There are a few words that come to mind when the subject of airport hotels comes up. Usually, fun, cute and lively aren’t on that list. When general manager Evgeny Vreijling or his team members welcome guests, they insist Corendon Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is not an airport hotel but a hotel that happens to be near the airport. He also emphasizes that, while Amsterdam is regarded as the gateway to Europe, the hotel was designed to be a gateway to the rest of the Netherlands.

The 207-room hotel has many essential features travelers want in an airport-adjacent property, including the all-important airport shuttle, 11 well-appointed meeting rooms, a spa, gym, restaurants and easy public transportation access to city center. Pleasing, contemporary décor from Dutch design firm D/DOCK throughout the hotel is built on a Windows of Holland theme, mixing in Dutch cultural heritage motifs and maritime scenes on furniture and carpeting, as well as wall accents adorned with Delft blue china patterns. The reception area is decked out with large-scale art installations integrated into the building’s architecture.

© Elyse Glickman

Beyond that, Corendon Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has an extra coolness factor through the way actual aircraft pieces are worked into the hotel’s ambiance. A former KLM Boeing 747-400 with 30 years of service is parked in its backyard and displayed like a classic vintage car.

© Elyse Glickman

Guests can book an 11 a.m. tour for a small fee that goes inside and around the aircraft, covering its technology and storied history. Mondi Skybar 747 features a bar partially crafted from upcycled airplane parts and live music from the house band fronted by Juno Juliet. The ambiance, cocktails (be sure to try rum-based Dushi Vibes or Samphire Breeze, made with the hotel’s own branded gin) and sophisticated bar snacks are an homage to the Dutch’s historical relationships with Curaçao and other Caribbean islands.

Other conversation-starting features tie into the hotel’s sustainability initiatives. The hotel is built into a former Sony Entertainment headquarters office. The rooms received a refresh in March 2024, though 60 percent of the existing furniture was carried over from the previous hotel configuration. SCAPA, an Antwerp-based fashion and lifestyle brand loved by Dutch trendsetters, provides luxury skin and haircare amenities. Guests may also find surprises in the rooms such as tins of Stroopwafels and packets of classic Dutch hard candies.

© Elyse Glickman

Just beyond the lobby, guests can visit a cinema showing current movie releases or grab a bite at Corendon Bar & Bistro. Its grab-and-go concept serves Starbucks coffee along with sandwiches, salads and sweets made with traditional Dutch ingredients and produce from the area. The sit-down dining restaurant features a well-maintained buffet stocked with a good selection of traditional European breakfast staples. Later in the day, the buffet is Mediterranean-inspired but also includes Japanese, Thai and Indonesian dishes interspersed into the mix. Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options are also available.

© Elyse Glickman

If time permits for the traveler, excursions to other cities and towns of note can be booked at the front desk. Many are an hour or less from Amsterdam, and include Delft, Gouda, Haarlem, Leiden, Rotterdam and The Hague. Touchscreens spell out various activities inside and outside of the hotel that can be booked and paid for on the spot, or kept in mind for future visits to the Netherlands.

While the hotel’s success revolves around its purpose of convenience and location, the management and staff work hard to put the “fun” into function without getting too campy.

Corendon Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Schipholweg 275, 1171 PK
Badhoevedorp, the Netherlands
tel 3120 308 49 84