enjoy this cool alternative to those waterways. Formed from three conjoined historical townhouses on a tree-lined avenue in the museum quarter, the vibe here at the Jan Luyken hotel is smart yet homely. At the entrance a kitchen island doubles as a reception desk where young, laidback staff direct guests to one of 31 snugly proportioned rooms. Their large windows and creaking floorboards heave with history yet the decor is a modernist melange of zingy, black-and-white patterned carpets, colourful velvet chairs, tasselled light fixtures, scarlet bedside telephones and tongue-in-cheek wall art. Back on the ground floor, the terracotta dining room-kitchen is the venue for top-notch self-service breakfasts and all-day grazing on assorted snacks, beers, wines and pre-made cocktails. Given that these goodies are all included in the room rate it’s a miracle anyone leaves the premises at all, quite frankly. The gym, snug library, rear lounge and garden hold further allure for homebodies, but the cluster of nearby attractions – including the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum – provide just enough incentive to peel oneself off the sofas. Noo Saro-Wiwa
Address: Jan Luijkenstraat 58, 1071 CS Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £180 per night.
Ralph Reniers 2023hotelThe Hoxton Lloyd Amsterdam
Lloyd
This is the Amsterdam of the shiny new millennium when, like London in the 1980s, the city colonised its docklands. So plenty of angular modernism and wide open spaces but also neighbourhood vibes, with artisan shops and small galleries to rummage in. Overlooking one of the waterfronts is the distinctive outline of the Hoxton Lloyd, once the HQ of the Royal Holland Lloyd Shipping Company, with front-door steps leading up to a striped brick archway. Inside, there’s something of the Victorian school or swimming baths about it (in a good way), with glazed tiles, foliage-wreathed columns and parquet-floored corridors. Set along illuminated round-arched corridors carpeted in black and gold, bedrooms are half-panelled with flying-saucer pendants and geometric rugs; all with showers as is the Hoxton way. Families and groups are well provided for, as a handful of rooms have an extra double bed, and several have bunks. Rick Jordan
Address: Oostelijke Handelskade 34, 1019 BN Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £150 per night.
hotelThe July, Boat & Co.
Houthaven
If you’re willing to sacrifice location for space, this aparthotel offers luxurious apartment-style accommodations with top-notch amenities and fantastic water views. The setting is Houthavens, a revitalised former port area on the River IJ brimming with cutting-edge architecture, from shiny new hotels to residential towers. Modern studios start at a roomy 366 square feet and come with full kitchens, dining and living areas, upscale King-sized Auping beds, and bathrooms with rainforest showers. Two-bedroom apartments with two bathrooms are ideal for families or small groups. The hotel’s Vessel restaurant and bar serves seasonal, plant-based dishes, and its riverfront patio is a lovely spot to relax with a cocktail. You’re a 15-minute stroll to Westerpark and the Jordaan, or hop on the free ferry and cross the river to explore the edgy NDSM Wharf district.
Address: Revaleiland 500, 1014 ZG Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £110 per night.
Arjen VeldtConscious Hotel Westerpark
Westerpark
Amsterdam’s eco-friendly mini-chain counts several outposts in the capital, but this one, its first, is also its most impressive. It’s set inside a landmark red-brick building – the former headquarters of the city’s gasworks – with the lush greenery of Westerpark to one side and the buzzy Westergas cultural centre to the other. The bubblegum-pink reception area doubles as a grab-and-go café, but plant yourself on the terrace of Kantoor for tasty organic small plates (many are vegan) and wildly inventive cocktails. Rooms are spacious, if somewhat spartan, with grey floors, white walls, and contemporary metal furnishings. Beyond the sustainably sourced Dutch-made mattresses, water-saving faucets and showerheads, and organic toiletries, the hotel is powered entirely by green energy. The quaint Jordaan neighbourhood is a 10-minute stroll away, and nearby trams get you to Dam Square in under a half-hour. For eco-conscious city dwellers, visit our A-Z guide of travelling more sustainably.
Address: Haarlemmerweg 10, 1014 BE Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £80 per night.
Sir Adam Hotel
Amsterdam Noord (North)
From Central Station, it’s a short, scenic (and free) ferry ride across the River IJ to this rock-n’-roll-themed hotel, set on the first eight floors of a 1970s former office tower, now dubbed A’DAM Toren. Start your musical journey in the lobby, choosing LPs from the curated vinyl library to spin on your Crosley turntable. Or busk away on the Gibson guitar found in every room. Get inspiration from original artwork of iconic bands and musicians (Dylan, Jagger, Pink Floyd) that hang on the rooms’ industrial-chic concrete walls. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer spectacular views across the IJ toward the city centre. On the ground level is The Butcher Social Club, a stylish spot known for its award-winning burgers, or you can zip up to the 19th floor and splurge on a tasting menu at the revolving Moon restaurant. Then descend to the subterranean Shelter nightclub, open Fridays and Saturdays around the clock, for a dance-fueled party with top DJs.
