Staying at AMS Amsterdam Airport Hotel before cruise

With hotels being so expensive in Amsterdam (near train station or cruise port), we were thinking about staying at an airport hotel the day before our cruise. Then taking the hotel shuttle back to the airport and taking the train into Amsterdam. We have taken the train before from the airport to the train station and it was really economical (like 18 euros for two). Has anyone done this before? Or do you have hotel suggestions for the airport or reasonable hotels in Amsterdam.

Your plans sounds fine, as long as you don’t mind not seeing any of the city before your cruise. And there are so many hotels in Amsterdam, you should be able to find something for a reasonable price (although I agree that the hotel airports tend to offer better value).

Some of the airport hotels are actually close to another train station (Hoofddorp), or there may be buses that pass close by, so you don’t necessarily have to spend time going back to the airport to get the train into the city.

We did spent two full days in Amsterdam the last time we cruised from Amsterdam. We stayed at the Park Plaza last time for two nights at $200 a night. This hotel is not available. I checked the Movenpick and they want close to $600 a night. So that's why I thought that an airport hotel would be much cheaper.

Some of the airport hotels are actually close to another train station (Hoofddorp), or there may be buses that pass close by, so you don’t necessarily have to spend time going back to the airport to get the train into the city.

Would the trains from Hoofddorp take us to the main station in Amsterdam?

Try and check websites like hotels.com and booking.com They often have good deals and on their website you can check location too. It is so much nicer to stay in town.

We have never been to Amsterdam. We are going to spend a week pre-cruise on land before our 16 night Ireland Transatlantic cruise on September 1. Here are our plans so far and after a lot of research I think it will work:

Day 1 - Arrive in Amsterdam at 10:45 AM after an overnight flight. We already have (refundable) reservations at the Dorint Hotel made through Priceline near the airport for less than $100/night after fees, taxes and conversion. We plan to take the complimentary shuttle to the hotel and drop off our bags,then take the train into Amsterdam for a low energy orientation tour such as the HOHO bus or a canal cruise. Have dinner in town, then return to the hotel early enough to get a good night sleep.

Day 2 - Check out of the Dorint early and take the shuttle bus back to the airport where we will pick up our rental car. Drive to Bruges, stopping in Delft on the way. Check into our hotel in Bruges. Evening in Bruges.

Day 3 - Tour Bruges.

Day 4 - Morning in Bruges, then check out of the Bruges hotel and drive to Haarlem, where we have a VRBO rental. Evening in Haarlem.

Day 5 - Tour the windmills and small fishing villages around Amsterdam.

Day 6-7 - Return rental car and spend the next couple of days exploring Amsterdam and Haarlem.

Day 8 - Shuttle to the port???

We didn't want to drive to Bruges immediately after getting off a long flight, so we felt the airport hotel was our best one night option. Prices in town were ridiculous for that one night, IMHO. We are hoping it won't be too much of a hassel to go into town and take a HOHO tour or canal cruise. We will be tired, so a lot of walking is not what we want. But, because of possible flight delays, we don't want to make pre-paid reservations for anything that day either. We are more small village & scenery types, rather than big city/museum types, so we think this plan will work for us. Fingers crossed and prayers as always!:)