Celebrating KLM’s 95th Anniversary in Style!
I had been one of the very few people who had the opportunity to take part in KLM’s celebration of its 95th Anniversary in Amsterdam – a city I had yet to visit! Obviously, I couldn’t say no. I took a flight from Bristol to Amsterdam direct with KLM City Hopper Embraer 190.
Since the 1950s, KLM will present every World Business Class passenger with a unique gift: a Delft Blue miniature traditional Dutch house, filled with Dutch gin, also known as genever. Each miniature depicts a real Dutch house and on the 7th October each year, they celebrate the anniversary of KLM’s founding in 1919 by presenting a new house. Over the years, these miniature houses have become desirable collectors' items, generating a lively trade among passengers.
When I landed early at Schiphol I had to amuse myself in the airport for a few hours before meeting up with other travel writers and KLM. Normally that would be quite a boring prospect. In Schiphol it was a different story – it’s a mini-city in there! With plenty of restaurants, shops and places to rest, there is more then enough to occupy anyone. There is even a pretty unique casino. It’s the only one in the world where there is a clock and even has announcements – both there to ensure that no one misses their flight.
Once we had all met up, we got a tour of Schiphol airport – Europe’s 4th busiest! There are over 60,000 people working for the airport and it has over 50 million passengers each year.
We were shown around the passenger side of the airport where there are more automatic check in systems with automatic bag drops than I have seen at any other airport – all to make the passenger not have to wait around for very long. They have a Yotel, and a Mercure Hotel, and plenty of relaxing areas for passengers wait out their next flight. You could even relax in a shower that you can book too!
In the evening, we checked into our hotel – The NH Grand Hotel Kransapolsky, a five star hotel right on the Dam Square. Probably one of the best locations in Amsterdam.
Once all bags were dropped, we had to go to the pub. But that night was a special night as Netherlands was playing in the world cup. Whenever they scored the cheers was heard throughout the city.
Breakfast was served in the hotel’s 19th century Winter Garden – a beautiful room that made me feel as if I was in Downton Abbey.
After a great breakfast (who doesn’t like champagne for breakfast?), we took a cruise along some of Amsterdam’s canals. Leaving from the hotel’s own jetty, we explored some of the local area.
After our walk, it was time to get ready to go flying in KLM’s vintage DC-3! Check out my other story for details of just how amazing an experience that was!
A big thank you to KLM for organising the trip, celebrating their 95th Anniversary in 2014.
