We stopped here for 3 nights and loved it. Staff were very friendly and spoke perfect english, reception is staffed 24 hours a day. Hotel was clean and modern and the double room we stopped in was plenty big enough, bathroom was a bit small but the shower was brilliant and very powerful. Ibis Stopera is a 15 minute walk from Dam Square and the train station. This was our first time here and we got the shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel for about 15 euros each, it delivered us straight to the hotel door. After a few days exploring we found how close the train station was to the hotel and so for our return journey we walked to the station and paid about 4 euros each to get to the airport. Staff at both the train station and airport really friendly and helpful. We did lots of walking and as dam square and the red light district are about 15-20 minutes walk away you definitly need to be willing and able to walk if stopping at this hotel. When leaving the hotel, if you turn right and walk around the corner you will find a realy nice bagel place, we had breakfast there each morning, it came to 12 euros for two bagels and drinks, not bad compared to hotel breakfast which was 15 euros each. We also found a lovely restaurant, La Gouch Steakhouse which is just out of the centre and is on the way from the hotel to the centre. It was always empty but we took a gamble as the place looked lovely. The food was brilliant and again, the staff went above and beyond. High lights included anne franks house, a canal boat trip and the dungeons. We also visited the sex museum, torture museum and the flower market. There's lots to do and something for everyone. Would definitly stop at Ibis Stopera again, loved every second of our visit.

Advice-- get the I amsterdam pass, things are cheaper this way-- museums, etc. Get a map of the Tram system-- it is tricky. Don't leave there without seeing the VanGough Museum and the Anne Frank House--which will change your life. People speak great English. They are very cordial and beautiful! We loved it! Also, plan a trip through Lindbergh excursions to the countryside for a half day or day. Well worth the money!!!!
We also ate a great Italian place-- will write review. Lots of good places to eat in a precious neighborhood near Westermarket near Anne Frank House.

Our recent trip to Amsterdam was our second visit travelling by rail, Eurostar from St Pancras to Brussels connecting with theThalys to Amsterdam, a total journey time of about four & a half hours. The first time we stayed at the 5star Pulitzer Hotel (a special treat!). This luxury hotel is special as it is made up of a number (26 I think ) of canal side houses and it has all the services and helpful staff you would expect from a hotel of this calibre.
This time we stayed at the 3 star Museum Square Hotel in the museum district. Although it could not compete with the Pulitzer it is a very pleasant hotel with nice rooms, helpful staff and wonderfully comfortable beds! It is conveniently situated for the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, both of which we revisited as there is so much to see. The Concert Gebouw is also opposite the hotel and we were able to get tickets for an excellent Sunday morning concert followed by lunch in the concert hall cafe. An added bonus was that we could use our concert tickets to travel freeon the tram.
There are number of very good restaurants near the hotel. We enjoyed the fish at the Brasserie Bark so much that we went back another day. We also treated ourselves to dinner at 'Keizersgracht 238', the restaurant of the Pulitzer of which we had fond memories. We were not disappointed. The food and service were first class with a lovely view of the canal lit up for the evening.
Our trip was organised by Railbookers and as usual it went like clockwork. We have also travelled with them to Avignon, Paris, Venice, Florence & Rome and invariably found the staff very knowledgeable about the hotels they use, extremely efficient and flexible in taking into account the wishes of the client.
Watch out for the cyclists in Amsterdam. They come from all directions very fast and it is up to you to jump out of the way! My favourite place is Rembrandt's house. It was amazing to look out of the window and think that this was the view he saw when he was doing his wonderful paintings. Amsterdam is a very pleasant city with many interesting places to visit and it is easy to get round on foot.

This was the second time we have visited Amsterdam. I now know why I haven't returned in 20 years and why I have been to Paris,Rome, Venice over ten times through the years. Amsterdam is worth one trip,but it is not a city to come back to continually. There is the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum,Anne Frank Huis, Rembrandt Huis,the Flower Market--but you can see all of that in two days. Dam Square is as filthy,ugly,and filled with vagrants as it was 20 years ago.It doesn't have any of the intimacy and beauty of the great piazzas in Rome,Florence,or Venice. The canals are not a "wonder" if you compare to the very charming canals in Brugges or Ghent . And certainly nothing when you compare to Venice! The food is not particularly good. I suppose if you love hearty comfort food,it is just OK. But why not have that experience in Brussels or Gent or Brugges, which are far more beautiful and charming, and certainly not lacking in cultural activities.The Dutch are particularly stoic,unappealing and unhelpful even though they speak English quite well. They are indifferent and lack the warmth and hospitality of their neighbors--the Flemish in Belgian. Even these days,the French in Paris are particularly gracious and attractive! Looking in the Cannabis stores is not something I find so interesting.Shopping is way overpriced and very unappealing. There was nothing I found so wonderful that I would have to return.I can see the Van Goghs and Rembrandts in Paris and enjoy the great food and shopping ,the hospitality of the French these days in Paris instead! Another thing to be careful of are all the cyclists. They ride at breakneck speeds and consider the street theirs. Be careful that you don't get hit---cars are not to be feared,only cyclists!