Kimkim Trip Reviews for The Netherlands

Our Sister trip through the Netherlands was absolutely amazing. Lisa planned a trip that was exactly what we were looking for. We had enough down time and time to relax while also seeing all of the sites that we were hoping to see. My sister and I wanted to manage much of the logistics and get around on our own and the schedule was the perfect balance, while providing us with the OV chip card and telling us about the 9292 app made the logistics very easy. And for the longer and less train-access locations, Fred was a wonderful person to take us on those journeys. He is kind, prompt, knowledge, fun and a joy to talk to.

As my sister mentioned in her review, our walking tour on the first day was very informative and our guide was great. He seemed to know everyone in Amsterdam and recommended a Chinese dinner location that was yummy. (Unfortunately I can’t remember the name) We were tired, but it was a great way to push through and stay awake to avoid the jet lag.

The canal cruise with Those Dam Boat guys was really nice. It seemed like a much less touristy experience, even though I’m sure it’s just as touristy as the rest. And it was a great perspective from which to see the city. The only experience that was just OK and we could have done without was the cheese place. It seemed to be a bit of a tourist factory and we were competing with bus loads of visitors for cheese tasting.

Having Lisa get the many museum tickets in advance for us, with entry times that were not too early, and the ease of having access to the tickets on the KimKim app made our trip feel so easy and took so much time and stress off of our planning. We felt like we had gotten the “insider” tour due to Lisa’s extensive knowledge of her country and its sites. And what a beautiful country! All of the hints and instructions in the KimKim app made our days easy and took the stress off of trying to figure out details. We used the restaurant recommendations as well as finding some of our own spots. But the recommendations were very helpful especially as Kings Day approached and reservations were more necessary. The pre-loaded Google Maps were also a huge help. Overall, the app is fabulous and easy to navigate. And Lisa was prompt at answering any questions through the app as well. But we didn’t have many questions because everything was so nicely laid out and all the needed details were present.

Our very favorite place was the Hoge Veluwe National Park and the Kroller Muller Museum. And the our stay at De Wever Lodge. What an amazing spot! The food at the lodge was some of the best I’ve ever had. While there were definitely tourist groups present in the park and at the museum (an adorable group of children speaking French on a field trip) it had a feeling of a hidden beautiful secret. Our driver Fred, an Amsterdam native, had never heard of the Kroller Muller museum. I think the collection there rivals the Musee de Orsay in Paris! I now believe that any true lover of art should visit this museum in their lifetime.

Overall, I just can’t say enough about how wonderful this trip was for us. We enjoyed ourselves completely and felt that we really got to experience The Netherlands and Dutch art in a sincere and beautiful way. Thank you all so much!

Kimkim knocked it out of the park for our trip to the Netherlands! From Robert, our driver on three occasions, to Lisa, who planned all the details of our trip, every aspect of our adventure went off without a hitch. While many of the sights of Amsterdam, Ghent, Bruges and Haarlem were impressive, what I think I’ll remember most are the small details and interactions : helpful train conductors; welcoming waiters; kind canal-boat drivers. The kimkim app was amazing, with details spelled out for every activity. I was especially impressed with how kimkim was so thorough when it came to train tickets and schedules. All in all our 10 days of sightseeing were just plain fabulous!

KimKim made planning our trip so easy! The local tour company, Beat the Dutch, and the agent, Lisa, planned a perfect vacation! I will definitely use them again. We went to see the tulips and words do not describe the beauty! The canal tours, walking tours & museums are top notch. The people are so friendly too! Only downfall, I did not eat enough chocolate, waffles or fries!

Outstanding travel planning around the Netherlands and Belgium. Services included selection of hotels, tour guides, drivers/train tickets, and destination activities! Very flexible with helpful insights into timing of local events and location selection.

Mieke was a huge help both in planning and during the trip - helping to communicate with personnel re: any potential changes in plans. We had some firm ideas for our family vacation that were unique but very much appreciated and valued Mieke’s additional travel advice and recommendations. Our preference for smaller boutique B&Bs was accommodated with excellent suggestions that were convenient to sites.

