Beat the Dutch Travel

For years I have wanted to visit The Netherlands to see the tulips but could never get the timing or became exhausted looking online for the where/how/who of planning a trip. This year we decided, "let's do it" and luckily found Mieke, who was nothing short of wonderful. She took our wishes and needs, asked questions and understood what we were looking for, then organized things to fit just perfectly in our time frame. She put together not just a great itinerary but wonderful activities we would not have found on our own. The private driver was amazing - so helpful and personable, we left feeling like we'd made a good friend. The private canal cruise in Hoorn with a very kind and informative captain was so enjoyable, as was the Tulip Train, and the other activities she organized for us. We had a fabulous trip and it was all down to Mieke's expertise and piecing it all together so seamlessly!

Hotel Reviews

Ambassador City Centre Hotel

Haarlem

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ysbrantsz Boutique Hotel

Hoorn

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hoorn - Private boat tour historic harbor

The Netherlands

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Canal cruise

The Netherlands

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoorn - Tulip tram

Hoorn

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.

Quality of Experience

Signage to reach the train, timing, better facilities (more than one or two toilets at the stop would be beneficial), slower passage through the tulips, time to explore Medemblik. Could be better organized.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The antique train and wooden cars were well-preserved and a nice "old time" experience

Explore Hoorn

The Netherlands

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.

The trip as planned by Mieke at Kimkim was wonderful. Prior to traveling, she carefully listened to our preferences and adjusted the itinerary to our likes and needs. It was necessary to contact her once by phone and a couple of times via in app messaging and she was immediately responsive. The hotels were perfect as to location, amenities and atmosphere. All drivers were prompt and efficient. The one guide we had, Roland in Bruges, was a perfect mix of knowledge and humor, not overly into tedious detail, but just the right balance of information and informality.

What a beautiful adventure. My wife long yearned to "tiptoe thru the tulips in The Netherlands" and Bas and kimkim made it happen in a very special way. Upon searching through the web, I landed on kimkim and Bas as our best bet to personalize a 15-day adventure throughout The Netherlands. We provided them with a brief profile of the type of travel we enjoy and a few touchstones that we would like to see. They made all arrangements for us and provided us with easy-to-use electronic tools that provided day by day and very explicit instructions of things available for us to see or do and how to best access them.

Starting in Amsterdam for three nights we had a personal walking tour guide to provide some history and show us the basic layout of the area. From there we had tickets booked to our major attractions Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, a canal cruise and lots of free time to explore on our own.

From Amsterdam we traveled by train to Hoorn for two nights where we once again had a private guided walking tour, historic harbor cruise, and a day trip to Medemblik for a museum ship cruise to Enkuizen and then returned to Hoorn by Steam Train.

From Hoorn we traveled to the island of Texel via train, bus, taxi and Ferry where we enjoyed three days of cycling and exploring around the island including a seal boat tour, and the most charming B&B run by a most charming and accommodating couple.

From Texel we spent two nights in Bergen at a quaint and cozy family hotel located in the center of the village where after a private guided walking tour we enjoyed cycling and inhaling the quiet ambiance of a very friendly Dutch village.

After Bergen we traveled to Leiden for the absolute highlight of the trip - Keukenhof Gardens Adventure which also happened to be Kings Day! Upon arriving in Bergen via bus and train we checked into a wonderful Boutique Hotel d' Oude Morsch located right in the middle of the village with an operating windmill eighty feet out our window. We had another walking tour to discover the hidden inner courtyard "hofjes" along with the many historic buildings and the University. Spent the following day at Keukenhof gardens where it was comfortably crowded due to the holiday but an over the top garden experience. The Tulips were in full bloom along with a lot of other aromatic and glorious flower species.

We then traveled to Haarlem for two nights by train and after another personally guided walking tour we rented e-bikes and cycled out to the beach and dunes areas enjoying the wild horses and birdsong along the way.

All in all a fabulous trip made easy and anxiety free by kimkim and Bas. The electronic tools included were the kimkim app, the 9292 transportation app and the RidewithGPS bicycle touring app.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel des Arts

Amsterdam-Centrum

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ysbrantsz Boutique Hotel

Hoorn

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B De Oude Skuur

Oosterend

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

Authenticity & Character

A repurposed, remodeled and modernized former livestock barn - very authentic.

Location

Very near a small village with a bar and restaurant also a short bike ride to other larger villages with more variety.

Staff

Very welcoming and accommodating - they even let us do a bit of laundry in their machines!! and they sell wine!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Heerlijkheid Bergen

Bergen

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel d' Oude Morsch

Leiden

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Malts B&B

Haarlem

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

Authenticity & Character

True to Dutch form including the entry stairs!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Public transport pass Netherlands (OV chip card)

The Netherlands

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trains and busses very timely and efficient.

Amsterdam - Private guided historic city walk

The Netherlands

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

A classis "must see" when visiting Amsterdam.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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!

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

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

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

Activity Reviews

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

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

Haarlem - Canal cruise

The Netherlands

Was hoping for a smaller boat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff