Amsterdam is a very safe city, provided you keep a sharp lookout for bicycles which appear to have right of way everywhere. Avoid the red light district south of the Oude Kerk unless you are very broad minded.
Buses and trams are excellent for moving round. Buy a strippenkaarten from a tobacconists or from the office in front of Centraal Station.
The Canal Boat Tours are useful with a multilingual commentary and glass tops to the boats so you get excellent views of the fine houses lining the canals. There are several starting points – your Hotel will be able to tell you the nearest.
Museums the Rijksmuseum is currently partially closed for renovation but they are making a special effort to put some of their better known exhibits on display in the part that remains open.
The VanGogh Museum has been greatly extended recently and is well worth a visit whilst the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art covers all art after the Rijksmuseum, apart from Van Gogh.
Hotels – the Jan Luyken at Jan Luykenstraat 58 is convenient for museums as is the aptly named Hotel Museum at PC Hoofstraat 2. I’ve stayed at the Hotel Van de Kasteelen near museumplein. The hotel is non-smoking (that was very important to me in choosing a hotel), and is three stars. I would absolutely recommend it as a place to stay for those not wishing to spend a ridiculous about on a hotel. Our room there was about 100 euros/night.
You can stay at the Carlton on Vijzelstraat also, on the corner by the floating Flower Market. A good central spot with excellent tram connections to the museum area. All these are clean and safe as are almost all 3* and better Hotels in Amsterdam so far as I am aware.