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Beat the Dutch Travel

Looking for the real Holland? Unique places, routes & excursions, the best boutique hotels, friendly local guides and away from the crowds? We would love to host your holiday in the Netherlands! The country of cheese and tulips, windmills and polders, Rembrandt & Van Gogh, stunning architecture and beautiful beaches… We will show you the best places to experience the real Holland. Founded by two young veterans from the travel industry, Beat the Dutch Travel is an energetic and dynamic travel company that is always striving for amazing experiences, looking for new places, ensuring great quality in everything we do, and focussing on your wishes and needs. Whether you would like to focus on culture, travel on a bike, indulge in luxury, relax with your family, we will surprise you with exciting itineraries. Feel free to contact us for your travel adventure in the lowlands

Beat the Dutch Travel is part of the following groups: Belgium Travel Agents, Luxembourg Travel Agents, The Netherlands Travel Agents

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Recent Trip Reviews for Beat the Dutch Travel

Netherlands & Belgium
The Netherlands | Apr 10 - Apr 24, 2025

Jill
Jill G.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Apr 29, 2025
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... Read more

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
Begijnhof Hotel
Leuven

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.
Staff
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.
Hotel ML
Haarlem

We enjoyed this hotel. The proximity to the church caused the church bells to be very loud.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
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.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Royal Bridges
Delft

Nice hotel, the staff were very kind and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Daytrip to Marken, Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans
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.

Quality of Experience
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)
Leuven - Botanical Gardens (Kruidtuin)
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Flower auction, bulb fields & Keukenhof excursion
Flower auction, bulb fields & Keukenhof excursion
The Netherlands

The flower auction is very informative and interesting. The Kenkenhof is, of course, amazingly beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Albert is the best!
Transport
Ghent - Scenic Boat Tour
Ghent - Scenic Boat Tour
The Netherlands

We skipped this.

Delft - Private guided walking Tour
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.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Andre was wonderful!
Transport
We walked?
Leiden - Private Guided city walk
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.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bruges - Private guided walking tour
Bruges - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands

Roland was a very nice man, but the tour was a bit boring.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Bruges - Choco Story chocolate workshop (join in)
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.

Quality of Experience
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
Bruges - Day trip to Damme
The Netherlands

We skipped this.

Explore Ghent with a CityCard
Explore Ghent with a CityCard
The Netherlands

Ghent is a very busy city and felt overwhelming.

Quality of Experience
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
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Ghent - Private guided walking tour
Ghent - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands

Christien was very warm and friendly. The tour was a bit slow and boring.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Leuven - Day trip to Mechelen
Leuven - Day trip to Mechelen
The Netherlands

We loved Mechelen. Smaller, quieter, lovely local culture.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Delft - Delft blue pottery
Delft - Delft blue pottery
The Netherlands
Ghent - Waffles 'n Beer Workshop
Ghent - Waffles 'n Beer Workshop
The Netherlands

We skipped this because I wasn't feeling good.

Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch
Read all The Netherlands reviews

Thank you for the opportunity to safely trave...
The Netherlands | Apr 10 - Apr 17, 2025

J
james g.
Middleburg, PA | Reviewed on Apr 27, 2025
Thank you for the opportunity to safely travel, with your guidance and expertise leading our way! Overall we had a very positive experience. With that said, we would like to provide some step by step feedback, which may benefit other travelers.
Day 1:Our arrival at Schiphol Airport was well timed, and our driver was very kind, patient and helpful. Our stop for groceries was important and very much appreciated. The Bollenschuur Hillegom was everything we hoped for and more; in a beautiful... Read more

Thank you for the opportunity to safely travel, with your guidance and expertise leading our way! Overall we had a very positive experience. With that said, we would like to provide some step by step feedback, which may benefit other travelers.
Day 1:Our arrival at Schiphol Airport was well timed, and our driver was very kind, patient and helpful. Our stop for groceries was important and very much appreciated. The Bollenschuur Hillegom was everything we hoped for and more; in a beautiful location and perfectly equipped. Our bikes arrived as planned at our accommodations and Jamil went out of his way to ensure our comfort and fit. The rides past fields of lovely blooms was the fulfillment of our dream. That said, the app for bike routes proved very frustrating as it did not accurately advise us; frequently did not keep up to where we were and then told us to reroute. We had to find our own way. We enjoyed the tulip barn. The Twizy we would probably not recommend. The bikes were more enjoyable and the "Twizy" (actually called a Renzy) was very difficult to get in and out of, especially as a back seat passenger.

