Recommended budget hotels in Amsterdam

If you’ve visited this site before you might be aware that we’ve taken the time to put special hostel and hotel lists together so if you are looking for a place in a certain neighborhood or with a certain theme, we’ve probably got you covered. But not everyone knows the area well enough for that to help out much so things can still be confusing. That’s the main reason I’ve now collected up six budget hotels that I can recommend and would be happy to stay in myself.

When I put this list together, all of these hotels had:

• A great location
• Rooms starting under €100 per night
• Free breakfast
• Great bargains compared to similar nearby places

A quick note about cheap hotels in Amsterdam

In a way, Amsterdam is similar to New York City in that rooms are almost always smaller and more expensive than you expect until you get used to how things work. This is an incredibly popular city with tourists and business people so demand is high year round. The best places with the best locations will usually start their room prices above €150 per night and it goes way up from there.

In Amsterdam a 2-star hotel doesn’t have an elevator and it almost certainly has rooms on 2 or 3 different levels. The staircases are unbelievably steep in almost all of them, so that is a common complaint after people visit for the first time, but that’s just the way this city is. If you can’t deal with a steep staircase, check that the hotel has a lift before you book. Under the current European star rules only 4 and 5-star hotels in buildings of more than three floors have to have one, so plenty of 3-star places don’t.

Recommended budget hotels in Amsterdam

Back then these hotels all had rooms starting below €100, including taxes and breakfast. Amsterdam has gotten a lot more expensive since, so as of 2026 expect most of them to cost more than that, and breakfast is often extra. The price isn’t all-in anymore either. The city adds a tourist tax of 12.5% of the room price (before VAT), so check whether the rate you’re quoted includes it.

St. Christopher’s at the Winston

This one is my favorite in the whole city and I’ve stayed here many times, even back before it became part of the trendy St. Christopher’s chain. It’s a combination hostel and “art hotel” meaning every room is decorated with something really original and no two are alike. It’s not luxurious but the staff are very friendly, the whole bottom floor is a lively pub and sports bar, and the prices are very appealing considering the great location in the non-seedy part of the Red Light District.

Hotel Amsterdam - De Roode Leeuw

This hotel is 4 stars “officially” and that might be overdoing it a bit since it won’t remind you of 4-star hotels in the US, but still it’s great value for the money with a really helpful and caring staff. The location on Dam Square is ideal, especially for a short visit of a day or two. If you check the review sites you’ll notice that some people complain that the rooms are small, but compared to other hotels in Amsterdam, and especially in this price range, they are very typical or even better.

Hotel Damsquare (formerly Hotel De Gerstekorrel)

Here’s another hotel with a great central location and modest prices to go along with it. It’s just off Dam Square so it’s close to the train station and most everything else interesting in the city. There’s no elevator, which kept it at two stars under the old Dutch rules, but as long as you don’t have a problem with a (very steep) staircase or two this can be a great bargain. Similar hotels with elevators will cost almost double.

The Albus (formerly Albus Grand Hotel)

This used to be a 3-star hotel, but it’s now The Albus, a family-run 4-star boutique hotel with 72 rooms, so it’s no longer a budget pick. It’s not far from Rembrandtplein, so it’s very close to the best and most glamorous nightlife but not so close that it’ll interfere with your sleep. The location is still great, but expect to pay 4-star prices now.

Hotel de Paris

Those looking for a 3-star hotel near Leidseplein should seriously consider the Hotel de Paris. It’s small but clean and well maintained to it has a high satisfaction level from previous guests. Room prices used to start well under €100, but 2026 listings put it closer to €150 and up. It’s less than a 5-minute walk to the heart of the busy Leidseplein Square but down a quiet street so you get the best of both worlds.

Rembrandt Classic Hotel

Here’s yet another historic 3-star hotel with a great location and very reasonable prices. This place is walking distance from pretty much everything and also on a lovely canal itself, but the immediate neighborhood is quiet and mellow so this isn’t ideal for someone who wants nightlife to be very close. Rooms used to start well under €100, which isn’t the case in 2026, so compare prices with the nearby competition before you book.