Took the plunge! With assurances from Delta's refund policy, I have booked a trip arriving Amsterdam on October 1. I would like to freshen up from the trip before taking the train that same day to my friends in Belgium. I see that there are showers inside the airport (airside) at the Yotel and Mercure hotels, and they are still open.
Here's my question: The videos I see seem to indicate that immediately after customs, arriving International passengers are separated into 2 different pathways - one for transiting passengers connecting with another flight and the other for passengers whose final destination is Amsterdam. All of the YouTube videos I have seen about finding the 2 hotels with showers seem to show that they are on the pathway for the transiting passengers. As AMS is my final destination, I will be herded into the path towards baggage claim . Does anyone know if I will still be able to access those 2 hotels so that I can take a shower? Thanks!
Posted by
northern CA
2456 posts
Just throwing this out there: consider using Delta's executive lounge for a shower instead of one of the hotels's.
(Depending on what's in your wallet you might also consider one of the other club waiting areas)
Posted by
San Francisco area
1803 posts
It appears that delta uses the KLM lounges. Both lounges look to be airside and are marked as for departing passengers.
Posted by
The Hague, NL (AMS)
2207 posts
The simple answer is YES, you can access the Yotel and Mercure hotels before exiting the Terminal Area. The Yotel hotel is located in the Departure Lounge 2 area of the Terminal; The Mercure is located in Departures Lounge 3. Lounges 2 & 3 are in the Nonschengen section of the airport. In AMS terminology, Lounge 2 & 3 are simply plazas of the airport, not actually "lounges;" (I suppose other airports might call these terminals or hub points) - See map here.
Showers at Schiphol – Transit or departing passengers can freshen up by taking a shower at the Mercure Terminal Hotel or the YOTELAir,
both of which are on the departures (airside). The Mercure is found in
Lounge 3 terminal and the showers are on the 1st floor of the hotel –
it charges €19.50 for a shower cabin and this includes soap, shampoo,
shower cap, towels and hair dryer. The YOTELAir is in Lounge 2 (near
pier D) and it also charges €15 for an hour in one of their 2
available shower cabins. (from amsterdamtips.com)
You could also, as suggested, purchase access to an airport lounge - again, many are located in Lounges 2 &3.
You would get off your plane and then head DIRECTLY to your selected hotel or lounge destination. Don't follow the masses, as they'll probably be heading downstairs to Baggage Claim/Arrivals Hall OR to the Schengen terminal section to connect. Rather head for Lounge 2 or 3. Then, after you've freshened up, you would follow the signage "downstairs" to passport control and the baggage claim area. After clearing immigration, you could claim your checked bag.
One concern is while you're showering - if you have a checked bag - it's circling the baggage carousel. Eventually, it might get "filed" by a baggage claim rep, or worse, someone could grab a bag that's been unattended for 30 minutes. So this plan works great for carry-on only travels - there is some risk if you have checked bags. If a checked bag is a requirement, you could use a luggage forwarding service... but that becomes a pretty expensive shower!
Also, you DO NOT want to cross into the Schengen section of the airport (Did that mistakenly out of habit one trip..) as it's a hassle with immigration to "get back"
Posted by
Pacific Northwest
882 posts
Is this related to "After Bathing At Baxter's"?
Posted by
4517 posts
Exiting concourse D there will be 3 paths:
Right takes you to the shopping arcade and Lounge 2 where the Yotel is, and non-Schengen flight connections. The Mercure is that way also but it's a long walk.
Right then hard left are the immigration booths that lead to the Schengen connecting flights.
Straight then down the escalator (going under #2) are immigration booths that lead to the baggage claim and customs and the train station.
So you immediately have to know what you are doing.
Another option is the Sheraton near the airport train station, they have half-day rates, call. Then you can collect your bags and get a little nap also.
Posted by
OP
Indianapolis, IN
352 posts
Thanks so much for your replies! It was so kind of you to write these specific directions. I now clearly understand that I can do this and to be immediately alert as soon as I deplane to take the correct path. For those of you who wondered about the lounges, I tried that first but the last I saw the showers were closed. I will check again closer to my travel date. So now I will be clean - I just need for Europe to let me come in!
Posted by
OP
Indianapolis, IN
352 posts
Also, this will be a bit simpler because I am now a convert to "carry on only." I have horrors of heavy luggage after a trip that involved several train transfers with a suitcase that had broken wheels. Never again!