A frequent question I hear is “where should I stay in Amsterdam before or after my cruise?”
Amsterdam is a popular departure and arrival port for ocean cruises to Northern Europe destinations such as the Norway fjords, the Baltic Sea/St. Petersburg, and the British Isles. In addition, numerous river cruises sailing throughout central Europe also depart from the Amsterdam cruise port located in central Amsterdam on the IJ waterfront.
We always try to spend a few extra days in Amsterdam before or after our cruise. From world-class museums to food tours to massive parks and green spaces, the city offers a multitude of delightful experiences for visitors. It is also relatively easy to explore other cities on a day trips from Amsterdam such as Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam, Delft, Gouda, and Leiden.
Depending on how long we plan to stay in Amsterdam, and what we want to do helps us choose the location of our hotel in Amsterdam. Also, of note, we tend to stay in Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy affiliated hotels as we are generally paying with hotel points or trying to earn more of them.
5 Recommended Hotels in Amsterdam for a Pre or Post Cruise Stay
The Amsterdam Movenpick hotel is also within walking distance of the Amsterdam Central Station, the city’s main transport hub. You can take a train directly from the lower level of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport directly to Central Station. Cruise lines such as Holland America often use the Movenpick for guests who buy their pre or post cruise hotel stay through the cruise line.
2. The DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Central Station hotel is also near the Amsterdam cruise port and remarkably close the Central Station for easy train access.
During one of our pre-cruise Amsterdam visits, our friends stayed here at this DoubleTree by Hilton Central Station hotel.
We joined our friends for drinks at the hotel’s Sky Lounge Amsterdam restaurant and bar on 11th floor. This indoor and outdoor space offers incredible views looking out over the IJ river. It was particularly beautiful at sunset.
3. If you want to stay in the heart of central Amsterdam, The Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel is an ideal choice.
We enjoyed a three-night pre-cruise stay here and loved the easy walks to the canal belt, the Jordaan neighborhood, Central Station and much more. There are 165 canals in Amsterdam covering about 31 miles; more than 2,500 houseboats are moored on these canals.
From this Renaissance hotel, we would first cross the Singel Canal as we started out to explore Amsterdam. The large, round copper-domed Koepelkerk (a former Lutheran church that’s now an event hall connected by a tunnel to the Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel) was a distinctive landmark to guide us when we were ready to head back to our hotel.
It is a manageable walk from the Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel to the Amsterdam’s Westerkerk (West Church) and the Anne Frank House. Check out all of the nearby views from walking around Central Amsterdam.
4. If you want to spend a couple of days in Amsterdam taking in museums and avoiding crowds of tourists, the Hilton Amsterdam Hotel is located near the Vondelpark in Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter. It is within walking distance of Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, as well as the Heineken Experience.
Famous as the location of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1969 ‘bed-in for peace,’ the Hilton Amsterdam hotel offers guests the 538sq. ft. “John and Yoko Suite” filled with memorabilia from the couple’s stay.
This hotel is perfect for those who want to spend a couple of days in Amsterdam taking in museums and avoiding crowds of tourists. It is within walking distance to the Vondelpark and the key museums, but outside of the most-tourist-crowded area of Central Amsterdam. The area right around the hotel feels like you are part of a neighborhood, rather than immersed in an area crowded with tourists.
We stayed in room 501 in a king junior suite. For an in–depth photo tour, take a Look Inside the Hilton Amsterdam Hotel.
5. If you are arriving late in the evening or have an early morning departure out of the Amsterdam airport, spending the night in the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol hotel is a terrific option.
To reach the Hilton hotel, you just follow the signs along an enclosed walkway from the baggage claim area of the Schiphol airport.
Alternatively, if you are transferring to the hotel from downtown Amsterdam, your driver will deliver you to the hotel’s front door.
When you first walk into the Hilton Amsterdam hotel at Schiphol airport, the light draws your eyes upward where you can see the sky through a glass roof.
This is a King Executive Room, with access to the 11th floor Executive Lounge. The rooms have a bright, contemporary design.
Best of all, the soundproofing is solid, important for a hotel attached to a busy airport like Amsterdam’s Schiphol. Check out this Look Around the Hilton Airport Hotel.
Have you stayed in Amsterdam before or after a cruise? What is your favorite hotel?
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