Why are Amsterdam hotels so expensive? If you’re looking for an Amsterdam hotel room in 2026 or 2027, and wonder why hotel prices are so high, if they’ll come down, and if it’s worth the money this article is for you.
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The First Reason: Local Taxes
The short answer is that Amsterdam hotels are so expensive mostly because of national and local taxes, and the local tax is going up again very soon.
In 2026 an Amsterdam hotel night carries two taxes:
- Tourist tax (charged by the city): 12.5% of your room rate. The highest in Europe. No cap, no flat fee, and no discount for longer stays.
- VAT (Sales Tax): 21%. This is a national tax. It jumped from 9% on Jan. 1, 2026, and it applies to every hotel in the Netherlands.
For a ā¬300 a night room, you pay more than ā¬75 in taxes. The hotel is only getting ā¬224.72.
That is already a lot of tax, and it is going up soon even more. The new city coalition has agreed to raise the tourist tax to 16% in 2027, then by one point a year until it reaches 20% in 2031.
Amsterdam already collects about ā¬275 million a year in tourist tax. That is 42% of everything the entire country collects.
Now you might be wondering, why is the city doing this? Is this just a money grab? To some extent, yes. But the city is also dealing with overtourism, which becomes unpleasant for both locals and people visiting. It is just too busy.
The thinking is that people with deeper pockets are also the type of tourist the city truly likes to see, culturally interested people and that they will pay the higher taxes. While people with smaller pockets will not, and that will make the city less busy and also attract the right type of visitor.
The Second Reason: The City Stopped Building Hotels
In April 2024 the city council decided that no new hotels may be built in Amsterdam. A new one can only open if another one closes, the total may not grow. The council also set a ceiling of 20 million overnight stays a year.
So while demand rises, supply is limited by law. That directly translates to higher prices for the remaining inventory. In this case it is not a booking-site trick, and most likely the prices you see are not the result of a big concert being in town (although then prices get even more outrageous).
The Third Reason: The Euro (Our Currency) Is Strong
In the past a Dollar was worth more than a Euro. Not anymore. The US Dollar lost quite some value against the Euro. Same for the British Pound, and the Canadian Dollar. So even if prices in Amsterdam stayed the same, you would still pay more because your own currency lost value.
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Why April, May, and August Are Most Expensive
In April and May, Keukenhof, the flower fields, and King’s Day on April 27 all fall within the same six weeks, and every hotel in the region prices accordingly. If your dates can move (when you’re not visiting to see the flowers, or be part of Kings Day), I would book late May or early June. And as a bonus you get longer days, the same museums, and noticeably lower rates. But if you’re planning a visit for these events, just accept the high price, and book as soon as you can. Prices only go up. Flower season is spectacular, and worth it.
August is expensive because most of Southern Europe have their summer holiday at the exact same time: France, Spain, and Italy. It feels like they all want to visit Amsterdam. If you can, plan for July or September, rates will be better, as will crowd levels be.
If You Can Afford Staying In The City Center, Stay In The Center
Here is where I disagree with most advice.
If the tax does not break your travel budget, pay it. A room with a canal view is worth more than the money it costs to have one. After eight hours in museums, walking 10 minutes back to your room with a beautiful view is so much more relaxed than standing on a platform waiting for a train to get back to your hotel. It’s luxury worth treating yourself to. And staying in the city also keeps you inside the atmosphere instead of commuting out of it.
That is the other part of the argument: the tax exists to reduce the number of visitors. If you pay it, it is working in your favor: fewer people around you, in the part of the city that was getting crowded. You are buying the thing the tax was designed for.
Here are three places I recommend:
On the canals: Hotel EstherƩa. Four stars on the Singel, family-run for more than 80 years, and it feels like a house rather than a chain. It is bold, a little theatrical, and it has the wow factor. This is my first suggestion when someone says they want the classic Amsterdam view.
ā¤· Check rates at Hotel EstherĆ©a ā
For day trips and trains: DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station. Four stars, a few minutes’ walk from every train and tram you will use, and still quiet inside. If your trip involves Haarlem, Utrecht, Zaanse Schans, or Rotterdam, this location saves you an hour a day.
ā¤· Check rates at the DoubleTree Amsterdam Centraal Station ā
For the museums: Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Amsterdam. Five stars, in the old national savings bank building on Museumplein, two minutes from the Van Gogh Museum and six minutes from the Rijksmuseum. It is the most expensive recommendation on this page but worth it if your trip is mostly about the museums. A wonderful oasis at the end of a busy day.
ā¤· Check rates at the Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium ā
If that is more than you want to spend but you still want the museum quarter, Hotel JL No76 on Jan Luijkenstraat is four stars, two 19th-century houses on a quiet residential street, two minutes from the Van Gogh Museum.
ā¤· Check rates at Hotel JL No76 ā
Choosing a base is the decision that shapes every other day of your trip, and it is the one that takes up the most time in my planning calls. For the full neighborhood breakdown, my guide to where to stay in Amsterdam covers what each area feels like at night, which matters more than most people expect.
Skip The Ring Road Hotels
Most people who decide the city center of Amsterdam is too expensive try to book a hotel out by the A10 ring road instead. I personally would avoid those, unless you need to be in the area. The Van Der Valk Zuidas and nhow are great choices if you have a conference at RAI, or need to be at the Zuid offices.
