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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

Featured trips & expertise

Top itineraries and travel advice

Recent Trip Reviews for Beat the Dutch Travel

Amsterdam is an amazing place to visit
The Netherlands | May 28 - Jun 8, 2025

H
Harvey Z.
Pittsfield, MA | Reviewed on Jun 09, 2025
The guides were terrific. Itinerary was well planned. The only disappointment was the hotel in Amsterdam. Hotel 717 was beautiful with excellent staff and lovely breakfast. However, it was a 4th floor walk up with no lift and we were on the 4th floor with very steep stairs. They were unable to change our room. We managed. Read more

The guides were terrific. Itinerary was well planned. The only disappointment was the hotel in Amsterdam. Hotel 717 was beautiful with excellent staff and lovely breakfast. However, it was a 4th floor walk up with no lift and we were on the 4th floor with very steep stairs. They were unable to change our room. We managed.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel 717
Amsterdam

Beautiful historic hotel but no lift!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Walked to everything
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel de Tuilerieën
Bruges

Unable to stand in the shower because of slippery marble floor. Wore flip-flops to shower! Great breakfast. Staff was often not helpful. Refused to give us a second luggage rack.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Walked to everything
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Didn’t use it. Walked to everything

Amsterdam - Private guided walking tour on Jewish History
Amsterdam - Private guided walking tour on Jewish History
Amsterdam

Guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amsterdam - Jewish Museum & Portuguese Synagogue
Amsterdam - Jewish Museum & Portuguese Synagogue
Amsterdam
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise to Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise to Rijksmuseum
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
The Netherlands

Special

Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
The Netherlands

Not to be missed!

Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Daytrip to Marken, Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans
Amsterdam - Daytrip to Marken, Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans
Amsterdam
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bruges - Private guided walking tour
Bruges - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands

Very, very informative and made us really appreciate Bruges. Roland’s was exceptional.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch
Nadine
Nadine Hikisch
Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on Jun 10, 2025

Hi Harvey and Jan,
Thank you for taking the time to review your trip and for your valuable feedback. I am glad to hear that you had a wonderful time in the Netherlands and Belgium, and appreciated my part in planning it.
Wishing you all the best,
Nadine

A beautiful trip to Benelux!
The Netherlands | Apr 12 - Apr 20, 2025

Thomas
Thomas R.
Huntington, NY | Reviewed on Jun 02, 2025
All of the individual guides were wonderful...warm, personal, knowledgeable, informative, courteous. Read more

All of the individual guides were wonderful...warm, personal, knowledgeable, informative, courteous.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Mai Amsterdam
Amsterdam

We loved it. Conveniently located near the train station and our room overlooked a quiet, beautiful canal.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Very friendly and helpful staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The James Hotel Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
9Hotel Central
Brussels

We had a balcony with a beautiful view of the boulevard.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Very easy to navigate

Quality of Experience
Transport
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
The Netherlands

Our captain was terrific...funny, informative. The trip was beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Grand Dutch Food Tour in small group
Amsterdam - Grand Dutch Food Tour in small group
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amsterdam - Day trip to Haarlem
Amsterdam - Day trip to Haarlem
Amsterdam
Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Haarlem - self-guided cycling route to Keukenhof & through tulip fields
Haarlem - self-guided cycling route to Keukenhof & through tulip fields
The Netherlands

This was an exceptional experience. We used E-bikes and highly recommend them.

Quality of Experience
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
The Netherlands

We loved it here. We wish we had booked a short, guided tour of the city/architecture/market.

Quality of Experience
Rotterdam - Kinderdijk windmills by public boat (waterbus)
Rotterdam - Kinderdijk windmills by public boat (waterbus)
The Netherlands
Transport
Delft - Delft blue pottery
Delft - Delft blue pottery
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Delft - Vermeer Center
Delft - Vermeer Center
The Netherlands

It was interesting. We were expecting an original Vermeer or two but we liked the experience.

