By the 1990s family businesses and small-scale industries were being replaced by professional and service industry-propelling Amsterdam on the trade map of the world. Trade and tourism go hand-in-hand, and today Amsterdam is the fourth-most-popular tourism destination behind London, Paris and Rome. The NH Schiphol Airport is a busy airport with hotels in the near vicinity and providing full service to the business and leisure traveler alike. For someone on a short business trip with the majority time being spent in boardrooms or conferences, staying at one of Amsterdams airport hotels works out to your advantage. Most hotels have excellent to reasonable rooms with basic amenities such as refrigerator, TV, Internet access on hourly or 24-hour packages, telephone with ISD services and voice mail, mini bar, and car parking services at no extra charge. While checking in to the hotel, the priority should be minimum distance from the airport. If shuttle service is provided or has direct access to arrival and departure halls, that is a plus. The airport has a train station underneath it, so there is no hassle in exploring the city after work and returning to the comfort of your room. The airport hotels cater to different budgets providing facilities depending on the status of the hotel. Most 5- or 4-star hotels have state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a wide selection of restaurants offering buffets or la carte menus, and stylized rooms. Some hotels do not include breakfast and charge for car parking by the hour. Few hotels offer discounts if booking is done through Internet in advance, favoring the busy traveler using Amsterdam as a transit point for a few days. The disadvantage of staying in an airport hotel is felt by visitors wanting accessibility to different areas. Though the Amsterdam airport is well connected to Central Station through an underground railway system, buses, and private transport, the feeling of city centrality is best experienced at an in-town hotel. |