But these are not the best option if you come for the city center, even though transit links are great. You still pay Amsterdam’s tax, because you are still inside the city limits, and you get none of the reasons to be in Amsterdam. Instead you get a view of a car park, or a motorway, and a 30-minute commute.
If you are okay traveling to your hotel to save money, book a hotel nearby, but outside the city limits of Amsterdam. Here are some suggestions with similar travel times but much lower taxes.
One Town Over Saves A Lot Of Money
Every town around Amsterdam sets its own tourist tax, and none of them charge anything close to 12.5%, let alone 16% or 20%. Here is what they charge in 2026:
- Zaandam (Zaanstad): ā¬7.87 per person per night in the center
- Haarlem: ā¬6.20 per person per night
- Amstelveen: ā¬4.75 per person per night
- Utrecht: 10% of the room rate
- Hoofddorp and Schiphol (Haarlemmermeer): 6.92% of the room rate
On the left the amazingly designed Inntel Hotel in Zaandam, and on the right a picture I took in pretty Haarlem. A destination in its own.
Zaandam is a great option. You might have seen it on every influencers social account: The Inntel Hotels Amsterdam Zaandam with the stacked green Zaan houses building. It is a two-minute walk from Zaandam station, and Amsterdam Centraal is 12 minutes away by train. It is also a great base if the Zaanse Schans windmills are on your list.
ā¤· Check rates at Inntel Hotels Amsterdam Zaandam ā
Haarlem is 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal and is a great city in its own right, with the Frans Hals Museum, a fantastic Saturday market, and restaurants that are not priced for tourists. I have a full guide to things to do in Haarlem if you want to learn more about the city.
Amstelveen has the lowest tax of the group and tram and metro access to Amsterdam Zuid. It is quiet and residential, which some readers love and others find dull. Amstelveen doesn’t have many hotels, but a great location for a VRBO.
ā¤· Browse VRBO apartments and homes ā
Utrecht is 27 minutes by intercity and a full destination on its own, although at 10% its tax is the least generous of the four, and the commute is longer.
The Airport As A Smart Alternative
One of the best options if you just want to visit Amsterdam is to stay at the airport. The local municipality charges 6.92%, roughly half of Amsterdam, the train to Amsterdam Centraal takes 14 minutes and runs constantly. Most hotels have free shuttles, or inexpensive buses nearby. And on departure day you’re already at the airport instead of dragging a suitcase across a canal bridge at 6 a.m.
If you have the budget, the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport is the best of them. It connects to the terminal by a covered walkway, about two minutes on foot. No shuttle, no waiting in the rain.
ā¤· Check rates at the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport ā
If you want the same idea for less, I like the Vienna House Easy by Wyndham Amsterdam Airport in Hoofddorp. The R-net 300 bus stops outside the door and reaches the terminal in about five minutes. Just tap your contactless payment card, or phone to pay your bus fare. It costs a few euros.
ā¤· Check rates at Vienna House Easy Amsterdam Airport ā
On the left an aerial view of the Sheraton hotel Schiphol, connected to the Terminal. On the right the Vienna House by Wyndham
And if you would rather have a free shuttle than paying for a bus ticket, three four-star options run their own:
- Steigenberger Airport Hotel Amsterdam: free shuttle every half hour
- Crowne Plaza Amsterdam Schiphol: free shuttle every 40 minutes
- Bastion Hotel Amsterdam Airport: free shuttle every 30 minutes
Frequently Asked Questions About Expensive Hotels in Amsterdam
Is Amsterdam expensive to stay in?
Yes, and much more so than the towns around it. In 2026 you pay 12.5% tourist tax (and soon 16%) plus 21% VAT on an Amsterdam hotel room which is one of the main reasons it’s so expensive. Haarlem charges ā¬6.20 per person per night and is 15 minutes away by train.
What is the average cost of a hotel in Amsterdam?
The last full-year figure I trust is an average of ā¬190 per night for 2024. Rates have increased since. April, King’s Day weekend and August can run double that; while January runs well under.
Is it cheaper to stay in a hotel or an Airbnb in Amsterdam?
Usually a hotel. Amsterdam caps private holiday rentals at 30 nights a year, requires a permit, and applies the same tourist tax. The supply is small and the pricing reflects that.
Do I pay the tourist tax when I book or at the hotel?
It depends on the booking channel. Some platforms include it in the total, others leave it to be paid at check-out. Before you compare two prices, check whether both include the tax, because 12.5% is enough to flip which one is cheaper.
Is it really worth staying outside Amsterdam?
If you are staying four nights or more, or traveling as two or more people, the savings are real. For a single two-night stay, the difference is usually not worth the extra commuting.
Why are Amsterdam hotels so expensive in April?
Tulip season and King’s Day on April 27. Keukenhof, the flower fields, and the biggest street party of the Dutch year all fall inside the same six weeks. If your dates can move, late May and early June cost less and are more comfortable.
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A final note from a local guide
Amsterdam is not overcharging you. The city has decided that visitors should pay a larger share of what they cost it, and it has been very open about wanting fewer of them. That is a legitimate choice, and it is not going to reverse.
So make it a decision instead of a shock. Either pay the tax and stay somewhere in the center you will remember, or move one town out and spend the difference on the trip itself. The option I would talk you out of is the compromise in the middle, paying Amsterdam prices for a room by the ring road that gives you neither.
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