Most hostels and hotels over Vondel Park way will be quite a bit cheaper because they are that bit further away, but there are few places that can't be reached either on foot or by bicycle!
That said, I know what it's like to be completely battered at the end of a long night and the last thing you want to have to face is a long slow walk back to your digs... so, here's the best bet - use the fantastic public transport system here.
Once you've worked out that the big metal killing machines (trams) that fly down the main streets on rails and don't seem to stop for anything can be your friends (you've just got to stop walking out in front of them...), then things will go a lot easier and you'll fly around Amsterdam like a seasoned pro!
Regular service on the trams, trains, metro and buses runs from about 6am to 00.30am, but there is a night bus service - I think it might be the 353 - which goes every hour down past Vondel Park through til about 5 in the morning... it'll cost you €3,50 for the nightbus unless you already got one of the GVB 24/48/72/96 hour tickets, which gives you unlimited travel on pretty much everything, including the night buses for you night-owls!
Prices for these tickets are below;
24 hours € 7,00
48 hours € 11,50
72 hours € 14,50
96 hours € 17,50
more info here;
http://www.gvb.nl/english/travellers/ti ... ckets.aspx
I only ever stayed in a dorm/hostel room once, and it's not something that personally floats my boat. It all depends on how many there is in your group, of course. If there's enough of you to book an entire room, then cool, but keep an eye on your stuff. It only takes one light-fingered scum-bag to ruin a perfectly good holiday, and if you look around, you can find some good rates on the cheaper
hotels, with better facilities and security, especially further out of the center of town - though I'd avoid any of the "Quentins" like the plague. I'd rather stop in a police cell overnight.
But to sum up... basically, you'll find cheaper deals further out of the center of the city, but you'll be travelling further - which can be half the fun!
Have a look on here
http://www.booking.com/country/nl.html?aid=200156 and you'll see dorm rooms from around €15 per night. The Sphinx, for example, is €15 per night with breakfast included
and a safety deposit box in the room! No idea what it's like, but if you're young and up for this sort of thing, then go for it!
Thank you for your contribution. Pax.