Address: Overhoeksplein 7, 1031 KS Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £115 per night.
Tycho MüllerHotel Arena
Amsterdam East (Oost)
Set inside leafy Oosterpark, a monumental red-brick orphanage has been transformed into a marvel of minimalistic design. Sleek, contemporary furnishings let the building’s original 19th-century details shine, from the stained-glass windows to the majestic marble staircase. Open, airy rooms feature high ceilings, tall windows, neutral colours, and smart built-ins – making them feel larger than they are. Of the 10 categories, the least expensive is the supremely quiet, courtyard-facing ‘Comfy’s’; trade up to the ‘Super Comfy’s’ for a bit more space. Whether you dine inside the glass-walled Park restaurant or out on the stone terrace, you’ll be rewarded with lovely views of Oosterpark’s fountain-studded pond. For nightlife, the surrounding streets are home to all manner of cool bars and cafes (we’re especially fond of the funky Bar Bukowski). The hotel is east of the city centre, but most sights are a 15-minute tram ride away.
Address: Hotel Arena, 's-Gravesandestraat 55, 1092 AA Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £90 per night.
Mark GroeneveldVolkshotel
Amsterdam East (Oost)
The 1960s-era offices of De Volkskrant newspaper turned into an affordable hotel with an underground club and rooftop bar and restaurant, buzzing with life again, engaging young staff and even artists-in-residence in studios out the back. The mood is a communal workspace that flips over into fun, with surprises along the way, such as rooftop outdoor hot tubs overlooking the city. Minimalist rooms are cleverly designed to seem more spacious than they are (those on the northwest corner of the upper floors have fabulous views). A good-value option that offers more than its peers for the price. It’s a block from the Amstel River, a 15-minute walk to the hip De Pijp district, and the nearby Metro whisks you to the centre in about 10 minutes.
Address: Wibautstraat 150, 1091 GR Amsterdam, Netherlands
Price: Rooms from around £120 per night.
The Hoxton, Amsterdam
The Nine Streets
Chic and wonderfully central, this canalside hotel sits in the heart of the hip Nine Streets, flush with smart boutiques and buzzy cafes. The Hoxton brand’s distinctive retro-meets-modern aesthetic is fully displayed in the two-storey lobby lounge bar, outfitted with cosy leather sofas, velvety vintage armchairs, and colourful area rugs. The homely space attracts hotel guests and fashionable locals, as does the lively Lotti’s restaurant, dishing up everything from avo toast to juicy burgers beneath a retractable glass roof. Scattered across five 17th-century canal houses are 111 rooms in four different categories, and a full half overlook the scenic Herengracht canal. Twin-bed ‘Shoebox’ rooms cater to solo travellers or friends, while the ‘Cosy’ category offers Queen or King beds in a diminutive 180 square feet. Grand concept rooms feature beautifully preserved historical details like coffered ceilings and decorative wood panelling. Still, no matter the category, all have herringbone floors, natty leather headboards, and sleek, white-tiled bathrooms.
Address: Herengracht 255, 1016 BJ Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £200 pounds per night.
Getty ImagesThe College Hotel
Museum Quarter
The College is 10 minute’s walk from the Concertgebouw and Big Three museums in one direction and the cafés and restaurants of De Pijp in the other, and its name refers to both its 19th-century incarnation as a school and its current function as training hotel for hospitality-industry students. This means the occasional learner’s blip in service and that rates are good value. Large arrangements of flowers, contemporary Dutch art and soothing colours enliven sometimes gloomy rooms and corridors. And there’s plenty of space to spread out, with starter Superior Rooms clocking in at a generous 270 square feet. Along with a chic Caribbean-themed restaurant and a casual bar/lounge, a seasonal courtyard terrace is ideal for an alfresco cocktail.
Address: Roelof Hartstraat 1, 1071 VE Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £161 per night.
Leonardo Hotel Amsterdam Leidse Square
Oud-West (Old West)
This budget-friendly boutique hotel set on a busy street may not offer many frills, but it’s got a great central location — a stone’s throw from the nightlife hub of Leidseplein and near Vondelpark and the city centre. All its 71 rooms are tiny (economy doubles, for example, measure less than 100 square feet) but they are whimsically designed, with colourful accent walls, bright-red rotary phones and blue dog cushions (the hotel’s mascot). Its jungle-themed lobby lounge is a comfortable spot to grab a coffee and work on your laptop. Other than breakfast, you’ll need to go elsewhere for a meal, but fortunately, you’re close to lots of dining options, including the trendy De Hallen food hall, less than a 15-minute walk away.
Address: Nassaukade 387-390, 1054 AE Amsterdam
Price: Rooms from around £65 per night.
