Sleeping in Schiphol Airport: Airside Hotels, Pods and Overnight Tips
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the easiest big airports in Europe to sleep in, because it never closes and because it has something most airports lack: two real hotels on the airside of security. Whether a night at Schiphol is comfortable depends on which of four options you pick, and on how long the gap between flights really is.
Option one: a bed airside, without leaving the transit zone
YOTELAIR Amsterdam Schiphol is in Lounge 2, after security and passport control, with 57 cabins sold in hourly blocks or for the night, each with a rain shower and a bed that folds out of a couch. The Mercure Hotel Schiphol Terminal is the quieter, full-room alternative in Lounge 3 by the F gates, with 32 rooms and check-out at 9:00 am. Both require a boarding pass or ticket for a flight the same or the next day, both are limited to hand luggage, and neither needs a Schengen visa because you never pass immigration. Both fill up, so book ahead.
Option two: sleep pods for an afternoon
XpresSpa runs sleeping pods in Lounge 2 and on the D pier, booked for one to four hours between 7:00 am and 9:00 pm at roughly €36 for an hour to €72 for four. They are only reachable for passengers on non-Schengen routes, and they close in the evening, which makes them a daytime layover tool rather than an overnight answer. Our day rooms guide compares them with the hotel rooms by the hour.
Option three: the free version, on a bench
The terminal stays open all night. Landside, Schiphol Plaza has seating but also the bustle of the station and early cleaning; airside, Lounges 2 and 3 have quieter corners with padded seating, and passengers on a late arrival can usually stay airside until the morning if their next flight departs from the same zone. Bring a layer against the air conditioning, keep bags attached to you, and set an alarm with a margin for the security queue, which builds from about 5:00 am. Our lounges and showers guide covers where to wash in the morning.
Option four: a proper hotel on foot
If the layover is long enough for a real night, three hotels are reachable without a vehicle: the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel two minutes from Schiphol Plaza on the covered walkway, the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol five to seven minutes along the same route with a pool, and citizenM Schiphol Airport four minutes from Arrivals 4 at a lower price. All three are landside, so international arrivals pass immigration first; our walkway, shuttle or train guide explains the trade-offs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stay overnight inside Schiphol Airport?
Yes. The terminal is open around the clock and passengers sleep in it every night, both landside in Schiphol Plaza and airside in the lounges. Expect bright lighting, cleaning crews and hard benches; the airside lounges are quieter than the Plaza.
Are there hotels inside Schiphol after security?
Two. YOTELAIR in Lounge 2 sells cabins by the hour or the night, and the Mercure Hotel Schiphol Terminal in Lounge 3 has 32 full rooms by the day or the night. Both need a boarding pass for a flight the same or the next day and take hand luggage only.
Are there sleep pods at Schiphol?
Yes, at XpresSpa in Lounge 2 and on the D pier, booked for one to four hours between 7:00 am and 9:00 pm at roughly €36 to €72. They are in the non-Schengen area and close in the evening, so they do not cover the night.
Information last verified: September 4, 2026