Where to stay in Amsterdam with family: best areas, hotels, apartments

Our guide to the best area to stay in Amsterdam with family. This is our selection of some of the best family hotels in Amsterdam city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods plus all you need to know to find the best place to stay in Amsterdam with kids.

Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities to visit with kids (and without!). To the surprise of many, it is a very family oriented place and is full of attractions appealing to kids and adults alike.

There is a good range of family friendly accommodation in Amsterdam city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods too and options come in several shapes, from hotels to apartments to even boat houses!

Despite the vast choice, choosing adequately where to stay in Amsterdam is important: especially during the busy tourist season (see most popular times to visit Amsterdam here) some areas get truly jam packed with tourists and this can get very tiring very quickly.

My favourite bits of Amsterdam are those areas that strike a balance between proximity to the main Amsterdam landmarks, convenience in terms of transport and services and local atmosphere.

This is my selection and best tips on where to stay in Amsterdam with family.

Where to stay in Amsterdam with family: neighbourhoods overview

This is a quick overview on some of Amsterdam’s most popular areas.

Grachtengordel (Amsterdam canal ring) When people think of the city of Amsterdam, what they think about is its old centre, developing over a series of canals organised in concentric circles.

This area is called Grachtengordel and it is without a doubt the best place to stay in Amsterdam with family in terms of convenience and old charm.

This area is also a photographer’s dream and has made Amsterdam known as one of the most instagrammable cities in the world (although I am old school and prefer the term ‘photogenic’!).

This is the best area to stay in Amsterdam with family for sightseeing, especially if you pick some of its quieter corners.

I am personally very fond of the area between the Amstel and Prinzengracht, as well as the area immediately to the West of the centre, near Jordaan (see below).

You can see my favourite itinerary around Amsterdam’s canal ring here

 

 

Plantage: located to the East of the centre, Plantage is a beautiful part of Amsterdam and one of the best places to stay in Amsterdam with kids thanks to something special: famous Artis zoo (if planning on visiting, make sure you get hold of skip the line tickets: it is that popular!).

Plantage is residential and pretty. The area has local restaurants and cafes that give it a nice yet local buzz and it is close to the city centre ‘proper’which you can reach on foot or with a short tram ride. If you have small kids and plan on using Amsterdam’s public transport system frequently during your stay, you may want to consider the IAmsterdam card

Museum Plein Like the name suggests, this is the area with the most famous Amsterdam museums, namely the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum.

This is an elegant area, immediately to the South of the canal ring and is the best area to stay in Amsterdam with family if you want easy access to the museum themselves and upscale shopping options.

While not on the canals themselves, in the museum quarter you are very much in the centre and you can easily discover the city on foot and by tram.

This area is also close to beautiful Vodelpark,which is a large green area and a family favourite for locals and tourists alike.

Jordaan: this is a beautiful, vast area to the West of the canal belt popular with tourists and locals alike. Jordaan originated as a working class area but like so many others in Europe it has developed into a magnet for artists and designers and now has many quality galleries and quirky shops.

This is a great area to stay in Amsterdam with kids if you want quiet and you don’ mind being slightly detached from the centre proper. if you are staying in this area, you may want to consider the IAmsterdam card for public transport and museums access.

Centrum: the area known as centrum is well located in terms of access to sightseeing opportunities and transport options and is a very popular base for tourists.

However, it is a very busy area, it lacks the charm of the canal belt and the residential atmosphere of Jordaan or Plantage so I place it low on my list. If you are staying in this area, choose your accommodation extra carefully to avoid noise and excessive crowds.

 

Where to stay in Amsterdam with kids: hotel or self catering?

Amsterdam offers several family friendly accommodation options both in the form of hotels and guesthouses and self catering apartments.

The decision between one and the other is vastly down to your preference and family group but there are a couple of things worth considering.

Amsterdam hotels tend to book up quickly so advance booking is necessary.

Especially if visiting at a busy time such as spring and summer (check our ‘best time to visit Amsterdam’ article here), make sure you book soon to secure a good room and a reasonable price: accommodation in Amsterdam is expensive!

My go-to website for advanced accommodation bookings is booking.com since you can often book a room with free cancellation until a few days before the time of travel.

Some of the most atmospheric hotels are in old buildings refurbished to suit modern needs. This means that sometimes the rooms are smaller than you may be used to in more recent builts and often there is no lift.

If you have a buggy to lug around, double check accessibility! This applies to hotels and apartments alike.

Self catering apartments are an excellent choice for families. They usually cost significantly less than hotels and have the added advantage of allowing you to prepare your own meals, cutting down on dining out expenses.

My go-to websites for self catering apartments is again booking.com, for the same cancellation policy as above. When renting apartments, be extra careful about accessibility: some of the most charming ones have staircases that are truly vertical and super hard to tackle with kids!

If you prefer, another useful accommodation booking tool is hotels combined. This is a price comparison website that allows you to check several booking engines to find the cheapest option. Check their Amsterdam page here

Fest family friendly hotels in Amsterdam

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These are some of the best family hotels in Amsterdam.

Prinsenhuis (apartments).These apartments are in a perfect location in what I consider the very best area to stay in Amsterdam with kids and without: the area between Prinzengracht and the Amstel.  The apartments can host up to 4 people and are very reasonably priced: they are a bit of a find and the only downside is that they are often full. If you find them available for your dates, secure them straight away as they will go quickly! Family friendly.

The bridge hotel (3 star hotel) Lovely and family friendly hotel again in my favourite area of Amsterdam, central but not overcrowded. The hotel has nice family rooms and a good breakfast and has the option of booking an apartment with room and separate living room too.

Erik Vokel boutique apartments Beautiful, design apartments located in a quiet street close to the central station. While I usually avoid this area due to the crowds, it is exceptionally convenient for transport and access to some of Amsterdam’s main attractions and therefore worth considering. Family friendly.

t Hotel (3 star hotel) beautiful hotel in a great location with attentively decorated rooms. The hotel is immaculately kept and is very family friendly: their family room hosts up to 5 people and is organised over two levels. One of the best family hotels in Amsterdam.

Hotel Dwars (3 star hotel) Great little hotel with 9 well designed rooms in a fantastic location. Their quad roomo hosts up to 4 people and is located on the top floor with no elevator, so better suited for families with older kids. Family friendly.

Monet Garden (3 star hotel): this is a boutique hotel in a great location close to central station and the family-favourite Artis Zoo. The hotel has family rooms, offers cribs and high chairs on demand and kids under 2 go free.

Hotel Sebastians (3 star hotel): well located boutique style hotel with family rooms sleeping up to 5 people (not all of them, check exact room rules as on smaller ones there may be the option of adding a bed but there is an extra charge).

Pulitzer Amsterdam (5 star hotel): this is a 5 star option and unless booked very early may prove out of budget for many. However, if yo have the chance this is a fabulous hotel with family rooms on split level. One of the best family hotels in Amsterdam if you are looking for a luxury stay.

Hotel Heye 130 (3 stars) a good value option close to beautiful Vondelpark good for families for up to 4 people. The rooms are on the small side but children are welcome. There is no capacity for extra beds.

 

I hope you find this overview of the best areas to stay in Amsterdam with kids and best family hotels in Amsterdam useful. Safe travels!