Highly recommend KimKim and Mieke’s “Beat the Dutch Travel” support for Dutch experiences.

My daughter and I had a wonderful trip to The Netherlands to see the famous tulips, something I've always wanted to do. Bas was wonderful to work with to coordinate all the logistics for this trip and ensured we got to do everything we wanted to do and see. All the reservations, tickets & activities were easy to navigate and the detailed instructions in the app for each day extremely helpful. Our private driver, Robert, was so kind and helpful. The entire trip was a dream and I'm thrilled with our first time using Kimkim for our travel needs.

Mieke organized 4 nights for us in Haarlem and Hooran, she did and excellent job working with my wife. I have mobility issues and Mieke made the correct lodging arrangements and was able to adjust one of the canal trips to be less walking.
She was very responsive to inquiries before we arrived and followed up during the course of the trip.

Mieke arranged to have Robert be our driver as needed and he was an immense help at AMS and getting us between the towns.

We had a great experience thanks to this team!

Hotel Reviews

Ysbrantsz Boutique Hotel

Hoorn

Right on the main square and car access to rear. Very busy restaurant the two nights we were there but food is top-notch. Good room and comfortable bed. Staff was very friendly and accomadating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ambassador City Centre Hotel

Haarlem

Right in the historic center with a view of the cathedral. Can be a little noisy but staff was very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hoorn - Tulip tram

Hoorn

Part of the problem was out of their control: we had some rain and delayed leaving Hoorn due to track repairs. We only had 30 minutes at the last stop before returning to Hoorn. Very clean and well maintained antique train cars and engine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoorn - Private boat tour historic harbor

The Netherlands

Private boat with a very knowledgeable captain, great insights to the town and architecture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Canal cruise

The Netherlands

Was hoping for a smaller boat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisa did an amazing job putting together a perfect itinerary for us! We saw a lot of things without feeling rushed! Having access to the public transport gave us the freedom to get around easily. When not using public transport, our driver, Fred, was delightful! We loved that our itinerary got us “off the beaten path” for some of the time so we could avoid crowds and get a more authentic Dutch experience! I will definitely use KimKim again!

Hotel Reviews

The Duke Boutique Hotel

's Hertogenbosch

Location was great. Comfortable accommodation. Breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Wever Lodge

Otterlo

Beautiful location within walking distance of the national park entrance. The restaurant was amazing, service was great, accommodations very comfortable. Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful setting and within walking distance of national park entrance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kröller Müller Museum

The Netherlands

Would visit again! We went toward a lot of museums and this was probably the favorite.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoge Veluwe National Park by bicycle

The Netherlands

Off the beaten path! Not many international tourists! Lovely museum and sculpture garden! Bikes were a lot of fun and made the park accessible without a car!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Delft - Delft blue pottery

The Netherlands

Was very nice… a tour bus destination so I was glad we went toward the end of the day as they were leaving.

Delft - Vermeer Center

The Netherlands

The Hague - Mauritshuis Museum

The Netherlands

Day trip to The Hague & Delft

The Netherlands

The museum in The Hague was very nice! Delft was really great - wish we had more time there.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Day trip to cheese farm, Zaanse Schans, and Hortus Bulborum

The Netherlands

The cheese farm and Zaanse Schans were a bit touristy but still worth seeing. We particularly liked the Hortus Bulborum!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House

The Netherlands

Very busy but worth the effort.

