cheapest way friend is book your flights with easy jet im goin for 5 days in febuary with friends and only costing £35 thats a return!! from edinburgh to the dam, then for hotel get on expedia.co.uk and you'll find loads of hotels there, for 5 nights in febuary from thursday to the tuesday its costing £35 for the flight and £160 each for the room with 2 people sharing, but also come june summer time prices to go up went last july and cost £280 from saturday to the tuesday...also check out
http://www.nh-hotels.com ....they have 3 hotels or more in amsterdam with city central being only 2 minutes walk from the dam square and just far away enough from the noise but close enough to the action!!!, you'll find them on expedia also but if you book direct with them its £20 cheaper... also kadinskys coffee shop is just across the road and also softland both good coffee shops, and about 15 minute walk from central station but very easy to find.