Quality of Experience
Brussels - Private guided walking tour:  food
Brussels - Private guided walking tour: food
The Netherlands

We loved our private guide, Florence I believe was her name. She was friendly, fun, interesting.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Brussels - Day trip to Ghent and Bruges
Brussels - Day trip to Ghent and Bruges
Brussels
Quality of Experience
Transport
Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts
Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts
The Netherlands

We loved this place and especially the audio tour that led us around the castle. Hilarious and informative.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Brussels - Bus tour to Dinant & Luxembourg City
Brussels - Bus tour to Dinant & Luxembourg City
Brussels

This was a lovely day. A large group on the bus but the tour guide was fantastic and kept it all very organized and orderly. We're so glad we included Luxembourg and Dinant in our itinerary.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Jun 03, 2025

Dear Thomas, thanks for your feedback and great to hear you enjoyed the BENELUX so much! :-) Hope to see you again some time in the Lowlands! Warm regards, Bas.

Adult Family trip to the Netherlands & Belgium
Belgium | May 2 - May 10, 2025

D
Dana F.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on May 21, 2025
My husband , 29 year old daughter and I just returned from a wonderful 9 day trip to The Netherlands & Belgium. Mieke did a fantastic job tailoring the trip to our needs. She picked perfect hotels that provided room for 3 adults. Once she understood our family dynamics she was able to tailor our daily itineraries . Highlights for us were: Visiting the Kuekenhof Gardens, Touring Kinderdijk windmills & exploring The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb using the 3 D tour! Mieke also... Read more

My husband , 29 year old daughter and I just returned from a wonderful 9 day trip to The Netherlands & Belgium. Mieke did a fantastic job tailoring the trip to our needs. She picked perfect hotels that provided room for 3 adults. Once she understood our family dynamics she was able to tailor our daily itineraries . Highlights for us were: Visiting the Kuekenhof Gardens, Touring Kinderdijk windmills & exploring The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb using the 3 D tour! Mieke also gave us restaurant recommendations and tips for navigating each city. When we arrived she had a well organized package for us with all of our travel documents. And prior to the trip, Mieke was accessible for phone conversations to discuss our trip. This aspect of the service was invaluable and helped solidify our plans. This is our 2nd time traveling with KimKim and I could not be more pleased.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel des Arts
Amsterdam-Centrum

We had a room for 3 adults. Loved the decor and the view of the canal. The room & bathroom were on the small side but, doable. The breakfast was very nice. Great location. Perfect for our trip.

Authenticity & Character
Decor was pretty
Location
View of the canal. Across from the metro. Walking distance to everything.
Staff
Very nice. Helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was clean. Just a little small. Hard to find a place for 3 bags.
Ghent River Hotel
Ghent

Room was comfortable and provided a very good amount of space for 3 adults. Shower room was a nice size.

Authenticity & Character
Room was a very nice size. Breakfast room was on the rooftop and light and airy with a patio.
Location
Walking distance to everything.
Staff
We were not greeted well by the hotel. When we checked in there was no welcoming manner. The man seemed put out.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comfortable. There is a bathrobe. Loved the exposed brick wall and the high ceilings. Bedspreads and towels were not special. No color or uniqueness to decor.
Activity Reviews
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
The Netherlands
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Loved having our card and being able to navigate the trains and trolleys when we needed them.

Haarlem - self-guided cycling route to Keukenhof & through tulip fields
Haarlem - self-guided cycling route to Keukenhof & through tulip fields
Belgium

Unfortunately the tulip fields were no longer in bloom when we got there. Apparently we missed it by 1 day. Also, we needed better biking directions. We had trouble following the path. That said, people were very happy to help. Also, enjoyed having E- bikes!!! LOVED the Keukenhof Gardens!!! So beautiful!

Day trip to Haarlem
Day trip to Haarlem
The Netherlands

We didn't spend very much time in Haarlem. We were there just to head out to the gardens. Biking to Kuekenhof gardens was fun but, the directions from the bikeshop were a little challenging. People are very happy to help you out.

Amsterdam - Private guided walking tour on Jewish History
Amsterdam - Private guided walking tour on Jewish History
Amsterdam

Inbal , our guide, was very knowledgeable.

Amsterdam - Jewish Museum & Portuguese Synagogue
Amsterdam - Jewish Museum & Portuguese Synagogue
Amsterdam

Synagogue is so beautiful. History of the area very interesting. Did not see the museum.

Ghent - Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
Ghent - Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
Belgium

AMAZING!!! Did the 3 D tour and it was such a fun and informative experience!!

Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts
Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts
Belgium

The outside of the castle is way more interesting than the inside.

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Belgium

Very well organized and informative. Powerful experience.

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Belgium

Wonderful!