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

The Netherlands

Amsterdam - Private guided historic city walk

The Netherlands

A really helpful thing to do on the first day to get acclimated.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public transport pass Netherlands (OV chip card)

The Netherlands

Having the OV card available was essential to this trip! We were able to get around very easily!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1- Yental, the food tour guide was excellent and even cleaned bird crap from Maria's hair.
2- The Malt's Hotel in Harlem was beautiful. Henk and Annemarie were amazing owners, very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating hosts. Very clean and excellent breakfasts . The stairs would be an issue if we were older or had knee or back issues. Thank God we are not there yet. We give them an A+
3 - The James Hotel was excellent, sleek and modern, but room 410 was too dark and would benefit from an additional standing light or brighter and dimmable ceiling lights. The $15 vouchers each per person, per day, were perfect for a delicious, hearty breakfast, plus evening snacks and drinks were great. The hotel staff and cafe personnel were professional, super friendly and helpful! A+
4 - The Huys van Leyden Boutique Hotel was so beautiful. The amazing breakfast buffet, plus made to order omelets and pancakes were sooo delicious. Our room #12 was clean and beautiful, also was our favorite hotel room on the trip. However, the stairs to our room and then the 2nd floor stairs to the bathroom would be an issue for some one older with mobility issues but we loved it! The outside rooftop patio was a special treat, but needed to be swept. We would suggest a total of 4 chairs outside, since we were traveling with another couple, and we had a lovely Happy Hour there. Love the green parrots and magpies flying around! The bed pillows were too soft and fluffy. Suggest the addition of 2 firm pillows per room. The staff there were excellent, friendly and most accommodating. A+
5. All of the museums, the canal tour, the Anne Frank House, the bike reservations, Keukenhof Flower Show and Parade, the trip to Gouda with the wine and cheese tasting were all excellent. It was extremely helpful to have all the ticket reservations made in advance, along with the train, bus and tram passes too! It was the trip of a lifetime in a magical country!

Hotel Reviews

Huys van Leiden

Leiden

see previous comments

Authenticity & Character

Authentic cultural hotel with a gorgeuous antique vibe!

Location

Close to everything we were seeing !

Staff

Amazing professional, patient, friendly and accommodating staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable. Suggest 2 firmer pillows per room.

The James Hotel Rotterdam

Rotterdam

see previous comments

Authenticity & Character

Authentic modern cultural experience

Location

Modern and sleek.

Staff

Amazingly professional and helpful staff!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern and clean

Hotel Malts B&B

Haarlem

see previous comments

Authenticity & Character

Authentic cultural experience

Location

Quiet and lovely

Staff

Superb!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was immaculate!

Activity Reviews

Leiden - Lakenhal Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Keukenhof Flower Parade 2026

The Netherlands

Amazing flower parade ! A MUST DO!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We biked

Transport

By bike was amazing

Leiden - Hortus Botanicus

The Netherlands

Most plants were not blooming and the displays looked old and shabby. Really needs a clean up and up to date makeover.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gouda - Stroopwafel workshop

The Netherlands

The owner and tour person was excellent!!!!! Best Stroopwafels in all of the the Netherlands!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gouda - Cheese Experience

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rotterdam - Day trip to Gouda

Rotterdam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delft - Delft blue pottery

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delft - Vermeer Center

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Hague - Mauritshuis Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rotterdam - FENIX

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House

The Netherlands

The only problem was the location of the headset activation numbers in each room! We had to walk in front of others already in the room. It was annoying to the visitors already there listening to the Anne Frank stories and to us. The activation numbers need to be relocated directly as you enter the room, on each side of the room entry, for better flow of visitors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

Booking was a problem. They did NOT have our KimKim reservation, but were able to rebook us later that same day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public transport pass Netherlands (OV chip card)

The Netherlands

The OV chip card did not allow us to use the public toilets!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very clean public transporation!

Haarlem - Day trip to Amsterdam by public transport

Haarlem

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Grand Dutch Food & History Tour in a small group

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Food and beverages were perfect and delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yental , our guide, was excellent!

Transport

Haarlem - Half-day trip to Zaanse Schans by public transport

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Self-guided cycling route to the Keukenhof & through the tulip fields

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Windmill de Adriaan

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem -- Frans Hals Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisa was very quick to answer any questions that we had. Our trip was very well rounded and afforded us the opportunity to see many places that we wanted to see. I would highly recommend kimkim to anyone that are planning to travel.

