Report by Henry Tenby
Copyright 2020

As a hard core aviation fan, and a frequent visitor to airports and a fan of nice bars and restaurants while on the road, I had the very pleasant surprise to find the new 747 SKYBAR at the Corendon Hotel at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. This airport is famous for their on site attraction in the form of a retired former KLM Boeing 747-400. Along with a couple of friends we went to visit the 747, which was unfortunately closed to public access, so we were unable to go inside and have a look. But we did look at the enormous airliner at ground level and took some nice photos.

As it was cold, we went into the Corendon hotel to warm up and have a tea at their lobby restaurant. We asked about the possibility to take an elevator to the top floor to take a nice photo of their 747 with a view looking down on the aircraft from a dozen stories in the air. The front desk told us we would be able to do this by visiting their 747 SKYBAR on the top floor of the hotel, when it opened during the lunch hour.

So we waited in the lobby having our teas, warming up, and then headed up to the SKYBAR as soon as it opened and we were on the very first elevator of the day. I was totally impressed when I got up there, and was blown away by the fabulous view! Yes, the view of their Corendon 747-400 was excellent, but even more impressive is the bar and restaurant facilities and the wrap around windows which afford unlimited views to Schiphol Airport and the runway action. And they even have an outdoor roof-top beer garden which although was open, it was too cold to sit and relax during the winter months. But the outdoor terrace will be an amazing place to soak up the action when the weather improves with the warmer summer months.

The staff are very friendly and welcoming, and it goes without saying the avgeeks are more than welcome to visit the bar to soak up the action, provided of course that visitors partake in drinks or items from their generous menu. Not only is the Corendon SKYBAR a day time attraction, when the sun goes down this is rapidly becoming a star attraction for the night time cocktail bar crowd and those looking for an elegant place to relax with friends in an airport environment with a fabulous skyline view of the sprawling Amsterdam airport complex.