The best hotels near Amsterdam airport

The perfect Amsterdam airport hotel. CitizenM is just a few minutes’ walk from the main concourse at Schiphol Airport and offers everything the weary traveller needs in a refreshing atmosphere. Public areas, awash with designer chairs, with many a restful nook, and full of artsy designer bric-a-brac, are a joy to hang out in. When it comes to the rooms, money is invested in the directions that guests most appreciate: a huge, incredibly comfortable bed, effective blackout screens, and good soundproofing. There’s a good, varied breakfast, and fuller meals available at mealtimes. Salads, sushi, sandwiches and microwaveable meals are available 24/7.

Just eight minutes’ walk from the airport concourse through a covered walkway, the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is a striking flourish of contemporary architecture, with a calming interior that takes you away from airport bustle. Really friendly staff help smooth the edges off travellers’ ire and weariness, and there’s a good spa, with a steam room, sauna and whirlpool. The Bowery Restaurant (enlivened with Dutch-themed décor) serves a good breakfast buffet, as well as a wide range of other meals, from poké bowls to Josper grills. The restaurant has a small outdoor terrace, if you’re gasping for natural light and fresh air.

The Sheraton is supremely well situated, just five minutes’ walk from the airport concourse under a covered walkway. The excellent restaurant is worth a visit in its own right, one of the few hotels near Schiphol airport where you are really able to escape an airport-eatery atmosphere. Think perfectly seared tuna with a lemon, ginger and coriander rub, accompanied by barbequed celeriac; zingy ceviche; or pearl barley vegetable risotto. The breakfast buffet is superb, with an omelette station, pancakes and waffles and cold cuts. Faintly Art Deco rooms are good sized and well sound-proofed, reducing airport noise to the almost indiscernible.

The hotel is on airside (after check-in, passport control and security), close to international flight departure gates. There are no other facilities, but drinks and food (pizza, salmon with mash and veg) are available through reception, as well as earplugs, toothbrushes and other items you may need. There’s 24/7 free tea, coffee and hot chocolate too. Rooms are tiny (think boat cabin, or sleeper-train compartment) but cleverly thought-out design features make them bearable. The bed folds up into a sofa, giving you more room and somewhere to relax; a flap-down workstation has ample space for an iPad or laptop; and there are plenty of power plugs for recharging.

An imaginatively designed hotel just over 10 minutes by train to Schiphol airport. Expect luxurious beds and sparky service at a knock-down price. There’s a strong flavour of Amsterdam in the design: bicycle-wheel sculpture, flower patterning on carpets and ceilings, guests’ handwritten messages left on a wall of bicycle carriers. In the rooms, king-sized mattress and Egyptian cotton linen make the bed a dream. A reasonable breakfast (meats, cheeses, cereals, fresh fruit salad and boiled eggs) is served in the lobby-lounge, and a good variety of toasted sandwiches are on offer during the day. The lounge-bar turns out classic cocktails.

Designer chic meets capsule-hotel at this option 12 minutes from the airport by public transport. There’s more ample space, classier fittings and a hipper atmosphere than you’d expect, attracting budget-conscious people with an eye for style. The rooms, though snug, have flair. There’s a king-sized double bed, approached through an open-plan bathroom (smoked glass just about preserving modesty around shower and loo). A Samsung Galaxy controls everything from lighting to the blinds. The restaurant operates 24/7 and offers salads, sandwiches and sushi, as well as microwaveable meals.

A hostel (which also has private rooms) 12 minutes from the airport using public transport. Staff are helpful and welcoming. It’s simple, spotless, functional and fine for a short break, or if you need easy access to the airport. Staff are helpful and welcoming, and though you’re in an unattractive part of town, out of the centre, transport connections are swift and frequent. There’s a games area with pool and table football, and a well-equipped kitchen (hobs, fridge, microwave, toaster, coffeemaker; also a washing machine and drier). With the exception of a few teeny singles, rooms are more spacious than you’d usually find at this price range.

A modern hotel on the western outskirts of town six minutes’ walk from the airport. Apartments – ranging from studios to one-, two- and three-bedroomed units – are spacious, well-equipped, comfortable, colourfully decorated and offer a good price to quality ratio. All have smart televisions, and bathrooms are large with walk-in showers. There’s also a sauna, laundromat, a large gym with natural light, and a games area with pool and table football. Families, young holidaymakers and business folk are the main clientele and, together with neighbourhood workers and residents (it’s the best café in the area), help create a convivial atmosphere.

A simple, clean, quiet hotel in the transit area of the airport (so only accessible if you have a valid passport and airline ticket) with helpful staff. Rooms do not have windows (but then many guests are operating on a different time zone). They are not huge, though there’s quite enough space for two people to move around with their hand luggage. There’s satellite television to while away the time and an iron to help smarten up for the next step of the journey. No restaurant or bar within the hotel itself, though plenty available within a few minutes’ walk. This is also one of the few Amsterdam hotels with a shuttle service.