The Canal Ring and Jordan area (that is to say between the Singel canal and the Prinsengracht canal)

Closer to the historic centger IME is not always the best when talking about Amsterdam - the centrum can be boisterous at night and attracts at times an unsavory crowd in certain streets (like anything east and north from the Centraal train station to the Dam Square - the so-called Red-Light District.
Anyways my favored district to stay in is around the Museum Plein - actually between it and Vondel Park - a very quiet part of town, especially the farther you go down the east side of Vondel Park - real quiet residential neighborhood residence inn hotels with oodles of small stores, cafes and 'petit' (small but cozy) restaurants, etc.
And trams take you from here to anywhere in Amsterdam in a few minutes - it is also not so far out - a few-minute walk to the Leidesplein - I always walk to everywhere from my hotel in this area - central Amsterdam is surprisingly residence inn hotels compact - a few square miles holds just about everything of interest.
And this area is about as safe as Amsterdam comes - no seedy types milling about - Vondel Park itself is a verdant residence inn hotels oasis if you like to exercise residence inn hotels by walking, jogging residence inn hotels or renting bicycles there to explore its vast verdant expanses!
We stayed just east of Nieuwmarkt Square in the city center last time and that was a really great location. The square has lots of bars and restaurants with outside terraces, which was nice - we could hang out late in our own neighborhood. Also, we were within easy walking distance of lots of stuff and then of course there are the trams.
I had heard some of the same things about staying in the city center that PalenQ mentions, but I was pleasantly surprised by this neighborhood and in fact how small the "bad" parts of Amsterdam are. We were literally just a few blocks from the red light district and it was totally fine - you never would even know that there was a red light district from there. I guess the Nieuwmarkt Square used to be known as a shady area, but they must have done some urban renewal or something, because it is great now.
Well yes I got my south mixed up with my north, thanks hetismij for the correcto - and Amsterdam has in general - from a viewpoint of going there annually on business for decades and now for pleasure cleaned up its act a lot so there are fewer and fewer drug addicts on the streets, etc.
The Jordaan is a fine fine area as well that is closer in and has many lovely lovely canals - beware old hotels however with unfathomably narrow twisting stairs and old plumbing - it the hotel does not have a lift be wary... but yes the Jordaan is IMO the most gorgeous part of Amsterdam and also neat.
Heck any part of Amsterdam is decent residence inn hotels it seems save for the red-light district itself - dotted with very cheap hotels and hostels that with a few exceptions can be real grungy and attract residence inn hotels a grungy crowd.
Your mode of transport may influence the location - Jordaan is close to the main train station - walkable for many. Museumplein is a few miles out - but infinitely better for motorists as parking is actually possible - seems non-existent and driving into it impossible.
Thanks, everyone. To answer some of your questions: We would like to somewhere where it might be possible to walk to some sights. We want to stay somewhere very safe. We plan to stay in a 5-star hotel. We want to visit all the major museums and stroll around to see the canals. We plan to take one side trip to see the tulips at Keukenhof (sp?).
residence inn hotels For a 5-star hotel consider the Okura, on the banks of the Amstel River - a busy waterway residence inn hotels in the heart of Amsterdam though on the southeastern edge of central Amsterdam - but still a great location and a short walk from many sites.
of the Hotel Dylan, residence inn hotels on Keisergracht, one of the nice canals - hidden behind an ancient facade that is a facade only - like many old canal houses have only their facades left and everything else behind is modern.
The Canal Ring and Jordan area (that is to say between the Singel canal and the Prinsengracht residence inn hotels canal) is perfect for a first time visit. It is pretty quiet as it is mostly residential (except for a few squares streets). It is drop dead gorgeous. It's charming with a phot op at every canal intersection and along all the canals. It's an easy walk to most tourist sights.
Thanks, everyone. To answer some of your questions: We would like to somewhere where it might be possible to walk to some sights. We want to stay somewhere very safe. We plan to stay in a 5-star hotel. We want to visit all the major museums and stroll residence inn hotels around to see the canals. We plan to take one side trip to see the tulips at Keukenhof (sp?)
We usually try to stay in non American-type hotels when abroad, residence inn hotels but quite frankly, I so loved the location and the rooms of the Marriott Amsterdam residence inn hotels near the Museumplein I booked for a last-minute trip that I booked it again. It really suited residence inn hotels our needs on all counts.
The Jordaan is lovely, however, you don't have many public transport options, residence inn hotels as the area north of Rozengracht isn't well served by trams. I used to live there, and the constant having to walk a pretty long distance to a tramstop was a hassle. Around Museumplein has much better trams imo and it's a better area too.