NH City Centre Amsterdam is a 213-room four-star hotel at Spuistraat 288-292, beside the Singel canal and roughly a five to eight minute walk from Dam Square. It suits travelers who want a reliable, quiet, centrally located base with a gym, indoor parking and a tram stop nearby, rather than boutique character or canal-house charm.
The building was the head office of the Gerzon fashion company before it became a hotel, and the red-brick exterior still reads more business district than gabled canal house. A 2016 renovation replaced the older interiors with pale wood, wood flooring and neutral furnishings, and added the fitness center. Rooms vary widely in shape: some have high ceilings or split-level mezzanines, and a portion look out over the Singel.
Key facts at a glance
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Address | Spuistraat 288-292, 1012 VX Amsterdam, Burgwallen-Nieuwe Zijde |
| Class and size | Four-star, 213 rooms across five floors, renovated 2016 |
| Check-in / check-out | From 15:00 until midnight / by 12:00 |
| Wi-Fi | Free throughout the hotel |
| Food and drink | The Patio restaurant and bar, breakfast buffet, 24-hour grab-and-go market, room service 06:00-20:00 |
| Fitness | Gym included in the rate, open daily 07:00-23:00 |
| Parking | Indoor, €59 per 24 hours, four EV charging points |
| Pets | Dogs and cats up to 25 kg, €25 per pet per night, two pets per room, guide dogs free |
| Sustainability | Green Key and Bioscore certified |
| Smoking | Non-smoking throughout |
| Guest scores | 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor from about 2,950 reviews; 8.5 of 10 on HotelsCombined from about 7,500 reviews |
Where the hotel actually sits
Spuistraat runs parallel to Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, one street back from the Singel. That single street of separation is the point: you are inside the old center without sitting on the Damrak tourist corridor or in De Wallen. The stretch near number 288 is a working city street with cafés, bike traffic and the Spui square a few minutes south.
| Destination | On foot |
|---|---|
| Spui and Begijnhof | 3-5 minutes |
| Bloemenmarkt flower market | About 6 minutes |
| Nine Streets shopping district | About 6 minutes across the Singel |
| Dam Square and the Royal Palace | 5-8 minutes |
| Anne Frank House | About 12 minutes |
| Amsterdam Centraal | About 15 minutes |
| Rijksmuseum and Museumplein | About 15 minutes |
The nearest trams stop at Spui and Koningsplein, both a short walk away, with lines 2 and 12 running to Amsterdam Centraal in three stops. If you are still comparing neighborhoods before you book, our guide to where to stay in Amsterdam sets this part of the center against the Jordaan, Canal Ring, De Pijp and Oud-West.
Rooms: what the categories mean
All 213 rooms came out of the 2016 renovation with wood floors, white walls, simple light or dark wood furniture and soundproofing. Standard amenities include a flat-screen TV, desk, minibar, kettle with tea and coffee, wardrobe and a laptop-sized safe. Bathrooms are tiled, with a shower-over-tub and a rainfall head in most rooms. Higher categories add space, and some add bathrobes and an espresso machine.
- Entry-level rooms can be genuinely compact, which matters most on stays of four nights or more.
- Canal-view rooms face the Singel rather than an inner courtyard, and they are a paid upgrade rather than a lottery. Request the view in writing at booking if it is the reason you are choosing this hotel.
- Family rooms are configured with four single beds, and connecting rooms exist for larger groups.
- A few larger rooms have high ceilings or mezzanine layouts, so the floor plan you get depends on which of the joined buildings your room occupies.
- Design is deliberately neutral. Reviewers who want personality over consistency tend to be the ones who leave disappointed.
Food, drink and facilities
The Patio is the main space for breakfast, light meals and drinks: a glass-roofed atrium with hanging greenery, serving sandwiches, soups and pizzas through the day. It can also be booked out for private events of up to 80 guests. A 24-hour market by the lobby stocks beer, wine, soft drinks, salads, sandwiches and soups, which is the practical option after a late arrival.
Next door at Spuistraat 294-302 sits Restaurant d’Vijff Vlieghen, spread through five 17th-century houses with Delft Blue tiles, carved panelling and four original Rembrandt etchings. It serves Dutch cooking from 17:30, with four-, five- and six-course menus priced at €55, €67 and €77 without wine as of August 2026, and it is regularly described as the hotel’s fine-dining option.
Treat it as a separate reservation and book directly through the restaurant. Beyond that, facilities are limited by design: the free gym has a handful of cardio machines and free weights, there is 24-hour concierge cover, and bikes can be rented at the hotel. There is no spa, pool or sauna.
Renting the bikes is the most useful of those services. If you would rather have a guided first day on two wheels or on the water, compare options in our roundup of the best tours in Amsterdam.
Parking, pets and policies worth reading first
Indoor parking costs €59 per 24 hours and includes in-and-out privileges, with four EV charging points. The hotel’s location page asks guests to reserve a space by emailing [email protected], while its own FAQ states that spaces cannot be reserved in advance, so confirm by email before you drive in. Some booking channels still display an older €54 rate; the price charged on arrival is the hotel’s current one. Garage entrances in this part of the center are tight, so if you drive a van, a roof box or a tall SUV, send the vehicle height to the hotel and get written confirmation.
