Best Hotels/Neighborhoods in Amsterdam for First Time Travelers

My Dad and I are traveling to Amsterdam this spring for 4 days and are having a hard time deciding what's the best hotel to book. It's our first time in the city so hoping to get the most out of walking around in the area we stay in. We don't need to stay in the most tourist heavy areas and we aren't going to be shopping at chain stores but we also don't want to be too far out. More than anything, we're hoping to explore, walk to local restaurants, and take in the beauty of Amsterdam. What would be the best part of town for us to stay in?

The hotels that have popped up on our radar and in our price range are:

• The Hoxton Amsterdam
• Clayton Hotel Amsterdam
• NH Amsterdam City Centre
• NH Amsterdam Schiller
• NH Collection Flower Market
• NH Amsterdam Leidseplein