airport or city center??

Sure - what's wrong with staying out at the airport for the final night? I've stayed in town a number of times. Once I booked an airport hotel on Hotwire because I had a flight out the next day and it worked out fine.

I have not stayed at the Ibis Budget in Amsterdam - but I stayed at one in Antwerp. Just know that this "Budget" brand is very, very basic indeed. I got a good price on the one where I stayed, but it was very no-frills, not exactly a desired place to stay.

If you don't mind locking yourself into that final night, consider Hotwire or Priceline and get an airport hotel like I did - but they are completely non-changeable/non-refundable once booked. (For Priceline, look at "Express Deals" where they don't tell you the name of the actual hotel until you've booked it and can't change your mind.) You may or may not get one with a free airport shuttle (mine did). But if you save enough money, the cost of a cab to/from the airport may still make it affordable. My airport hotel was very new and modern - a 4-star I think. Bland and dull but otherwise very comfortable - light years better than the Ibis Budget and probably not much more expensive.

If you can get an affordable hotel near the train station? Then go for that. I'm guessing the airport hotel will be cheaper on Hotwire or Priceline, however.

Or find another hotel for all four nights that's affordable.

Have you looked on Booking.com? Use the map feature.

We once were flying out of Schiphol and found Hotel Schiphol to be the best kept secret in the city. It's on A4 just west of the airport, and they will take you to and from the airport. Our room was the largest and possibly nicest room we've ever had anywhere. From the airport, you can be downtown in 15 minutes via train. This is a predominantly business hotel and convention property.

Go onto Booking.com and enter "Van der Valk Hotel A4 Schiphol". Today, they're quoting $91.

Thanks Andrew & David

I would like to stay at the airport, but, as I'm understanding from reading through several posts, staying near Centraal station is quicker/more convenient than relying on a shuttle.

I might consider Priceline - the problem with Priceline is that your bid covers a room for 2 people - we are 3. If they only have a double bed available, I don't want one of us sleeping on the floor before a long haul flight.

I also looked at Van der Valk hotel ($180 on hotels.com/$250 on booking.com) - too much for what it is (prices are probably higher than what you found because there are 3 of us)

Any advice on Ibis Budget vs Ibis? There's not a huge price difference - is the 'regular' much better? We plan on heading to the hotel (if we stay outside the city center) later in the evening (around 9), so we would only need a place to sleep for around 9 hours.

Thanks again!

Take a look at Hotwire. They let you specify more than two people. Similar to Priceline (but without "bidding") you see a price but don't find out the name of the place until after you've committed and can't change/cancel.

Hotwire has become more open about which places you will get - they give some pretty easy hints now sometimes.

For example: not sure which night in June...I picked June 4. For three people, i can get the Best Western Airport for $123/night (plus taxes/fees) or the Herbergh Amsterdam Airport for $99/night plus fees. The names are hidden - but I can easily tell the actual names. How? Because they list a number of Trip Advisor reviews for each. For example, you see that the 4-star for $123 has 1,265 Trip Advisor Reviews...but so does the 4-star Best Western for $160/night. Easy hint. (Keep in mind that Hotwire adds a service fee so the difference between $123 and $160 may be less than $37 saved. In fact, you might not save much at all, really, but be locked in if you change your mind. Hotwire has great deals sometimes and not at others.

Anyway, if you can figure out which hotel it is, look up the actual Trip Advisor reviews. Read about the shuttle service. (Free? Reliable?) A lot of these chain airport hotels use a 3rd-part shuttle bus service that stops at numerous hotels - they might stop at the Best Western first and pick up at five other hotels before they get to Schiphol, so it might take a while to get there. You read that kind of stuff in the reviews. Sure, staying near Central Station (which you could pick with Hotwire as well) might wind up being quicker and/or cheaper. It take a little research.

if you have a 9:30 am departure, you will want to be at an airport hotel just to get enough shut-eye
Unless things have changed, when they say you need three hours before departure, they are not kidding.
Better to err on the safe side.
Book at the airport for your last night. You will pay a little more but you can sleep a little later.
There are a couple of hotel options; you might try hotwire to bid on a cheaper rate.

I'm considering the Hotel NH Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for the last night before I fly home in July. This Services link goes to a section of the website which includes info on their 24/7 shuttle bus and an early bird breakfast.

Last summer I stayed in a B&B about a 10 minute walk to Centraal and took the train to the airport. It was fast, but the whole process took a little over 30 minutes. If my flight left as early as yours, I'd want to be closer to the airport.

Thanks a million to your advice - I booked Hyatt Place through Hotwire and got a great deal! One less thing to worry about...