English: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport entrance (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Long layovers can be a drag. Delayed flights, frustrating. And cancellations? Let's not even go there.
Luckily, most airports have loads of shops, bars, restaurants, big-screen televisions, and other things to help pass the time.
But only at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam do you risk missing your flight because you're too busy enjoying the airport.
At Schiphol, they've got the shops, the bars, the cafes, and the restaurants, just like pretty much every other airport.
But unlike most other airports, Schiphol also has a casino and library.
And how many airports can boast an on-sight 24-hour hotel? Only at Schiphol can you follow up a relaxing massage with a snooze in a bed all to yourself!
For parents with small children, there's a children's play area and a Babycare lounge.
Admire the many quirky sculptures. Why not use one as a meeting point for reuniting with fellow travelers or your guest/host?
You could spend hours in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol. A joint initiative with its namesake (the Rijksmuseum - one of Amsterdam's top museums, located in the city's museum quarter), the Schiphol version opened in 2002 and makes for two firsts: the first museum to be housed in an airport and the first airport to have a museum.
In fact, Schiphol is so cool that it was awarded a World's Best Airport Award by Skytrax. The UK-based consultancy (formerly known as Inflight Research Services) runs a website dedicated to reviewing and ranking airlines and airports.
Schiphol made it into Skytrax's top 10 for 2014. Number 5, to be exact. That puts it ahead of London's Heathrow, Vancouver International Airport, Zurich Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and Tokyo International Airport (also known as Haneda Airport).
First place went to Singapore's Changi Airport. After all, how can one compete with an indoor movie theater and a four-storey slide?
According to Business Insider, Schiphol went from being a military airport to one of the busiest airports in the world. The Amsterdam hub sees about 49.8 million passengers each year.
Schiphol also got nods for World's Best Airport for Shopping (#5), World's Best Airport for Transit Passengers (#4), World's Best Airport for Leisure Amenities (#3), World's Best Airport for Dining (#6), and Best Airport Staff in Europe (#2).
No matter what has you stuck on the ground, there are few better places to be stranded than Schiphol Airport.
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