April 2026 Trip to The Netherlands

So there are travel guides, and then there is Bas. He has completely redefined the concept of a travel guide for me. From our initial contact, I could tell he had a personal interest in getting our trip just right. Delving into our specific interests, accommodating for necessary flexibilities, and making the whole experience so personalized that I felt I was communicating with a friend, Bas left no stone unturned in crafting the perfect trip for us through Eastern Holland on our seven day bike trip.

His attention to detail, his flexibility on making changes, and his overall enthusiasm make him the best tour guide that we have ever used. He fully engaged in our subject matter (visiting World War II sites and museums), he ensured that we had the best cycling routes through the most beautiful parks and reserves, and he changed his personal schedule in order to get us to the station in time for a very early train ride home at the end of the journey.

There is no one else that I would ever consider using for a trip in Holland or the Himalayas or wherever else he may be able to work his magic. Thank you, Bas for everything and for sharing your personal interests and favorite sites with us. We look forward to sharing a beer with you upon our return!

Hotel Reviews

Blue inspired by Manna

Nijmegen

Efficient room in old mansion; slightly cold modern design; bathroom overwhelms rest of room; good breakfast; business-like relationship with staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Westerburcht

Westerbork

Modern, efficient room but warm design; good breakfast; business-like relationship with staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Church Boutiquehotel

Arnhem

Unique & creative redesign of old space; fantastic breakfast: great location in town; no real connection to staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gaia

Diepenveen

Gorgeous old estate on large grounds: really huge, uniquely theme-decorated rooms and multiple windows with old glass; fair breakfast; nice location near Ijssel River outside but close to town; good honor system for late night drinks; no real connection to staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel the Stamp

's Hertogenbosch

Very unique, fun, and quirky property; quite friendly staff; good breakfast; great location in town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Dames Van De Jonge

Giethoorn

Very personal touch; outstanding hospitality; exquisite food prep with extreme care & pure local ingredients; room small but door opens directly on to canal; fell asleep & awoke to birds doing the same; great relationship with locals, including builders, farmers, & artisans.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Groesbeek - Freedom Museum and Canadian War Cemetery

The Netherlands

Everyone should take their children to this site. Emotionally powerful. Seeing the graves of 19 and 20 -year-olds who died for freedom is a reminder for everyone that nothing is truly free in life.

Quality of Experience

Our experience with KimKim—and with Lisa specifically—could not have gone better on the planning side. We worked through four versions of our itinerary until it was exactly what we were looking for. Having Lisa based in the Netherlands was a real advantage; she brought local insight and helped guide us through the process in a way that gave us confidence we’d get the experience we wanted. She never pressured us or steered us in a direction we didn’t want to go, and she was always willing to adjust things as we explored different options. She also made herself available to talk, which made the process feel easy and personal.

The final itinerary was fairly priced, and after completing the trip, we felt it was very appropriate for the quality of the experience. KimKim’s app was also a strong asset—we had all of our reservations, tickets, itinerary details, and dining recommendations in one place. When we ran into an issue with our tickets to the Keukenhof, we were able to connect with Lisa via WhatsApp and resolve it quickly without impacting our day.

While in the Netherlands, Maarten served as our guide and driver. He was approachable, knowledgeable, and clearly invested in making the experience both authentic and memorable.

Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better trip. We’ll absolutely be booking future travel with KimKim and would confidently recommend their services to others.

The trip was good. We didn't visit all the planned events for various reasons. Those we did visit were mixed in reviews. Some were quite good - examples; Rembrandt House, all three walking tours. The guides were excellent, particularly Dany in Ghent. The hotels selected were all wonderful.

Issues. We planned too many things for each day. And as older people we were not willing to go late into the night. So due to tiredness and not being able to locate some of the places, we skipped some things. Example - we NEVER found the Anne Frank House. We rode trams, walked and walked and walked and rode another tram and walked some more. Google Maps led us astray. And in general, more and better directions from Beat The KimKim would have helped. Another example of this is when we arrived in Amsterdam we could not decipher the instructions to find our hotel from the train station. Of course now we know it's quite simple and easy. But after an overnight flight and exhaustion we walked 45 minutes and finally stumbled into the Hotel.