Day 2: It was totally unrealistic for us to ride 30+ miles to the flower auction. We called an Uber. It was an amazing experience that we would not want to have missed. It is ,however, no longer an auction and there is nothing to arrive at 7AM to see. The auction no longer happens there.
The Tulperji flower Farm and Noordwijkerhout experiences were wonderful.
We would advise you to tell people staying in this area to plan ahead more for meals. There is very little near where we stayed. We liked being in the countryside but, in retrospect, we would probable have brought in more groceries for dinner.

Day 3 : Keukenhof- Great plan to have 9AM tickets purchased in advance. Gardens were amazing!
We were happy to have purchased grand stand tickets to enjoy the parade.

Day 4:Private transport to Haarlem was great and definitely needed.
Boutiquehotel Staats was a perfect pick for us- unique, clean, beautifully decorated, wonderful coffee/food, staff. It was close to everything we needed, especially the bus/train station.
We enjoyed our free time in Haarlem. The Jopenkerk Brewery had good food and beer, but was honestly not a "don't miss" destination.

Day 5: Your transportation advice and passes were a great help. We enjoyed the Van Gogh Museum. The Anne Frank House was an emotion evoking experience that is life changing and unforgettable. The Walking dinner was fun, informative and delicious!

Day 6: The Corrie ten Boom House, like the Anne Frank experience, was very moving and well done. We would not have wanted to miss it. Cycling to the beach was a great idea. The bike shop was great and the owners very helpful. Again the bike GPS app directions were less than adequate, but we managed with staff directions, signs and honestly guessing. The ride through the national park and the beach were lovely and we were very glad for this experience. The Rijstaffel dinner was a very different experience for us and we enjoyed it very much.

Day7: Our last day was good timing for the Zaanse Schans trip. By then, we were tired, and happy to let the bus take us to the 3 destinations. And, we enjoyed each one.

Day 8: We returned to Schiphol airport by bus instead of train so that we could be nonstop.

Through the entire planning and trip we had good communication with your team.
Miecke was very helpful and responsive to our questions and requests.
We enjoyed a trip of a lifetime and thank you very much!
Connie Glunz and fellow travelers

Hotel Reviews
Bollenschuur Hillegom
Hillegom

Great location in the countryside , in the middle of flower fields (in season). Very clean and well equipped.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
Boutiquehotel Staats
Haarlem

Renovated old school building with beautiful decor and well equipped. Very Clean. Wonderful coffee and breakfast. Staff is very professional, helpful and friendly. Four flights of stairs to our room, but manageable. Very close to transportation by bus and train. Walking distance to many great restaurants and attractions.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Mieke Arendsen

My 4 Days in Holland
The Netherlands | Apr 15 - Apr 19, 2025

R
Robert K.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Apr 20, 2025
The communication with Bas was very easy and efficient. I really had no difficulties with my itinerary.
Its hard to pick which activity was the best as all were pretty spectacular.
Starting with my tour of Amsterdam, Inbal was very informative and was easily able to weave the highlights of the city and the food stops.
The boat tour was great as it gave me a different, very interesting perspective of the city.
In fact I could have spent more time on the water and skipped the Rijksmuseum!... Read more

The communication with Bas was very easy and efficient. I really had no difficulties with my itinerary.
Its hard to pick which activity was the best as all were pretty spectacular.
Starting with my tour of Amsterdam, Inbal was very informative and was easily able to weave the highlights of the city and the food stops.
The boat tour was great as it gave me a different, very interesting perspective of the city.
In fact I could have spent more time on the water and skipped the Rijksmuseum!
(I know that sounds crazy but the crowds were a bit much!)
The tour of Haarlem was also great. Thessa was quite informative and the amount of time spent was perfect.
Finally, the shining star of my trip was the bike ride. Alex was a fantastic guide as he was able to provide me a safe but spectacular route from Haarlem , through the surrounding tulip fields to Kuekenhof, then as an added bonus, a tour of the sand dunes. We actually ended up spending an extra 1 - 1/2 hours on this tour but Alex graciously didn't mind.
All in all, as with the other two KimKim trips, my experiences in the Netherlands was spectacular!