Dogs and cats up to 25 kg are welcome at €25 per pet per night, with a maximum of two pets per room and limited availability, so pet rooms need to be arranged with the hotel rather than assumed. Guide dogs stay free of charge. Check-in opens at 15:00 and runs to midnight, check-out is 12:00, and guests who book direct through NH and join the loyalty program can request the hotel’s Sunday late check-out of 17:00 subject to occupancy.
What you will pay beyond the room rate in 2026
Amsterdam charges tourist tax of 12.5% of the net room price, excluding VAT, with no cap on the number of nights. It is usually settled at the hotel rather than at booking. On top of that, Dutch VAT on accommodation rose from 9% to 21% on 1 January 2026, which is already inside the quoted rate. Combined, government charges account for roughly a third of what a room costs in the city this year.
- Tourist tax on a €250 net room rate adds about €31.25 per night.
- Breakfast is not always bundled. Channel listings put the buffet at roughly €24-28 per person, so a family of four eating in for three mornings can add close to €300 to the bill. Bakeries around Spui cost a fraction of that.
- Parking at €59 a day is the single largest avoidable cost here, and it is hard to justify when trams 2 and 12 stop within a few minutes’ walk.
- The city’s incoming coalition has agreed a path to 16% tourist tax in 2027, rising by one point a year to 20% by 2031. Each year’s rate still passes through the normal municipal budget process, so treat 2027 pricing as planned rather than fixed.
Getting there from Schiphol and Centraal
Trains leave Schiphol for Amsterdam Centraal about every 15 minutes and take 15 to 20 minutes. From Centraal, ride tram 2 or 12 three stops to Koningsplein and walk through to Spuistraat, or walk the whole way in roughly 15 minutes down Damrak and Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. A taxi from the airport takes about 30 minutes and costs in the region of €50, which only makes sense with heavy luggage or small children. Check in and out with the same contactless card or phone on trams, and the fare handles itself.
Arrival-day logistics, transit etiquette and the mistakes that cost first-time visitors the most time are covered in our Amsterdam travel tips, and a tested route from this part of the center is in our two-day Amsterdam itinerary.
Who should book it, and who should look elsewhere
Book it if you want a predictable four-star room in the old center, a gym, a quiet street, easy tram access and the option to bring a small dog or a car. Families benefit from the four-single-bed rooms and connecting configurations, and business travelers get soundproofing, desks and a 24-hour front desk a short walk from Centraal.
Look elsewhere if you are paying a premium specifically for canal-house atmosphere, a spa or a pool, or a hotel whose rooms feel individual. Reviewers consistently describe the interiors as competent and plain. For character-led alternatives at similar prices, our guide to the best hotels in the Netherlands covers properties such as The Dylan and INK Hotel, and families weighing neighborhoods can start with Amsterdam with kids.
When to stay in this part of the center
Late March to mid-May brings tulip season and, on 27 April, King’s Day, when the canals around the Singel fill with boats and the streets around Spui become a crowd you walk through rather than past. Book months ahead for that weekend and expect noise. June through August is the terrace and cruise season, with the longest queues at the Anne Frank House and the Rijksmuseum.
September to November is the sweet spot for value: thinner crowds, brown cafés doing what they do best, and softer rates. December brings Amsterdam Light Festival and Sinterklaas shopping, with cold rain more likely than skating; canals freezing solid enough to skate on has become rare. Whichever month you pick, book the timed-entry museums before you build the rest of the trip, and use our list of the best things to do in Amsterdam to set the order. Repeat visitors can trade the standard circuit for Amsterdam’s quieter corners.
Rates, parking prices and pet availability change without notice. Confirm the current terms on the official NH City Centre Amsterdam page before you book.
Frequently asked questions
How far is NH City Centre Amsterdam from Dam Square?
Dam Square and the Royal Palace are a five to eight minute walk from Spuistraat 288-292. Amsterdam Centraal is about 15 minutes on foot, or three tram stops on lines 2 and 12 from Koningsplein.
Does NH City Centre Amsterdam have parking?
Yes. Indoor parking costs €59 per 24 hours with in-and-out privileges and four EV charging points. The hotel asks guests to arrange a space by emailing [email protected], so confirm availability and your vehicle height before driving in.
Are pets allowed at NH City Centre Amsterdam?
Dogs and cats up to 25 kg are allowed at €25 per pet per night, with a maximum of two pets per room and limited availability. Guide dogs stay free of charge.
Do all rooms have canal views?
No. Many of the 213 rooms overlook the Singel canal, but canal views are a specific room category rather than a default. Book the view explicitly and confirm it with the hotel if it is the reason you are choosing this property.
How much tourist tax will I pay in Amsterdam in 2026?
Amsterdam charges 12.5% of the net room rate, excluding VAT, for every night of your stay, normally collected by the hotel. VAT on Dutch accommodation rose to 21% on 1 January 2026 and is already included in quoted rates.
What are check-in and check-out times?
Check-in runs from 15:00 until midnight and check-out is by 12:00. Guests who book direct with NH and join its loyalty program can request a 17:00 Sunday check-out, subject to occupancy.