Also, the Choco Story event was not very interesting to us. The Montessori house was great - Patty is a retired teacher so this was Mecca for her. And the lace museum was good. The highlight was the tulip gardens! Super beautiful! We didn't even try to reach the windmills since the directions to find a bus then fins another bus seemed too tiring for old people.

Thank you for asking!

Mieke was amazing to work with! She helped us every step of the way. Ruben, our driver was wonderful! He was friendly, prompt and informative. A true professional! Our boat driver Hans in Hoorn was delightful. Also fun and filled with information! Thank you KimKim we had a stress free trip!

Mieke did an amazing job planning and writing up detailed instructions on how to get to my various hotels via public transportation. She included the apps I needed for said transportation, the approximate distances to walk. She worked around the bike and boat tour that I had requested and filled in the gaps with many things I would enjoy. I did have a few hiccups along the way such as one of the hotels had absolutely no heat with temps hovering around 40 degrees F at night. Also, the boat dock had moved at the beginning on the boat tour. One last mention, she sent me to Haarlem for my last day for the Monday market, but the market was replaced with a carnival that day. She had no control over these changes or mishaps. My only complaint was the trip cost a bit more than I originally planned.

Hotel Reviews

Ambassador City Centre Hotel

Haarlem

I cannot give this hotel and staff enough praise. They took care of me from the moment I walked in, quite early I might add, until I left the city. They got me into my room right away so I did not have to store my luggage. They made sure I had an appropriate vegetarian breakfast on my checkout. I had problems with my Uber and they helped me get another one do I could get to the airport safely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boat accommodation for cycling tours: Princesse Royal

I had a solo cabin with a twin bed. It was perfect for a solo traveler. It was a bit crowded with my suitcase needing to be on the floor. Some nights it was hard to make the room warm enough for me. The food was AWESOME. The boat had a chef and dinners were curated for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Singel hotel

Amsterdam

This had to be one of the cutest boutique hotels I’ve ever been to. The room was small, but big enough for me. I had a beautiful view of the canal and it was very close to Amsterdam Central train/bus station. The breakfast was good, they even offered a couple of selections “on demand.”

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Keyser Hotel

Antwerp

How this is rated as a 4 star hotel is beyond me. I arrived a bit early and they allowed me to check in but the room was FREEZING. They told me the heat would be turned on at the desk at 3 pm (official check-in time). I came back after 5 pm and still no heat. I have NEVER stayed in a hotel where the temp is controlled by the desk. I also discovered the glass door would not close completely and the wind howled through it making it even colder. After several trips to the desk, they finally moved me. The second room was also cold and I was advised the heat was out in the whole building and because it was late in a holiday weekend they couldn’t get anyone to fix it. They had a space heater in the room(s) upon arrival and I found that odd. After reading Google reviews, the HVAC issues had been going on for over a year and NUMEROUS complaints were listed. THAT explained why the space heaters were already in the rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Wever Lodge

Otterlo

This was an adorable lodge located just outside the national forest. The breakfast was delicious. However, it was a bit tough walking from the bus stop to the lodge. Much of the path was packed dirt and kind of muddy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bike & Boat: Amsterdam - Spaarndam - Haarlem

The Netherlands

The whole reason I went to the Netherlands was for the bike and boat tour. On our first day we “sailed” to Haarlem and biked into the town. Saw Grote Markt and the church.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts

The Netherlands

This was a self guided audio tour. I chose the comfy tour and was not disappointed.

Quality of Experience

Ghent - Self-Guided Culinary Walking Route

The Netherlands

I actually did not do a “self-guided” walking route, but found a guided tasting tour.

Quality of Experience

Antwerp - Chocolate Nation

The Netherlands

You can’t go to Belgium without learning about chocolate. I have been to cocao plantations in the Caribbean and I have come full circle to the finished fine Belgian chocolate. The tasting at the end was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Hoge Veluwe National Park by bicycle

The Netherlands

I got caught in the rain, so it wasn’t very enjoyable on the bike. I did enjoy the nature center/museum including the section underground

Quality of Experience

Hoge Veluwe National Park by bicycle + Kröller Müller Museum

The Netherlands

I walked/hiked over to museum from the lodge. It was a good activity for my arrival day. However, the tickets were date specific and it would have been better for the rainy following day.