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Apr 23, 2025

Dear Robert,
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am delighted to read that you had a nice holiday in the Netherlands and that you appreciated our part in organising this. We enjoyed hosting your holiday to the lowlands!
With kind regards,
Bas.

Read all The Netherlands reviews

Two fun weeks in the Netherlands and Belgium
The Netherlands | Mar 31 - Apr 11, 2025

J
John V.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Apr 13, 2025
Mieke did a great job. She was thorough and responsive to our questions and needs and very easy to work with. The package she provided was excellent. We had a couple of issues (train schedules) that came up over the 2 weeks and they were quickly resolved. The work she did enabled us to enjoy our trip without a hitch. Hotels, guides, and activities were very well planned Read more

Mieke did a great job. She was thorough and responsive to our questions and needs and very easy to work with. The package she provided was excellent. We had a couple of issues (train schedules) that came up over the 2 weeks and they were quickly resolved. The work she did enabled us to enjoy our trip without a hitch. Hotels, guides, and activities were very well planned

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Mai Amsterdam
Amsterdam

Exceptional Hotel with a very good-sized room and location

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Boat accommodation for cycling tours: Fluvius
Amsterdam

The bike and boat Tulip tour was a lot of fun. The boat was very clean, the crew very accommodating, the food good, and the room while small (as expected) was nice and worked out very well.

Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room was small as expected but big enough to be comfortable.
The Dominican
Bruxelles

Really nice hotel in a good location with a very helpful staff and a well appointed room

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Bike & Boat: Zaandam and Haarlem
Bike & Boat: Zaandam and Haarlem
The Netherlands

Our stop on the bike route at Zaanse Schans, was a very busy tourist location but was very interesing and worth the visit

Quality of Experience
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands

The card was helpful and easy to use

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
The Netherlands

To see the actual place where Ann Frank hid was very moving.

Quality of Experience
Bike & Boat: practical information
Bike & Boat: practical information
The Netherlands

Going into the bike and boat trip we were a little leery, but the boat wound up exceeding our expectations. The room was small as expected but worked out very well. The crew was really nice.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens
The Netherlands

Amazingly beautiful gardens.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Bike & Boat: from Oude Wetering back to Amsterdam
Bike & Boat: from Oude Wetering back to Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
The Netherlands

Fun time very informative guide

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Bike & Boat: Amsterdam
Bike & Boat: Amsterdam
Amsterdam

The bikes were very functional, and the guides made for a safe and enjoyable experience The activities along the routes were excellent.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Brussels - Waffle making workshop
Brussels - Waffle making workshop
The Netherlands

This was a lot of fun. It was a little difficult finding the location but once we arrived it was all good from there. The instructor was fun, and the instructions clear, thus the end result was a delicious batch of waffles made with our own hands.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Brussels - Day trip to Ghent by train
Brussels - Day trip to Ghent by train
Brussels

We really enjoyed Ghent. A nice city with many interesting shops and sights

Quality of Experience
Transport
Local specialist: Mieke Arendsen
Mieke
Mieke Arendsen
Local specialist in The Netherlands | Replied on Apr 14, 2025

Hi John & Michele...thank you so much for your review and feedback. Glad to read you have enjoyed your trip and to read your comments.

You wont believe it, but today it started raining after it stayed completely dry during all of your trip (which is quite exceptional in springtime).

I am glad you have enjoyed your trip, and I am honored to have been able to be a part of arranging it for you!
Wishing you all the best,
Mieke

Read all The Netherlands reviews

We had a wonderful time on our trip. The Neth...
The Netherlands | Mar 26 - Apr 2, 2025

S
Suellen G.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Apr 09, 2025
We had a wonderful time on our trip. The Netherlands were everything we had hoped for and more.
The hotels and staff were very nice and accommodating and we appreciated having breakfast available each morning. The OV chip kaart made getting around fairly easy. I am sorry we couldn’t mail it back as you asked. Hotel CitizenM wouldn’t accept it.
We loved the museums, especially the Resistance and Van Gough. I do wish we would have had tickets to the introduction program at the Anne Frank... Read more

