Personalized trips to The Netherlands
for independent travelers

We enjoyed the town and this hotel, right at the heart, was a great fit for us. The room was well-done and had a sort of "upscale" feel, staff was accommodating and nice, and the restaurant there is excellent. Focus seems to be on the restaurant as it was always very busy with locals and travelers, but the rooms were nicely done and very clean. The garden side is quiet and nice and the other side opens onto the main square.

This hotel turned out to be a great location for us - right in the center and easy to walk to everything we needed. Room was comfortable and looked at the church. We loved hearing the bells chime and watching the people parade as they met up for drinks at the many cafes along the street (and of course participating ourselves in that activity!) The breakfast was well-done, restaurant meal was good, staff was very helpful and friendly. We had a great stay.

First, the hotel that Mieke set up for us was perfect - great location, lovely rooms, nice staff, very good restaurant and easy to get around. We enjoyed seeing Hoorn, which was a pretty town and lively; sitting on the square for a beer, watching the people parade, looking in the shops, watching sunset over the water...it was quite nice. Second, my main review is for the private driver that was organized for us. Robert was absolutely top-notch. He picked us up at the airport, assisted my husband, who has a disability, was personable and interesting while also professional. He took us to Hoorn by the backroads as requested, to allow us to visit some of the private tulip farms and see them up-close. He came back to Hoorn at an early hour to take us to the airport at the end of our trip, again going above and beyond for us and by the end of our time with him we felt like we'd made a new friend. We are so grateful to him for the help and the good time he showed us, that really helped make the trip special.

An old-time steam train with antique wooden rail cars that took us amidst the tulip fields - what's not to love? While there was some confusion at the station and the train was late departing, therefore not leaving us time in Medemblik to walk around, the experience of riding through the tulip fields was just lovely. It would have been nice to be able to walk between rail cars, but it being an antique train, I guess that wasn't possible. Having a beverage car would have enhanced the experience as there was little time at the stop in Wognum, barely enough to queue up at the tiny restroom and get back onboard, much less get something to drink or snack. I'd hoped they'd slow down more as we passed the tulips (they slowed more going through unused stations!) but I think it may have been due to the delayed departure and needing to get back in time. Medemblik was supposed to be "a tulip station" but didn't have any flowers on display as in Wognum. Despite the somewhat disorganized situation, we did enjoy the trip.

The cruise was smooth and had an audioguide in a couple of languages as it took us among the canals of Haarlem. Overall the process of easy and user-friendly and gave us a glimpse of the city from the water and some details we would have missed walking around town. Haarlem felt sort of like a "mini Amsterdam" and this experience enhanced that impression while allowing us to get off the streets and onto the famous canals to see things from a different perspective. It was more "commercial" than our canal cruise in Hoorn (but that one was a private cruise) though the staff in the canalside shop were helpful and friendly here.

Our captain was so sweet and informative - we learned a lot about the town, history, architectural details, and had a great time ducking down under the bridges, seeing the canals, and seeing the town from a different perspective. The private tour let us really talk to the boat captain, ask questions and hear his insights. He included a lovely surprise of drinks and snacks, and we were so glad we did this outing. It was perfect.

Gorgeous and beautifully appointed. Our room was small, on the top floor. The roofline was peaked making the ceiling slanted very low on one side. Although it required being aware to prevent a bumped head, the beauty of the facility made this a minor inconvenience. We had the final meal of our trip in the hotel restaurant and it was outstanding. The food was sophisticated and perfectly prepared, staff was attentive and the dining room is stunning.

Quaint, atmospheric and perfectly located.

Lovely, boutique hotel in a perfect location, although previous warning that it was pedestrian only might have made our arrival a bit easier. Nice breakfast and bar.

The Markthal in Rotterdam was underwhelming. Although the building was architecturally interesting, it was less of a fresh produce market and more of a food court, which was disappointing compared to what we expected.

The boat tour in Bruges was a must-do, and it was great fun. Despite the long lines, we went early, and it was a wonderful experience comparable to iconic Disneyland rides.

The Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries in Brussels were okay but not as comprehensive as expected. Although dotted with the 'best' chocolate shops, we missed out on locating the complete gallery experience.

The private guided walking tour of Bruges was a pleasant experience. The guide struck the perfect balance of information and humor, making the walk enjoyable.

The Kinderdijk windmills visit by water shuttle was not as impressive as hoped. There was some transportation confusion getting to the river shuttle, but our problem was quickly answered by the specialist.

Seeing the Cube Houses in Rotterdam right when we got off the train was fascinating. It's something I read about, and seeing them in person did not disappoint.

Exploring the Delft blue pottery and having high tea in Delft was an enlightening and lovely experience. We learned more than we expected and these activities were a delightful addition to our itinerary.

The day trip to Delft was absolutely lovely. Despite feeling there might have been more to see in The Hague, Delft was perfect and had so much to offer.

The visit to the Mauritshuis Museum was a nice way to spend the day we arrived. It was a fine excursion and added a pleasant touch to our itinerary.

The tulip fields by private transport was a fantastic experience, with our driver taking us to more tulip fields than we imagined! He was a great guy and we thoroughly enjoyed the private tour.

Perfect location; nice and welcoming staff; comfortable rooms and bed . lovely hard working couple and staff that made the stay memorable.

Perfect location; nice and welcoming staff; comfortable rooms and bed . We had a windmill forty feet from our bedroom window!

Perfect location; nice and welcoming staff; comfortable rooms and bed .

Perfect location; nice and welcoming staff; comfortable rooms and bed .

Perfect location; nice and welcoming staff; comfortable rooms and bed .

Perfect location; nice and welcoming staff; comfortable rooms and bed .

A classis "must see" when visiting Amsterdam.

Marc Soeteman was our guide and did a good job showing us the lay of the land in and around Old Amsterdam.

A must have if accessing various trains and buses. Very easy and convenient.