Quality of Experience

Our trip to see the Tulips and Windmills was very nice. The itinerary was well planned for our group of three and only had one activity that didn’t go as expected (Zaanse Schanse - too little time allotted as we arrived only 1 hour before closing).

The hotels were all very good and centrally located - would stay in any of them again, the OV chip card was super convenient for getting around, and the suggestions for things to do and places to eat were helpful.

Our walking tour guides, Jan and Ava, were informative and engaging. We loved the open air canal cruise in Amsterdam. Our driver, Fred, did a wonderful job of providing all transport between airport and cities, as well as a great day in North Holland and on our Flower auction and Keukenhof day.

Overall, appreciated all of the planning, research, and assistance from Lisa at Beat the Dutch travel - she was very responsive and made our trip memorable!

We had an absolutely wonderful trip to The Netherlands. We asked for some more remote experiences and Mieke delivered and I would say Otterlo and Texel were highlights for sure. All of the details were thought of and having our driver made transitions around the country seamless. We loved the extra attention Mieke added with Food Tours and cheese tastings. Overall we just couldn't have asked for a better vacation it checked all the boxes.

Hotel Review

Singel hotel

Amsterdam

We stayed at the Singel Hotel on the Singel Canal, and it was a perfect location for us. It's right on the border between the old city and the Jordaan neighborhood, which we really enjoyed. The hotel was comfortable, and while the rooms and bathrooms were small in typical European fashion, we didn't mind at all. The location more than made up for that, and we loved having the convenience of walking to various places in Amsterdam. It was a great stay!

Activity Reviews

Amsterdam - Private Grand Dutch Food & History Tour

The Netherlands

The food tour in Amsterdam was a major highlight of our trip. Our guide, Thijs Van Rooyen, was fabulous. As food enthusiasts, our family loved learning about the cultural significance of various Dutch foods. The tour provided a delightful and informative exploration of Amsterdam's culinary scene. I would highly recommend doing a food tour early in your visit to get a taste of the local culture and to learn about the foods that are important in the area. It was amazing and thoroughly enjoyable!

Haarlem -- Teylers Museum

The Netherlands

Our trip to the flower auction and the bulb fields was delightful, though the flowers weren't quite in full bloom yet. Nevertheless, the narcissus were totally in bloom, and the hyacinths and tulips were blooming to varying degrees. We also visited an indoor area at Keukenhof where everything was fully in bloom, providing a splendid spectacle of colors. Later in the trip, we visited Hortus Bulborum in Limmen, which had more blooms. So if you plan your timing right, you can really see everything in its glory.

Fleur and her team put together and amazing trip for us! We are a couple that is looking to relocate to the Netherlands and we had asked for a specific trip that would showcase more than just the typical tourist sites. They delivered. We were taken on a couple walking tours that highlighted some interesting areas and local hotspots. We were able to taste some local cuisine that was very unexpected but fantastic! The step-by-step instructions were so helpful that we definitely would have been lost without. The self-guided bike trip from Haarlem to the beach was eye opening to someone that was nervous about that aspect of Dutch culture and daily life. All of the guided tours we took were given by local experts that answered all of our questions with enthusiasm and professionalism. We will definitely use this service again and recommend it to anyone looking for an amazing experience in the Netherlands. Thanks again, Fleur!

The trip was wonderful and Fleur was amazing listening to the new ideas and making adjustments to the trip.
Her recommendations were perfect because the food tour, boat tour and windmill tour truly helped explain the history of the city and its growth.
I would book with Fleur again!
It was a so much fun visiting the lowlands.

Hotel Review

Singel hotel

Amsterdam

This hotel and staff were knowledgeable, the room was clean and nicely done. Very close to Amsterdam Central which is perfect when you want to explore beyond Amsterdam. The full breakfast was delicious each morning.

