chacheetah

Hello, Has anyone flown into Amsterdam on way to another destination (ie.Africa) spent the night to break up trip and proceed the next day to destination? If so, can you recommend a decent & nice but not overly priced lodging and some things to do, see in one day? Thx! CC

PalenQ

I'd stay at the several hotels on the airport periphery or the pricey Hilton or Shearton actually in the airport.

I've stayed at IBIS and ETAP hotels that have a frequent shuttle bus to the terminal - about 15 min bus ride away.

www.accorhotels.com for either. ETAP is cheapest - about 50-60 euros for up to three in room. Modern and clean. IBIS a bit more upscale, is next door.

Then return to terminal on free shuttle and take train into Amterdam for the day and back to your airport hotel.

fall06

It's so easy to get from Schilpol to the heart of Amsterdam that I wouldn't stay at the airport. There are lots of nice B&Bs in Amsterdam that you can find with a google search, and the Amsterdam Tourist board is also very helpful. Just e-mail them with your budget, and then check their recommendations against reviews on TripAdvisor.

The best thing to do in Amsterdam is take a canal tour, even if you hate tours. The town needs to be seen from the water. Beyond that, there are wonderful museums and Amsterdam is also just a particularly nice town to walk around, enjoying the ambience, but mind the bicycles (they rule the road) and the trolleys also seem to come out of nowhere.

cailin

Yes, we flew from Dublin to Amsterdam and then the following day flew Amsterdam to Jo'burg and then on to Mozambique. We spent a night in Amsterdam. I have a dislike of airport hotels - they're all very "bog standard" and you frequently have a lot of noise as there are other travellers getting up early for flights, or arriving late, and also the overhead noise of airplanes!

In Amsterdam we went into the city and stayed at the Canal House Hotel. We found it on tripadvisor - it had great reviews - and we were not disappointed. The rooms were gorgeous! I am looking forward to taking a weekend break in Amsterdam and we will definitely stay there again.

annhig

hi, chacheetah,

we just transitted [is that a word?] through Schipol enroute to CPT and back from Jo'burg, and whilst we didn't have a lay over proper, the airport is so well organised and laid out, that I would have no hesitation in going into amsterdam for the night, rather than staying at the airport.

regards, ann

hopscotch

I once did an overnight at one of the airport hotels and then flew to Nigeria the next day. There are about a dozen hotels in the vicinity of Schiphol.

Take the train to Centraal Station. Buy a Strippenkaart at the bus-tram-metro office opposite the station and get a free system map. Take in one or two of the fantastic museums. Walk around the west side canals for a unique experience, or the east side for the hoes and sex shops.

Lunch at the Cafe Luxembourg, Spui. Have a brew at the Hoppe and chat with the locals. Dinner at the Luden, Spuistraat.

Watch out for pickpockets.

Amsterdam is a great city. You'll have fun.

PalenQ

I'd stay at the airport hotels:

boom - land - hop shuttle bus to hotel - drop luggage - back to terminal and train to town

vs. getting into town with luggage (could leave in airport left luggage however) - spend time and money getting to the hotel - much of day possible gone. Ditto the next morning - luggage and you back to airport.

If staying just one night i'd take the easy way out and schlepp at airport hotel. Also at 60 euros a much better and cheaper room than you'd ever get in town - where 100 euros or more for equivalent style.