Ghent - Day trip to Bruges
Ghent - Day trip to Bruges
Ghent

Pretty city. Think it would have been better if we had a tour guide when we arrived. We did do the bus tour on our own. It was expensive and just okay. But, it did give us a chance to see all around the city. Climbed the Belfry and that was wonderful.

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Belgium

Beautiful museum!

Explore Ghent with a CityCard
Explore Ghent with a CityCard
Belgium

Easy to show card and take buses and canal tour.

Rotterdam - Kinderdijk windmills by public boat (waterbus)
Rotterdam - Kinderdijk windmills by public boat (waterbus)
Belgium

Loved this experience. Very interesting!!

8Ghent - Private guided walking tour
8Ghent - Private guided walking tour
Ghent

Wonderful tour guide!!!

Local specialist: Mieke Arendsen
Mieke
Mieke Arendsen
Local specialist in The Netherlands | Replied on May 22, 2025

Hi Dana,
Great to hear from you and reading your feedback and comments. Glad you have enjoyed your trip so much. It has been a pleasure planning this trip with and for you!
Thank you for your kind words, and wishing you all the best for the future
Best regards,
Mieke

Amsterdam was amazing . And the itinerary Kim...
The Netherlands | May 8 - May 12, 2025

J
Jill T.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on May 20, 2025
Amsterdam was amazing . And the itinerary Kim Kim put together was perfect . Enables us to go and show up with minimal to no prior research . Hotel was prime location , central and close to all transport , walking distance to millions restaurants . The canal ride is a must , and we would not have known to do the evening sunset one , which was a real treat . The city food tour was a wonderful way to spend the day . We learned a lot , and saw the best of Amsterdam . Well laid out and paced .... Read more

Amsterdam was amazing . And the itinerary Kim Kim put together was perfect . Enables us to go and show up with minimal to no prior research . Hotel was prime location , central and close to all transport , walking distance to millions restaurants . The canal ride is a must , and we would not have known to do the evening sunset one , which was a real treat . The city food tour was a wonderful way to spend the day . We learned a lot , and saw the best of Amsterdam . Well laid out and paced . Just delightful . We had incredible weather , which made the days and flowers perfection . Ann Frank house is not to be missed . And very grateful Kim Kim facilitated as well as got us to get our act together , to be able to get the tickets . Museums , walking , shopping , markets . All great . The public transportation is amazing , and makes it so easy to get around ..

This was my third trip with Kim Kim , so I’m a big fan .
The only thing I would say , although the price of the trip seemed reasonable , as we were there and knew what things cost , it did seem like Kim Kim overcharged. All for them making money , but the distribution didn’t feel good . Which was a little disappointing .

Hotel Review
Die Port van Cleve Amsterdam
Amsterdam

Hotel is charming with great service and really great location .

Authenticity & Character
Location
Central
Staff
Friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room and bathroom could have been cleaner
Local specialist: Mieke Arendsen
Mieke
Mieke Arendsen
Local specialist in The Netherlands | Replied on May 21, 2025

Hi Jill,
Glad to hear you have enjoyed your trip so much. The weather has been amazing, indeed! Perfect circumstances for seeing the blooming flower fields and the Keukenhof park. Good to know you have managed the public transport system well - it is indeed a very practical way to get around.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, and wishing you all the best,
Mieke

I enjoyed exploring Amsterdam and Haarlem. Th...
The Netherlands | Apr 16 - Apr 20, 2025

Steven
Steven W.
Cambridge, MA | Reviewed on May 19, 2025
I enjoyed exploring Amsterdam and Haarlem. The art, tulips, the atmosphere and the people were all quite enjoyable. Read more

I enjoyed exploring Amsterdam and Haarlem. The art, tulips, the atmosphere and the people were all quite enjoyable.

Hotel Review
Hotel des Arts
Amsterdam-Centrum

Nice place . Helpful and friendly staff in a convenient location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch
Nadine
Nadine Hikisch
Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on May 20, 2025

Hi Steven and Kelly,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience here in the Netherlands. I’m glad you enjoyed exploring Amsterdam and Haarlem. We hope to see you again in the future.
With warm regards,
Nadine & Mieke

Nadine was very helpful and really kind, but we were not glad she booked us in Ghent for 3 nights; we would rather have been in Burges. Perhaps KimKim does not have an affiliated hotel or inn there? Our Ghent hotel was quite nice, but the surrounding neighborhood wasn't and Burges has so much more to see and do than Ghent. The altarpiece was spectacular, but that could have been a day trip from Burges.
Belgium | Mar 28 - Apr 21, 2025

