Rembrandtplein, as it sleeps
Hotels spread out in every direction from the square, and the differences between them change how a session feels. Rooms directly on the Rembrandtplein or the Thorbeckeplein are central and lively, but bass from the clubs below can travel through the floor until very late. The boutique hotels on the Utrechtsestraat, with its restaurants and small shops, are noticeably calmer, and so are the grand hotels facing the Amstel near the Blauwbrug, where rooms are large and the view is river rather than neon. The Reguliersgracht, known for the line of bridges you can see from its corner, holds some of the quietest canal-house rooms in the centre. Whichever you have, think about the lighting before she arrives. Many rooms in this area put every ceiling fitting on a single switch; a bathroom light left on with the door ajar gives an oil session the low, warm glow it wants. Keep a bottle of water by the bed as well, since the night before probably involved a good deal less of it.