Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! Let me tell you about my very interesting night in the bedroom, as I slept with a Boeing 737…
Corendon Amsterdam’s 737 Cockpit Suite is kind of amazing
I spent last night at the Corendon Amsterdam New-West, which is a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property. As I explained in a previous post, I just stayed at two Corendon properties in Amsterdam, specifically because of their aviation features. While I’ll have full reviews of both properties soon, I wanted to share some specific impressions about my room last night.
Specifically, last night I booked the 737 Cockpit Suite at the Corendon Amsterdam New-West. I paid €279 for my stay — while that’s a pricey room for a budget hotel, it’s not bad when you consider that it comes with an airplane. 😉 Also, look at how big of a discount my AAA membership got me!
I was curious what this suite would actually be like, and now I can report back. The 737 Cockpit Suite is located on the seventh (top) floor of the hotel, and it’s room number — you guessed it — 737.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so let me just share the below picture of what my bedroom looked like. OMG. Like, there’s literally a 737 fuselage in the bedroom.
The door to the 737 cabin is permanently open, and you can go inside.
The cabin has three rows of seats (seat pitch isn’t very good!), galley carts, and even a cockpit with the door open. I believe back in the day it was possible to get simulator lessons here (and as a result, the cockpit was locked when lessons weren’t being offered, to preserve the equipment), but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
You can quite literally have a seat in the cockpit, looking directly outside, seven floors above Amsterdam.
The effort that went into this is beyond words. I mean, I can’t imagine what the conversation was like when the hotel decided to install this, and the logistics of sticking a 737 fuselage into the top floor of a hotel. I love how part of the nose of the aircraft is even cut off and outside the glass.
The problem with the 737 Cockpit Suite
The above is the cool part of the 737 Cockpit Suite. What’s a bit less cool as a guest is the setup of the rest of the room. I suspect the hotel has also tried to sell this as a conference space in the past, and has done simulator lessons here, but ultimately the needs of a hotel guest and meeting guest are different.
So while the bedroom is quite nice, the room is otherwise quite strange. Rather than having a living room, you just have a huge conference room on the other side of the fuselage.
There are even gender segregated bathrooms.
Also, I’m not sure the picture sufficiently captures it, but the 737 theme continues in the bathroom, which is about as spacious as a 737 MAX lavatory… 😉
While the fuselage in the room is so cool, I have to say that it’s not a particularly cozy sleeping environment when you’re sleeping right next to an aircraft door.
I’d love to see a similar concept at another hotel
The 737 Cockpit Suite at Corendon Amsterdam New-West is the most memorable hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. I also think the price is reasonable, given what you’re getting. I kind of wish I weren’t alone, as something like this would be a lot more fun with family or friends.
Now, I don’t want to say I was disappointed, but I do have to say that I find all of this to be quite random. This is otherwise a budget hotel, and it’s not even an airport hotel, so you wouldn’t expect to find a suite like this at the property.
I adore this concept, I just wish the execution were a bit different:
- It would be so cool if this were at an actual airport hotel, or at a slightly more luxurious property; imagine how fun it would be if the cockpit instead looked out over the airport
- I wish the hotel took the aviation theme to the next level, similar to what you’ll find at the Grand Hyatt SFO or TWA Hotel JFK; there’s nothing aviation themed in the room or hotel, except for the fuselage
- It would be nice if the cabin were a bit more comfortable to actually hang out in, as the seating is tight, there’s no lighting, etc.
- It would be nice if the hotel fully embraced this being a hotel room rather than a conference room, and if the suite had a proper living area
Let me emphasize that those are not intended to be complaints, because given the price you’re paying, the value is solid. I’m just saying that I think this could be a much more expensive and popular suite at another type of property, if done right.
Bottom line
I’m so happy I had the chance to stay in the 737 Cockpit Suite during my Amsterdam layover. Having an aircraft fuselage right next to your hotel room bed sure is a unique experience. Yes, the suite is otherwise a little strange, and the hotel doesn’t embrace the aviation theme outside the fuselage, but I thought this was a cool experience with fair pricing.
What do you make of the 737 Cockpit Suite? Would you stay in it?
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