Authenticity & Character

The building is beautiful and the rooms are very clean.

Location

The closeness to Amsterdam Central was perfect only a few minutes walking.

Staff

The staff were knowledgeable with the area, helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was spotless and very comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Amsterdam - Muiderslot Castle by public transport

Amsterdam

This was a great castle to visit with a mote. The gardens are amazing and this is a great place for kids. They have lots of adult and children activities that you can do and learn at the castle.

Quality of Experience

This was a lot of fun and the gardens are wonderful for adults and children.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful

Transport

We took a train and a bus but it was easy to do

Amsterdam - Highlights of Dutch Food & History Tour (private)

The Netherlands

This food tour was amazing!! Our guide took us through a completely different area in Amsterdam and showed us the beauty and history of Jordaan. The real Dutch apple pie is made in the Brown Bar you start at. This is a must do when there!

Quality of Experience

This brings you to the real netherlands not a tourist attraction.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was amazing knowledge and you could see loved sharing the stories.

Transport

It walking at a very comfortable pace.

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House

The Netherlands

This is a true memorial to the people that lived in the annex. There are stairs so be prepared to climb, but it is 100% worth walking through.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Windmill de Adriaan

The Netherlands

Peter our guide through the windmill explained how the netherlands increased the land with the use if windmills and moving water. It was also explained how the windmills in the time served many purposes, it really helped to understand the importance of windmills in the culture.

Quality of Experience

The view from the windmill and the history.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide gave is the tour in English and it was fun to learn and chat.

Haarlem -- Frans Hals Museum

The Netherlands

The paintings and other art on display were captivating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amsterdam - Day trip to Haarlem

Amsterdam

The day trip to Haarlem was a step back in time. Sections of the city give the feeling of medieval times with the streets, shops and museums . You get a true sense of the period, but walk a few streets over and it a century later.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

People at the sites are helpful.

Transport

You can go from central station to central station. Bus is cheaper.

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

Those Dam Boat Guys boat tour was fun! We laughed, learned history and really saw the various parts of the city. I loved the story of the bicycle with flowers 🌺

Quality of Experience

It was wonderful to laugh with talk with other passengers.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jan was terrific and had pictures and stories to share with us.

Transport

Boat was smaller and more intimate.

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

In this museum there is so much you could do an entire day and if you are not into paintings there is still so much more you can see.

Quality of Experience

The museum has such beautiful history learning the history of the building and see the history inside.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Polite and will help you locate the items you are interested in and map it with you when you are there.

Transport

Tram bring you right to museum square.

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

The Netherlands

This experience walks you through Van Gogh and the other artists that were his friends. It truly lets you see him and his art differently.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tram takes you directly to museum square.

Amsterdam - Rembrandt House

The Netherlands

The items there some are authentic and to be able walk in history. There are interactive sections for adults and children alike.

Public transport pass Amsterdam

The Netherlands

This is a perfect card to help you get around on the public transport which is clean and enjoyable to ride.

Quality of Experience

All these run steady if you miss one the next is only a few minutes away.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The drivers are very helpful in telling you where your stop is.

Transport

All public transport is clean and enjoyable to ride.

Kim Kim did an awesome job planning my trip to The Netherlands! The drivers are all polite and are always on time to pick us up. The hotels recommended by Mieke were all beautiful and unique, even though small since thay are usually boutique hotels. The only glitch in the trip was that the canal cruise in Amsterdam almost didn’t happen as the company claimed they did not get the date change from Mieke and we were told we weren’t able to take it since the time slot was full. I was unable to contact Mieke at all too, and it was highly frustrating. Luckily someone didn’t turn up and hence they allow us to get on to the cruise. In the trip plan, it was stated that there would be Christmas markets in Belgium and Netherlands during my trip but there weren’t any. Other than that, everything went smoothly as planned.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Estheréa

Amsterdam

Absolutely charming and beautiful, although it was perpectually crawling with tourists and the lifts and hallways are too cramped and small for ita own good. The staff may be overwhelmed and don’t appear very warm or friendly at all, much like the weather in Amsterdam right now. Breakfast is great although you have to book in advance and you are only given a 45mins time frame to finish.