We had a wonderful time on our trip. The Netherlands were everything we had hoped for and more.
The hotels and staff were very nice and accommodating and we appreciated having breakfast available each morning. The OV chip kaart made getting around fairly easy. I am sorry we couldn’t mail it back as you asked. Hotel CitizenM wouldn’t accept it.
We loved the museums, especially the Resistance and Van Gough. I do wish we would have had tickets to the introduction program at the Anne Frank House. We enjoyed the tours, especially the food tour.
On our last day we decided not to visit Kinderdijk. We decided instead to travel to The Hague and visit Mauritshuis. It was a wonderful day. In hindsight we should have agreed to a day trip to Brussels, Delft, or The Hague as BeattheDutchtravel had recommended.
Our trip was great, however there were several issues that caused confusion, anxiety, wasted time, and money loss.
1. The day before our trip we did not yet have all tickets.
2. Day 2: We were told our food tour was from 3-7pm. At 2:00 the guide called to say the tour had started and we would need to reschedule. This was not possible. We were in route but it would take us 45 minutes to get there. Thankfully, the rest of the group agreed to wait on us but sadly, we did miss the first stop of apple pie.
3. Day 3: We arrived at Keukenhof at 9:00 as scheduled. We toured until 11:15 (researching showed this is average time to spend). We were scheduled to explore the bulb area by Twizy from 3:30-5:30pm. I am not sure what we should/could have done for over four hours waiting. Sadly, this was something I was especially looking forward to doing but could not justify waiting in the cold for four hours.
4. Day 5: our itinerary was extremely confusing. It stated that our 4-town day trip would be from 9:15am-3:45pm. It also said the starting time was 12:00. We showed up at 9:00 to be told the tour is from 12:00-6:30. We were also told that we were given the wrong place for the tour to start. We waited around for three hours but thoroughly enjoyed the day. I only wish we would have known for sure of the later start time so that we could have spent our morning better.
I understand that mistakes happen, and scheduling can be troublesome. We have used travel groups in the past but have not had issues like this before. We have enjoyed using KimKim (Rome, Florence, Berlin, Munich, Austria) in the past and have referred several others. Even though we feel that this trip was not planned or scheduled as well as the others will use KimKim again.

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Photo taken by Suellen G
Photo taken by Suellen G
Photo taken by Suellen G
Photo taken by Suellen G
Photo taken by Suellen G
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Apr 15, 2025

Dear Larry and Suellen,
Thanks for sending your feedback about your trip. Very glad to hear you had a wonderful time in the Netherlands!
You are right; there was some confusion about starting times (last-minute changes) and tickets (some sites just opened their bookings for the season). Our apologies for the inconvenience. We will use your feedback to improve our services for next time.
Thanks for trying to send back the cards. No worries the last hotel didn't cooperate...
Great to hear you will use kimkim again in the future! Greetings from the lowlands, Bas.

Amsterdam: hôtel excellent, tour to Kokunhof ...
The Netherlands | Mar 23 - Apr 5, 2025

M
Marcel D.
Canada | Reviewed on Apr 06, 2025
Amsterdam: hôtel excellent, tour to Kokunhof was disappointing because we were too early, tulips were not in bloom. Tour to Edam with Tickets and Travel was very interesting and our guide Pieter was very informative.
The Hague: super hotel interesting city. Trip to Rotterdam was OK with Spido
Antwerp: excellent hotel. Tour to Brussels with Florence very informative.
Ghent: nice and cosy hôtel. Tour of Bruges with Roland was excellent
All tickets for transportation for the whole trip was... Read more

Amsterdam: hôtel excellent, tour to Kokunhof was disappointing because we were too early, tulips were not in bloom. Tour to Edam with Tickets and Travel was very interesting and our guide Pieter was very informative.
The Hague: super hotel interesting city. Trip to Rotterdam was OK with Spido
Antwerp: excellent hotel. Tour to Brussels with Florence very informative.
Ghent: nice and cosy hôtel. Tour of Bruges with Roland was excellent
All tickets for transportation for the whole trip was well planed.
Overhaul it was a well planed trip with very good accommodations and good sight seeing.
Thank you Bas
Amy and Marcel

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Apr 23, 2025

Dear Amy and Marcel,
Great to hear you enjoyed your trip, found the local guides excellent and appreciated our part in this! We loved hosting your trip. Thanks for visiting!
Warm regards, Bas.

