In the search for improvement in the properties of gadolinium-based contrast agents, cyclodextrins (CDs) are interesting hydrophilic scaffolds with high molecular weight. The impact of the hydrophilicity of these systems on the MRI efficacy has been studied using five β-CDs substituted with DOTA or TTHA ligands which, respectively, allow for one (q = 1) or no water molecule (q = 0) in the inner coordination sphere of the Gd3+ ion. Original synthetic pathways were developed to immobilize the ligands at C-6 position of various hydroxylated and permethylated β-CDs via an amide bond. To describe the influence of alcohol and ether oxide functions of the CD macrocycle on the relaxation properties of the Gd3+ complexes, 1H Nuclear Magnetic Relaxation Dispersion (NMRD) profiles, and 17O transverse relaxation rates have been measured at various temperatures. The differences observed between the hydroxylated and permethylated β-CDs bearing non-hydrated GdTTHA complexes can be rationalized by a second sphere contribution to the relaxivity in the case of the hydroxylated derivatives, induced by hydrogen-bound water molecules around the hydroxyl groups. In contrast, for the DOTA analogs the exchange rate of the water molecule directly coordinated to the Gd3+ is clearly influenced by the number of hydroxyl groups present on the CD, which in turn influences the relaxivity and gives rise to a very complex behavior of these hydrophilic systems.