Where to stay in Amsterdam: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

The 17th-century Canal Ring, a UNESCO-listed horseshoe of the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, is Amsterdam at its most beautiful. Gabled houses line the water, bikes pile up on every bridge, and the Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes) that cross the canals are packed with independent boutiques, vintage shops and cafés. The Jordaan and the Anne Frank House are a few minutes' walk away.

Staying here means waking up to canal views. Choose from a hotel looking out over the Prinsengracht, a boutique five-star with butler service in a 17th-century canal house, a former library reimagined by a famous Dutch designer, or the W, which brings an outdoor pool, a spa and a nightclub to the Nine Streets.

Rooms can be small and staircases steep in the older houses, so check before booking if that matters.

Dam Square, with the Royal Palace on one side and the Nieuwe Kerk beside it, is the city's historic centre point. From here the streets run north to Central Station and east into the oldest quarter, with its narrow lanes, churches and the red-lit alleys that most visitors want to see once.

It's the most convenient base in town. Hotels include a landmark from 1855 right on Dam Square looking at the palace, a former convent-turned-city-hall between two old canals, a five-star spread over nineteen 17th-century houses opposite Central Station, and a smart four-star just off the square. Expect crowds and noise in high season, and superb access to everything.

Museumplein is a big green lawn ringed by world-class art: the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk and the Concertgebouw concert hall. The streets around it are grand and residential, with designer shopping on P.C. Hooftstraat and Vondelpark, Amsterdam's favourite park, a few steps away.

Hotels feel calmer here: a five-star in the old music conservatory by Museumplein, a boutique hotel in two 18th-century mansions 350 metres from the Rijksmuseum, a quiet four-star seven minutes' walk from the big museums, and a hotel overlooking Vondelpark itself. With the park for letting off steam and the canals a short walk away, it's ideal for families.

Amsterdam's two big nightlife squares sit at either end of the southern Canal Ring. Leidseplein has the grand Stadsschouwburg theatre, music venues and crowded bar terraces; Rembrandtplein is all neon, pubs and clubs. Between them, the Bloemenmarkt sells tulip bulbs from barges on the Singel.

Hotels here are lively and well placed: a four-star a short walk from Leidseplein and P.C. Hooftstraat, a design hotel in an 18th-century mansion close to the square, an art-filled hotel in the Canal Ring near Rembrandtplein, and another overlooking the Flower Market. Expect noise at weekends, and a very short walk home.

The broad River Amstel gave Amsterdam its name, and its banks are home to some of the city's most storied hotels. Just south, De Pijp is the place to eat: the Albert Cuyp market, Heineken's old brewery and streets packed with restaurants, coffee bars and wine bars.

Stay at the Amstel Hotel, a grande dame famous for its sweeping staircase, at a landmark built on the foundations of the old city wall, or in a pair of 19th-century Neo-Renaissance buildings rising above De Pijp. There's also a modern four-star by the river with a bar, restaurant and bikes to rent. It's elegant, a touch removed from the crowds and still an easy walk to the centre.

Haarlem is what Amsterdam might feel like with half the visitors. The old centre is all gabled houses, almshouse courtyards, a soaring church on the Grote Markt and excellent museums, with independent boutiques and cafés filling the lanes. Trains into Amsterdam are quick, and the beach and the tulip fields are close too.

Hotels include a stylish four-star in the historic centre, a boutique hotel in a restored century-old dome complex, and smaller hotels with terraces and bikes to rent. A smart choice for anyone who wants to sleep somewhere quieter and pay less.

When the sun comes out, Amsterdam heads to Zandvoort. This seaside town has a long sandy beach, dunes, beach pavilions and the famous motor-racing circuit, with Haarlem about ten minutes' drive away and Amsterdam less than half an hour.

Hotels range from a big NH near the beach to a beach house hotel a short walk from the sand and the circuit, and a hotel three minutes from the station. A fun summer alternative, especially with children, but book early on race weekends.

For an early flight, Hoofddorp and the hotels around Schiphol are handy and usually cheaper than the centre. Some are a short walk from Hoofddorp station, four minutes by train from the airport and about 20 from central Amsterdam; others run airport shuttles and have plenty of parking. The Keukenhof tulip gardens are within easy reach in spring.