‘Amsterdam’ and ‘canals’ come in the same breath, the same thought. Once the city’s lifeblood (they were its chief transport system) they are still the flowing framework that holds it all together. There are more than 100 kilometres of them – Amsterdam is in effect a collection of 90 islands, stitched together by some 1,500 bridges. The canals form a giant semi-circular cobweb, suspended from Central Station and the harbour area in the north, with the grand 17th-century canals and the former city moat at the core.
These canals are crisscrossed by smaller waterways, where swans paddle quietly beside houseboats. A hotel in the Canal Belt, with a waterside view, takes you to the heart of Amsterdam. From the bustling grand canals to quieter backwaters, and from sumptuous Golden Age mansions, through quiet chic and zany contemporary interiors, to the cosily domestic, here’s our pick of the best canal hotels in Amsterdam.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences that the hotel might have to offer.
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678
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530
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406
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329
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1,253
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509
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823
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581
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130
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1,187
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742
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167
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A large, quietly luxurious hotel in a 23-storey building that towers over low-rise Amsterdam. The…
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This building was once the home of a celebrated 19th-century Dutch artist. Today it is a welcomin…
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Boutique brims over into opulence at the Dylan, which, intimate and detached from city bustle, sp…