Read all The Netherlands reviews

Christmas in Cologne, Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges
Belgium | Dec 22 - Dec 28, 2024

A
Aaron & Ashley L.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Jan 03, 2025
Emma did an absolutely amazing job planning and organizing our trip to explore the magic of the holiday season in Cologne, Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges! She was extremely helpful and attentive, from our first messages trying to figure out what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go, right up until the days before our trip when she provided suggestions for helpful phone apps and other details, big and small. Emma answered every question we had promptly and thoroughly, and she patiently made... Read more

Emma did an absolutely amazing job planning and organizing our trip to explore the magic of the holiday season in Cologne, Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges! She was extremely helpful and attentive, from our first messages trying to figure out what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go, right up until the days before our trip when she provided suggestions for helpful phone apps and other details, big and small. Emma answered every question we had promptly and thoroughly, and she patiently made numerous changes and "tweaks" so we could shape a trip together that met our particular needs and wishes. Upon arriving at our first hotel, we had a welcome packet waiting for us with our train tickets, city cards, and other helpful information, well-organized and labeled. When we had a question during the first day of the trip, we received a response immediately, and were very impressed. We would use kimkim again for our vacation planning in a heartbeat. Emma truly went above and beyond to create a magical Christmastime adventure for us, and we are so grateful for her! Anyone who works with Emma to plan their trip is in excellent hands.

Local specialist: Emma Gerards
Emma
Emma Gerards
Local specialist in Huissen, The Netherlands | Replied on Jan 03, 2025

Dear Aaron, Ashley, Barry & Valerie,
Thank you for your wonderful review!
I very much enjoyed trip planning with you to create such a special and magical Christmas adventure!
Wishing you all the best and a wonderful year ahead,
Emma

Read all Belgium reviews

Emma is a great travel planner!
The Netherlands | Dec 21 - Dec 28, 2024

Meg
Meg M.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Dec 30, 2024
Emma’s recommendations and trip-planning made this the trip of a lifetime for our family, ages 22 to 77. She thought of every detail, from train tickets and schedules to finding great restaurants and making reservations, to researching specific things we were hoping to see and experience in Holland. She is friendly, thoughtful, and was readily available and quick to respond to questions through the entire process. The KimKim team gave us the ability to ask for help or with questions while... Read more

Emma’s recommendations and trip-planning made this the trip of a lifetime for our family, ages 22 to 77. She thought of every detail, from train tickets and schedules to finding great restaurants and making reservations, to researching specific things we were hoping to see and experience in Holland. She is friendly, thoughtful, and was readily available and quick to respond to questions through the entire process. The KimKim team gave us the ability to ask for help or with questions while we were traveling. We also very much appreciated the transport drivers Maarten, Reuben, and Ibo who were prompt and made airport and Christmas Day transport so easy. Many THANKS from our whole family!

Hotel Review
Accommodation booked by traveler
Activity Reviews
Explore Rotterdam and Kinderdijk windmills
Explore Rotterdam and Kinderdijk windmills
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
The Netherlands

Was an extremely packed place on 12/23, likely lots of families visiting because of the holiday week-

Quality of Experience
Transport
Train transport to/from Gouda was pretty easy all week
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise
The Netherlands

Our tiny boat’s propeller quit working and we were close to having to abandon ship during the cruise. The driver June was hanging over the side repairing it in the dark. Would probably suggest another boat company or bigger boat for future groups. The lights in the canal were pretty. June packed hot water bottles to keep our laps warm which was nice.

Utrecht - De Haar Castle
Utrecht - De Haar Castle
The Netherlands

Booked this on our own without KimKim. Was a fun event to soon Christmas Day since most things are closed. Emma arranged transport and we were so thankful we had drivers Reuben and Ibo!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
No English- speaking tour guides or audio tours available on Christmas Day.
Transport
Haarlem canal cruise
Haarlem canal cruise
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Gouda - Cheese Experience
Gouda - Cheese Experience
The Netherlands

Place is great! 22 year old son said the cheese-tasting was his favorite thing of the week. Liked the cafe for lunch afterwards, and we bought cheese and souvenirs to take home before we left.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Gouda - Day trip to Haarlem
Gouda - Day trip to Haarlem
Gouda

