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Review: the new Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol hotel

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This is my review of the impressive Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol hotel.

It’s fair to say that there aren’t many airport hotels worldwide that you would put on your bucket list, but I had been keen to try out the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Long-term readers will recognise it, because I often use a picture of the hotel with its iconic latticed design:

…. to illustrate Hilton articles on Head for Points.  It has only been open for a couple of years and my wife has always been very positive when she has stayed there.

There are three hotels in the grounds of Schiphol airport and which are walkable – the Sheraton and the Hilton, which straddle either side of the World Trade Centre office block, and a citizenM.  The first two are reached via an elevated corridor from the lobby of the airport train station.

The Sheraton comes first and it is another two minutes to the Hilton.  It’s worth the extra walk.  The ease of access to the railway station was handy at 5am on Tuesday when I was in need of breakfast an hour before the hotel restaurant opened.

The first thing you notice when you enter the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol hotel is the cavernous interior (this is taken from the 11th floor):

…. which at ground level comprises the check-in area, bar and a large open plan seating area.

Check-in was swift.  It was only 11am but I was given my keys – apparently there is an early arrival fee (no idea what) but they waived this due to my Diamond status.  I was upgraded to an exterior facing room on one of the Executive floors and given lounge access.  As a Diamond I could also have had breakfast in the restaurant but due to two 5am starts I never made it.

Here’s my room.  I liked it a lot.  There was a big comfy bed with lots of lighting (reading light, bedside light, ‘behind bed’ light):

…. a decent desk with enough sockets:

…. and a view over the tarmac:

The bathroom was good.  I had no bath (a few rooms with a bath are available on request) but the shower was huge.  My only complaint was the water pressure which was not great.

The sink had a plasticky surface which could have been done better.  Toiletries, possibly just on the Executive floors, were Crabtree & Evelyn.

I had a coffee machine and a kettle:

What really impressed was a card I was given which offered me a choice of four gifts for being a Diamond member.  The options were:

  • four items from the mini bar
  • 15% off and a free Rituals gift from the spa
  • your choice of drink from the Axis Bar
  • one night of free car parking
  • a charitable donation

I took a €15 cocktail from the gin-driven menu in the bar, which was very good.  Given that this is on top of restaurant breakfast AND lounge access, Diamond members of Hilton Honors are VERY well treated here.

The Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol executive lounge

I was a little disappointed by the executive lounge.  It is a long thin space and was more of an eating area than somewhere to relax or work.  That said, I came here one evening from the snack session and found an impressive mix of salads, pasta etc along with hot chicken wings.  There was plenty of wine.

Lounge times are:

  • Breakfast 06.00 – 10.00
  • Pastries etc 12.00 – 21.30
  • Canapes, crudites, salad, cheese, bread etc plus alcoholic drinks  18.00 – 20.00
  • Lighter snacks 20.00 – 21.30
  • Tea, coffee, soft drinks, fruit 06.00 – 22.30

One other thoughtful touch was a staircase which ran only between the three Executive floors and the lounge.  This meant that you could access the lounge quickly without waiting for a lift to make its way up from the lobby.

Conclusion

I was very impressed by the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol hotel.   My treatment as a Diamond member was excellent and the design of the hotel and its rooms is first rate.  I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again ahead of the Sheraton or citizenM.

The hotel website is here if you want to find out more.

Looking for a hotel in Amsterdam?

We’ve reviewed a number of popular hotels in Amsterdam, including (click to read):

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Category

Hilton Honors

Comments (38)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Phil Gollings says:
    18 Oct18 October 06:24

    There is a city tax to pay which I queried as it is nowhere near Amsterdam (you need to get a train) and as described the Exec lounge is poor.
    If you land on a BA flight be prepared for a very long walk to the exit and then to the hotel (you will get your steps in for the day)

    • John says:
      18 Oct18 October 07:34

      You were not charged a “city tax” but the Netherlands tourist tax. This tax varies by municipality.

      AMS is located in Haarlemmermeer municipality which for some years has charged 6.05%, the highest rate in the country. Amsterdam has the second highest rate of 6.00%, which was raised from 5% in 2017.

    • Delbert says:
      18 Oct18 October 13:54

      We tend to find the long walk is dependent on which BA flight you arrive on. If departing from LGW then we’re invariably dropped near D26 [long walk] and coming from LHR, like last week, we were dropped at D4 [short walk]. Oh, and it’s obviously the same for the return journey.

  • BJ says:
    18 Oct18 October 07:14

    First time I recall you being happy with your Diamond recognition. Have you stayed at a CitizenM hotel or did you reach your conclusion on another basis? I have not stayed at a CitizenM hotel but have heard only good things from those I know who have. It is difficult to pass on top tier benefits to try someplace else.

    • Rob says:
      18 Oct18 October 08:35

      Never stayed in one and I had to be at the Sheraton for the event so it made sense not to stray further than the hotel next door. I should pop into the Tower Hill one in London at some point.

      • Iain says:
        18 Oct18 October 09:17

        Used the CitzenM in NYC and Glasgow and been impressed. Rooms are small but perfectly formed – good for a base if out exploring.

    • Alex says:
      18 Oct18 October 18:58

      Well I’m only a Gold (through Amex Plat) but it’s been great. Been 4 times, got the Exec floor 3 times. And those views!!! (Also, even though you see the planes, it’s astonishingly well sound-insulated, you can’t actually hear them).
      It’s probably the only airport hotel I look forward to going to.

  • Jon says:
    18 Oct18 October 07:26

    Rob – any idea if you are treated as a diamond if you book as a diamond and then your status expires before you go to stay?

    • Rob says:
      18 Oct18 October 08:34

      This is how Hilton used to work, not sure if they have improved their systems since!

  • John says:
    18 Oct18 October 07:49

    Quite poor for an airport hotel to only start breakfast at 0600.

    Rates at this hotel are ridiculous with the cheapest being €165 including tax over the next 12 months (btw I thought EU hotels had to display tax-inclusive prices, but the NL Hiltons don’t). Usually over €200.

    • Anna says:
      18 Oct18 October 08:00

      I looked into the issue of displaying taxes as it annoys me (as well as their prices all converting into $ when you go through to the payment page). It looks as though Hilton are exempt because they are not based in the EU.

      • Rob says:
        18 Oct18 October 08:29

        It’s not that. The ‘inclusive pricing’ rule is UK law, not European law. Only applies to UK hotels.

        • RussellH says:
          18 Oct18 October 13:13

          AIUI, VAT must be included in the published price (and that is, usually the significant chunk of tax) throughout the EEA, at least. But I do not have ever seen a City Tax, tax de séjour, Kurabgabe etc included in a hotel’s published price.
          Given that these are mostly quite small, and are levied by the local authority who sometimes make up weird rules and change the amount on a whim.
          When I was selling holiday packages to Germany I had to advise customers that while I always tried to include all taxes in my prices, there were a few places where this was not permitted, as the tax had to be paid by the hotel guest in person, and also, sometimes, in cash, even if the main bill was settled by a card payment.

        • RussellH says:
          18 Oct18 October 13:14

          Sorry, there is some rubbish grammar in the above, but I hope that the meaning is still clear!
          🙂

      • Jamie says:
        18 Oct18 October 14:55

        Try the two Hiltons in Budapest for adding nearly 20% extra. Prague is now close to that too. Hilton really has gone down the pan since they moved their scheme towards revenue and starting offering Diamond status to the world.

  • Matthew says:
    18 Oct18 October 07:50

    I had the opposite experience at this hotel. Diamond status too but no upgrade. Booked 2 rooms and one wasn’t ready until 6pm. A four hour wait after we had arrived. Then it had a strong odour in it!

    It’s quite a walk from the station area. I don’t mind that but I did think it was literally a stones throw away.

    Had to chase points weeks later as they never posted either!!

    Wouldn’t rush back…

    • Rob says:
      18 Oct18 October 08:30

      Got my points this morning from a Tuesday check-out!

      It is only 3-4 minutes walk and virtually all on Travelators if you’re really lazy.

      • Matthew says:
        18 Oct18 October 12:39

        Must have felt longer with a 4 and 2 year old in tow and heaps of luggage for our NZ trip…

    • Maggie says:
      18 Oct18 October 08:32

      It’s not the room’s fault that it smelt when you farted in it…

  • Keith Jenner says:
    18 Oct18 October 08:12

    Looking at the pictures, it looks very similar inside to the Hilton at Copenhagen Airport (where we stayed a couple of years ago). The inside view looking down to the ground level could almost have been taken there (at least from my memory).

    I wonder whether this is a design used in a few places.

    I very much liked the Copenhagen one, by the way. We are Gold and were treated very well, with Lounge access despite not being given an Executive room.

  • Paul Higham says:
    18 Oct18 October 09:20

    I stayed many times last year and have an impressive collection of miniatures from the room minibars as proof. It was on our corporate travel website so we got good rates, and for many weeks it was cheaper than both the Garden Inn At Biljmer Arena, which was adjacent to where I was working, and the Doubletree in the City.

    As a Diamond I was always well treated and enjoyed staying there a great deal. Restaurant and bar menus at first appeared static, but did actually vary at the fringes, and I could eat and drink within expense limits (unchanged since 1999).

    The Exec Lounge is a little undersized, hence a slightly uncomfortable mix of casual and work areas. It was however a top place to earwig the conversations of the (generally freight) pilots and understand the lack of glamour in the job.

  • Russell says:
    18 Oct18 October 09:22

    That interior, with the balconies overlooking the central atrium, is identical to the Hilton at Madrid Airport. I was really impressed when I stayed there too. Beautiful piece of design.

    • Doug M says:
      18 Oct18 October 10:03

      Embassy Suites in the USA are mostly like this. I really favour them, in no way luxury, but clean and spacious. The real benefit for me is an often felt sense of enclosure in hotel rooms with long corridors and little in the way of external reference. The ES model of lounge space with windows facing interior atrium is very relaxing. Seems petty but I know after two days in one I’m much happier than 2 days in more typical hotel.

      • Anna says:
        18 Oct18 October 14:11

        I like Embassy Suites as well, though it’s slightly like staying in a shopping centre!

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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