The hotel in Haarlem was very nice, but the proximity to the church and the frequent ringing of the church bells was difficult to get used to, especially in the evening when the bells ring non-stop from 9-9:30pm. The flower auction and the Keukenhof were highlights! We found both experiences to be enjoyable. It was important that we got to the Keukenhof early because it got very crowded by lunchtime time and the crowds became overwhelming. We loved Albert, our driver; he is very kind and personable. We enjoyed our time with him and learned a lot from him. If we had to do it over, we would skip the ferry ride from Marken to Volendam.
We really enjoyed both Delft and Leiden. We enjoyed the smaller size/feel of these towns and the local culture. We enjoyed wandering around and getting lost, window shopping in local boutiques, and having a drink or meal outside in the sun. Both our guides, Andre and Jeroen, are wonderful! They were both very engaging and made our time together fly by, and we learned and saw many interesting things.
Bruges was probably our least favorite place. It is a very beautiful town, but it felt very commercialized and overrun by tourism. The horse and carriage rides, huge tour groups, and the numerous cheap souvenir shops were a little off-putting. The hotel was very lovely and serene, but some staff were more welcoming than others. Our tour guide, Roland, was a very kind man, but his tour was a little boring. We felt like we saw and learned very little in the two hours we were with him. The chocolate workshop was fun, but it felt like the woman leading the workshop would have rather been anywhere else but there. Also, we recommend people arrive at least an hour before the workshop and walk through the museum first. There is no information, stories, or history given in the workshop itself.
Ghent was nice, but the size of the city was a bit overwhelming to my mom. Similar to Roland, our guide, Christien, was a very warm, kind woman. But her tour was also a bit boring, and we walked away feeling like we didn't learn/see much.
Leuven and Mechelen were our favorite places in Belgium. Like Delft and Leiden, they felt smaller, less touristy, and we enjoyed the slower pace and local culture. We enjoyed roaming the botanical garden in Leuven and strolling down the canal path in Mechelen. The hotel in Leuven was very unique and nice; it was a bit far from the train station, but the location on the canal and the garden made it very relaxing and enjoyable. The hotel breakfast was the best of all the hotels on the trip. One weird thing about the hotel room, the toilet was behind a privacy door, but the shower was open to the room with very little privacy. But despite that, this hotel was still one of our favorites.
Finally, our driver, who took us to the Brussels airport, said he didn't speak English, but he still seemed to understand us, so it wasn't a big deal. However, he was a smoker, so his car smelled very bad. That made the trip to the airport unpleasant, and our clothes smelled like cigarette smoke for a while after we got out of the car.
Overall, we enjoyed the trip! We will definitely return to the Netherlands someday, and we will definitely use KimKim again soon.
Hotel Reviews
We loved this hotel. The staff were kind, the breakfast was amazing, the rooms were very clean, the gardens and canal made it very relaxing. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 because the lack of privacy for the shower is awkward. A curtain needs to be placed at the entrance of the shower.
Authenticity & Character
The history of the building makes for a unique hotel.
Location
It is a bit far from the train station, but the canal and the gardens are lovely.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable. However, there is a lack of privacy in the shower. It is too exposed, and a curtain needs to be placed at the entrance of the shower itself.
We enjoyed this hotel. The proximity to the church caused the church bells to be very loud.
BoutiqueHotel 't Fraeyhuis
BRUGGE
This hotel is very lovely, the setting is beautiful, and the rooms are clean and comfortable. Some staff seemed a bit haughty, and we felt a little unwelcome sometimes.
Hotel Royal Bridges
Delft
Nice hotel, the staff were very kind and welcoming.
Activity Reviews
Daytrip to Marken, Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans
The Netherlands
The windmills were interesting, and Edam was beautiful. But Marken, Volendam, and the ferry ride were not all that interesting or exciting for us.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Albert, again, is the best! He made the day much more fun.
Transport
Riding with Albert was great. Would skip the ferry.
Leuven - Botanical Gardens (Kruidtuin)
The Netherlands
Flower auction, bulb fields & Keukenhof excursion
The Netherlands
The flower auction is very informative and interesting. The Kenkenhof is, of course, amazingly beautiful.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Albert is the best!
Ghent - Scenic Boat Tour
The Netherlands
Delft - Private guided walking Tour
The Netherlands
Andre was wonderful, very engaging. We saw many interesting things, learned a lot, and he provided many recommendations and tips for the rest of our stay in Delft.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Andre was wonderful!
Leiden - Private Guided city walk
The Netherlands
Jeroen was very engaging and kind. We saw many interesting things and learned a lot from him. We loved the city as a whole.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Bruges - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands
Roland was a very nice man, but the tour was a bit boring.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Bruges - Choco Story chocolate workshop (join in)
The Netherlands
Making the chocolate was fun, but the instructor was just okay. She didn't seem to want to be there or enjoy her job.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
This is a missed opportunity for the instructors. They should have stories and share some history of chocolate to make the experience more engaging. We arrived early but not early enough to go through the museum prior to the workshop.
Bruges - Day trip to Damme
The Netherlands
Explore Ghent with a CityCard
The Netherlands
Ghent is a very busy city and felt overwhelming.
Transport
The city card can be a bit overwhelming to figure out where to go and how to get there properly.
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Ghent - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands
Christien was very warm and friendly. The tour was a bit slow and boring.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Leuven - Day trip to Mechelen
The Netherlands
We loved Mechelen. Smaller, quieter, lovely local culture.
Delft - Delft blue pottery
The Netherlands
Ghent - Waffles 'n Beer Workshop
The Netherlands
We skipped this because I wasn't feeling good.