We liked the city of Haarlem very much! We purchased tickets for the Corrie ten Boom museum on our own after reading her book The Hiding Place and really enjoyed the 50 min. tour. We liked the canal cruise very much. Shopping was fun by all, and we sampled and enjoyed the street food vendors. Emma planned an Escape Tour and made dinner reservations for us also, but we had one person in our group who wasn’t feeling well, so we went back early for the day.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Haarlem - Corrie ten Boom museum
The Netherlands

Be on time! The reservations tell you this, but you must be waiting in the alley at your ticket time or they will give your place away to others waiting. We had a late train because of a prior train accident, which forced us to run to the museum to make it just in time!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Gouda - Day trip to Rotterdam
Gouda - Day trip to Rotterdam
Gouda

Kinderdijk windmills, water taxi to the windmills, Cube Houses, and Markthal for dinner were terrific! Markthal closed at 6:00 pm, which ended up being just enough time to get and eat dinner for us.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Haarlem - City escape tour
Haarlem - City escape tour
The Netherlands

We ran out of time to play this tour escape game. However, I know we would’ve liked to play it as it’s a great multi-age group game and a fun way to discover new places in Haarlem! We will do this next time for sure.

Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Emma Gerards
Emma
Emma Gerards
Local specialist in Huissen, The Netherlands | Replied on Jan 03, 2025

Dear Meg, Steve, Jacob, Reagan, Betty & Ethan!
Thank you so much for sharing about your wonderful experience here in the Netherlands. I’m very happy to hear that our trip planning helped create such a memorable trip for your family, spanning all ages!
Wishing you all the best and a wonderful year ahead,
Emma

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Thank you to Emma for an Amazing trip to the Netherlands and Belgium!
The Netherlands | Nov 22 - Nov 29, 2024

A
April I.
Canada | Reviewed on Dec 01, 2024
I wish I had more than 5 stars to give! I cannot thank Emma and the team enough for the exceptional job they did planning our trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. Emma listened to our preferences and crazy requests and planned experiences that were so perfect and thoughtful. Everything was taken care of and all the instructions were very detailed and clear, it could not have gone more smoothly. Such a pleasure to have spent time with Maartin, who is absolutely wonderful, knowledgeable and... Read more

I wish I had more than 5 stars to give! I cannot thank Emma and the team enough for the exceptional job they did planning our trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. Emma listened to our preferences and crazy requests and planned experiences that were so perfect and thoughtful. Everything was taken care of and all the instructions were very detailed and clear, it could not have gone more smoothly. Such a pleasure to have spent time with Maartin, who is absolutely wonderful, knowledgeable and incredibly helpful. Having the train/tram access cards was terrific, and so easy to use. Somehow (luck or I suspect good planning) all our tickets to attractions had been booked with entry times that were less crowded; imagine having the Rijksmuseum nearly to ourselves! Food tours were exceptional, delicious stops and excellent guides. I will also give Emma credit for the beautiful sunny day (a rarity in November) that appeared the day we rode bicycles to the beach from Haarlem to Zandvoort. Everyone we met during all our experiences was so welcoming and wonderful, we thank you all so much!

Hotel Review
Hotel Park Centraal
Amsterdam

Beautiful hotel and rooms, centrally located, 6 minute walk to trams and so many attractions.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Exceptionally clean and beds, pillows etc. were so comfortable.
Local specialist: Emma Gerards
Emma
Emma Gerards
Local specialist in Huissen, The Netherlands | Replied on Dec 02, 2024

Dear April & Jeff,
Thank you for your lovely words and review.
I'm grateful to hear that you had a wonderful time and that everything went excellently!🍂🌞
Wishing you the best (also on your next adventure),
Emma

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Belgium
Belgium | Sep 29 - Oct 4, 2024

J
JEAN B.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on Oct 05, 2024

Great guides esp in Ypres
Great hotels esp in Antwerp and Bruges
Would include the alter of Ghent in tour and the Madonna sculpture in tour
Thanks

Local specialist: Mieke Arendsen
Mieke
Mieke Arendsen
Local specialist in The Netherlands | Replied on Oct 05, 2024

Dear Jean,

Hope you had a pleasant and safe journey home!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the hotels, guides and excursions, and I am glad you have enjoyed the trip. Weather has not been the best last week, but I am glad you have made the most of it.

Wishing you all the best,

Mieke.

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