Are you planning to visit Amsterdam?
Amsterdam is filled with historic charm, picturesque canals and amazing cultures. It has so much to offer. You can explore museums, try Dutch cuisine, cruise through the scenic canals, experience the bustling nightlife, and much more.
However, given the number of hotels in this beautiful city, it can be challenging for you to pick the perfect stay for your vacation.
Therefore, you need to follow some expert tips to make the process easier for you.
Wondering what type of tips you need to follow? Keep reading!
This article lists five tips for booking the perfect hotel stay in Amsterdam.
1. Choose Your Location Wisely
Choosing the right location can make a great difference to your trip as it’s easier to access the city’s interesting sites without spending too much time getting there.
Therefore, consider these neighborhoods based on your preferences:
- The Canal Belt (Grachtengordel): If you fancy an area that coincides with a historic old town, choose the Canal Belt. Filled with 17th-century canals, this culturally significant city is a charming shopping, eating, and art destination for visitors.
- De Pijp: Being one of Amsterdam’s artistic districts, often called the city’s bohemian district, De Pijp will surely meet the expectations.
- Jordaan: For a more relaxed experience, Jordaan boasts cobbled alleys, secret gardens, and numerous local restaurants.
2. Understand Hotel Types
Amsterdam offers many places to stay, ranging from star hotels to houseboats.
To book the perfect stay, it’s essential to understand what kind of experience you want:
- Luxury Hotels: For those who wish to pamper themselves with luxury, Amsterdam has a range of hotels and resorts with stunning rooftop terraces and bars, spa treatments, and gourmet dining experiences of Michelin–starred restaurants. A perfect example of such a hotel is Leonardo Hotel Amsterdam. This amazing hotel has 446 standard, deluxe and executive rooms, various restaurants, and a huge parking space with world-class facilities.
- Boutique Hotels: Boutique hotels in Amsterdam are unique, and many are in historic structures.
- Budget Hotels and Hostels: Again, for a budget traveler, Amsterdam is not hard to navigate, and choices are abundant. Like other affordable accommodations, the budget may not offer all the trappings of a luxury hotel, but guests are guaranteed clean and comfortable rooms.
- Houseboats: If you want to feel the spirit of Amsterdam’s canals, why not live it in a houseboat? Exploring the city from a houseboat is relaxing, charming, and very special; thus, these floating accommodations may fit your bill.
3. Check the Hotel’s Amenities
Whether you’re a budget traveler or a luxury tourist, what a hotel provides significantly affects your experience.
Hence, when searching for the perfect hotel in Amsterdam, consider the following:
- Free Wi-Fi: This may be expected in most locations, but it is always wise to confirm that the hotel’s Wi-Fi is free if you intend to work or watch streaming services during your vacation.
- Breakfast Included: Most hotels in Amsterdam present breakfast as one of the services included in the price you pay for the room. Therefore, booking a hotel that includes breakfast may prove beneficial because, in the morning, you will not need to search for a place to eat and, therefore, waste your precious time.
- Bicycle Rentals: Cycling is a common mode of transport in Amsterdam, and most hotels provide bicycle rental services that allow for easy movement within the city. If your hotel does not offer such a service, find out if there is a bicycle rental shop around.
4. Read Reviews Carefully
While fancy pictures and descriptions of hotels may allure you into taking a particular hotel, online reviews will give you the real situation. Websites such as Google are good sources for reading feedback posted by previous guests.
When reading reviews, focus on the following:
- Recent Reviews: Accommodation establishments can have new managers or owners, remodel or reorganize, or hire new employees, and these changes can affect the quality of the services delivered. Thus, recent reviews should be preferred as they help give one a clear perspective of the hotel’s current situation.
- Service Quality: Focus on remarks regarding the friendliness of the staff, their professional working approach, and readiness to assist. Friendly staff and quality service can help make your hotel stay pleasant even when the rooms are not of the best quality.
- Cleanliness: This is non-negotiable. Praise for cleanliness often made indicates that the hotel has strict hygiene practices.
5. Book Early for Better Rates and Availability
Amsterdam is a hot spot for tourists throughout the year, but the best time to visit this city is in the spring to see the blossoming flowers or in summer.
To get the best deals and guarantee of availability, bookings should be made as early as possible. Here’s why:
- Better Rates: Amsterdam, like other large cities, has a dynamic accommodation pricing system where accommodation rates are volatile and change with the demand rates. Therefore, making your bookings several months prior to travel often guarantees you better rates than if you were to book at the last minute, especially during peak seasons.
- More Options: An advanced booking allows you to secure a broader range of properties, especially within scenic areas, such as the Canal Belt or Jordaan district.
- Cancellation Policies: In terms of cancellation, most hotels have relatively easy policies that allow you to change the date of your trip booking without incurring any extra costs.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect hotel for a stay in Amsterdam does not have to be a huge challenge.
Therefore, by thinking about the location and what sort of accommodation you need, checking the services and perks, reading the reviews, and making a reservation in advance, you can book a perfect hotel for a memorable experience.
