The Best Cheap Hotels in Amsterdam

The Lloyd Hotel and Cultural Embassy is one of Amsterdams best affordable hotels and has a fascinating history
The Lloyd Hotel and Cultural Embassy is one of Amsterdam's best affordable hotels and has a fascinating history | Courtesy of Lloyd Hotel / Expedia
Ben West

Amsterdam is a fantastic place to visit but can be quite expensive if you’re not careful, so it’s fortunate there are plenty of good budget hotels where you can stay. The great Dutch city has some of the finest museums in Europe, such as Rembrant House Museum, the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum, as well as a great cafe culture by the canals. Explore some lesser-known neighbourhoods such as De Pijp and Westergas staying at these hotels, one of which has previously been an artists’ studio, refugee centre and prison.

1. Monet Garden Hotel Amsterdam

Hotel

Monet Garden Hotel Amsterdam. Smart hotel lobby with colourful chairs and tables next to a glass door hotel entrance.
Courtesy of Monet Garden Hotel Amsterdam / Expedia

This four-star boutique hotel is centrally located in the Marken neighbourhood. Monet Garden features 105 guest rooms, many of which boast canal views. Popular attractions, including the Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam Flea Market, National Opera and Amsterdam Botanical Garden, are a short walk away, and the nearest metro station, Waterlooplein, is a five-minute walk from the hotel. Café Waterlooplein 77 round the corner is a great hangout.

2. Conscious Hotel Westerpark

Boutique Hotel

Conscious Hotel Westerpark. Picture of the moon above a white bed in a small hotel room opposite a yellow railing.
Courtesy of Conscious Hotel Westerpark / Expedia

In middle of Westerpark, a park area with green spaces and classic redbrick Amsterdam architecure, this eco-hotel is situated in a historic building overlooking the Westergas area, a hotspot for cultural events and markets. Conscious Hotel is run totally on wind energy and only organic food and drinks are served at both the pink-walled Conscious Café, a great spot for a pick-me-up coffee and healthy snacks, and on-site bar and restaurant, Bar Kantoor.

3. CityHub

Capsule Hotel

CityHub. Casual cafe area with some exposed brick walls, some long tables, chairs and a couple of sofas on the right.
Courtesy of CityHub / Expedia

CityHub’s communal areas have a hostel feel and the rooms are kitted out with tech, including wifi, app-controlled lighting and a personal audio streaming system. You can easily make new friends at the self-service bar and the hotel’s 24/7 city hosts are on hand to help you experience the city beyond the tourist hotspots, so you can explore like a local.

4. The Student Hotel

Budget Hotel

The Student Hotel. Modern, open-plan hotel lobby with dark chairs, tables and exposed ceiling vents.
Courtesy of the Student Hotel Amsterdam City / Expedia

Despite the name of this hotel, guests from all walks of life stay here. Situated slightly outside the historic centre, where the De Pijp neighbourhood meets Amsterdam-Oost, the minimalist, concrete feel is livened up by brightly coloured furniture and street art murals. Rooms are generously sized and clean and each one has a double bed, shower room and desk, plus there are large communal areas including a restaurant and bar, workspaces and a gym. There is another Student Hotel in the city, in Amsterdam West.

5. Hotel Dwars

Hotel

Hotel Dwars. Exposed timber frames next to two single beds pushed together in a small loft-like hotel room. Small window at the back.
Courtesy of Hotel Dwars / Expedia

This small hotel is down a side street in the canal district, near good restaurants, boutique shops and the nightlife of Rembrandtplein. Its rooms mix vintage, modern and repurposed furniture with stylish touches, like original centuries-old exposed brick and colourful throws. The ensuite rooms have a TV and coffee machine. Though the hotel doesn’t provide breakfast, there are good cafes just steps away.

6. CitizenM Amstel

Budget Hotel

CitizenM Amstel. Modern, open-plan hotel seating area with colourful chairs and tables facing a wall-mounted TV. Books and modern art cover the wall.
Courtesy of CitizenM Amstel / Expedia

Each of the 88 rooms at this sleek hotel has an extra-large bed and a Philips electronic MoodPad, allowing you to control the lighting, blinds, temperature and ambience without getting out of bed. There’s a communal lounge with designer furniture and a cafe and it’s just a 10 minute walk from the historic centre. CitizenM, a chain of budget hotels, also has sites near Schiphol Airport and in the business district south of the centre.

7. Motel One Amsterdam

Budget Hotel

Motel One Amsterdam. Hotel room with two single beds pushed together in the middle, a dark ceiling-height headboard behind them and a window on the left.
Courtesy of Motel One Amsterdam / Booking.com

This bright, imaginatively designed contemporary hotel is well situated near Waterlooplein Platz and its popular flea market, as well as a number of cultural attractions such as the Dutch National Opera and Ballet and Rembrandt House Museum. It has rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, luxurious beds and funky lounge and bar areas. There’s a workstation too and pets are welcome.

8. Lloyd Hotel and Cultural Embassy

Boutique Hotel, Budget Hotel

Lloyd Hotel. Frontal exterior view of the hotel building, with the hotels signage at the top and rows of windows beneath.
Courtesy of Lloyd Hotel / Expedia

This hotel has history. Since opening in 1921, it has been a prison, refugee centre, juvenile detention centre and an artists’ studio. More than 40 artists were involved in the interior design, so your room decor could be anything from art deco to modern, with features like exposed wooden beams. There are also studio flats with kitchens and rooms with up to seven beds. The Lloyd is in the Eastern Docklands, about two kilometres (one-and-a-quarter miles) from Centraal Station. You can relax with a beer on the terrace, peruse the hotel library or hire a bike to explore the city.

If you’re still looking for more places to stay, check out our guide to the best boutique hotels in Amsterdam, or these hotels with balconies. To get a real feel for the city, read our rundown of where to stay in Amsterdam like a local and book now with Culture Trip.

Sarah Gibbons contributed additional reporting to this article.

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