Authenticity & Character

The charm of the hotel is through the roof with no two rooms the same deco, although they are really tiny.

Location

Right on the nine streets; the historic city center

Staff

Coldly professional, much like the january weather in Amsterdam and unfortunately marred the charm of the hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and hallways are cramped and tiny

Hotel Indigo The Hague

The Hague

A small boutique hotel with good breakfast and limited service

Authenticity & Character

Its beautiful and small but the staff are coldly professional and didn’t make you feel warm.

Location

Amazing location right on the Royal shopping street

Staff

It feels like the staff is there to check you in and out, but don’t expect much else. The room does not have amenities so you have to ask them for them which is quite inconvenient.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room is clean but you have to ask for the basic amenities from the front desk

Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof

Ghent

The breakfast was phenomenal and hotel was a modern mox of modernity and old school charm. No view in the room but it was spacious and beautiful. It is located very close to the main tourist stretch without it being too intrusive.

Authenticity & Character

A very beautiful hotel with unique sitting area on the 2nd floor

Location

Near but not right smack in city center so you don’t feel too overwhelmed by the noise and crowd

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Suitehotel Pincoffs

Rotterdam

Fantastic family run hotel that is almost like staying in an intimate B&B or welcomed into someone’s home. Although no gym and the breakfast is pretty limited, the warm service and deco more than make up for it.

Authenticity & Character

The is an authentic fireplace in the hotel and its rooms are unique with super cool layouts.

Location

Staff

They will go the extra mile for you and always with a genuine smile.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Book the loft junior suite. You will not regret it

The Dominican

Bruxelles

The hotel is small and charming but unfortunately the staff are not so. They don’t greet or even acknowledge you when you come into the hotel and housekeeping is practically useless since after tipping them, they don’t even replace the ameities that you used (not like they provide much to begin with). The gym is practically useless with no weights. The only saving grace is its location and the only nice and friendly gentlemen uncle serving in breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very central and accessible

Staff

All look miserable and border on rude. Cannot be bothered to help at all

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping is bare minimal and don’t even replace amenities

Activity Review

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

They claimed they did not get our reservation at all and did not seem to care otherwise. Only because others did not turn up did they give us the slot. The boat was small and it was freezing, hece there was limited view. Not very comfortable although the boat guy was funny and nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 10-day trip to The Netherlands was outstanding. We stayed in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam and took day trips to Haarlem, Delft and Kinderdijk (UNESCO site). The trip was perfectly balanced between busy places and quiet, museums and walking tours, structured time and free time, and old and new. We achieved our primary goal of savoring the Dutch painting masters, but also learned so much about the absolutely amazing history of the country and its people. We took a private car from the Amsterdam airport to our hotel on the day we arrived, and that was the last time we used a private car or taxi. Of course, these are available if this is your preferred mode of travel, but we loved the convenience of the broad array of public transportation—trains, trams, buses, water shuttles, and subways. Each of these options was easy to figure out, easy to find and access, and offered a very pleasant way to get around.

Bas Naus and the KimKim team were definitely the key to our whole trip. The itinerary Bas developed was fully responsive to our interests, the hotels he booked for us were great (The Pulitzer in Amsterdam is especially noteworthy), the tours and guides were exceptional, and all of the supplementary dining and site suggestions were helpful. Everything was so well organized and explained that we only needed to contact Bas once during the trip—to let a guide know we might be a few minutes late for a scheduled walking tour—and his response was almost immediate, which we took as comforting confirmation of readily available help in the event of any serious travel issue.

We strongly recommend making a trip to The Netherlands and we fully endorse using KimKim for help in planning that trip, or any other adventure you might consider. This was our second time using KimKim (first was for a family trip to Norway) and the product we have received has been consistently outstanding, from assessing options and building the itinerary to booking the right hotels and activities to all sorts of other little things that allowed us to have a great trip.