Marjorie
Marjorie Z.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on May 18, 2025
Nadine was very helpful and really kind, but things didn't go as smoothly when she was gone during part of our trip. The most unhelpful incident was when I asked about tipping our Amsterdam driver: the response came after our last interaction. I have asked Nadine to please give Albert an additional sum (40 or 50 euros) before finalizing our account. I have not heard if that has happened. I did not like the KimKim computer system. I used it at home on my MAC book, but took only our iPad... Read more

Nadine was very helpful and really kind, but things didn't go as smoothly when she was gone during part of our trip. The most unhelpful incident was when I asked about tipping our Amsterdam driver: the response came after our last interaction. I have asked Nadine to please give Albert an additional sum (40 or 50 euros) before finalizing our account. I have not heard if that has happened.

I did not like the KimKim computer system. I used it at home on my MAC book, but took only our iPad and iPhone with us. Accessing tickets and a whole lot of past messages was not easily done on the iPad, and not at all on the iPhone during our times away from the hotel. Plus, I had to print each ticket for everything before leaving home since I could not put tickets on my iPhone. That took much time and organization on my part. Sometime please use the system as if you were a tourist. You'll see accessing the notes for individual day events requires you to scroll thru the entire system to find the note. I also had to create a separate Excel spreadsheet, as the summary report provided did not have enough information on it.

What was very helpful was Nadine getting the hotel reservations, two drivers/guide, and making museum (mostly) and train reservations. She also was helpful with canceling the safari event. She was not very helpful with our day trip to Waterloo, but once we got to the town via the train, my husband figured out the bus route and times. It was a worthwhile and interesting trip. Our day trip to Flanders Field arranged by Nadine was excellent and our guide, Lucas, was top-notch. Nadine also suggested if time to see the Mesgad Panorama, and that truly was good to do.

Hotel Reviews
The Collector Hotel
The Hague

I truly underestimated the effort to pull our trolley carts from the train to the hotel. While it was only a mile, the stone surfaces of the road made the effort really challenging. We should have been forewarned. One day staff member was extremely rude, but her colleagues made up for it.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Getting there from the train with luggage.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comic Art Hotel
Ghent

Lovely hotel and very nice staff. Poor location as it's getting run down around them. Too bad.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Accommodation booked by traveler

We stayed at the Renaissance (Marriott) Hotel in Amsterdam and it was very good. My husband booked it with points and I want Nadine to know she can depend on the services of the hotel desk. They were all very helpful with whatever was needed. The hotel too was well placed for all events we did.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to much but still gave us walking opportunities! We clocked 8-10 miles daily.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel le Dixseptième
Brussels

This is like an old-fashioned elegant hotel, but it lacks enough business to reach that mark. The breakfasts were individually packaged (ie, yogurt in small containers, not in bowls for self service) and the last day only three customers were there. The woman server told us they do not have a kitchen where they make things.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Great for train, great for walking to restaurants.
Staff
One gentleman at the desk (and filling in for morning breakfast if needed) could use better manners. Others were very good.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Belgium

Fantastic. We needed 8 hours at least.

Quality of Experience
Daytrip to Cheese Farm, Edam and Zaanse Schans
Daytrip to Cheese Farm, Edam and Zaanse Schans
Belgium

Too touristy.

Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Rembrandt House
Amsterdam - Rembrandt House
Amsterdam

Excellent special exhibit also

Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Belgium

Even better than I had expected. A must.

Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Resistance Museum
Amsterdam - Resistance Museum
Belgium
Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise
Belgium

I should have been told the price...I would not have agreed on that level. We ended up taking a public trip, which was fine. The boat was VERY hard to find. I think Nadine has not been there, as the directions were poor. It said we should pick it up near the mueums, but that wasn't correct. It was walking distance from our hotel.

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

Really easy to use. We missed it when we left for Belgium!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Muiderslot Castle
Muiderslot Castle
Belgium

This was really good to see. Glad we added it although I got the impression from Nadine that wasn't usually visisted.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Belgium

I guess I had expected more of his original works.

Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch
Nadine
Nadine Hikisch
Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on Jun 04, 2025

Dear Marjorie,
Very glad to hear that you appreciated my part in planning your trip. At the same time, thanks for sending your feedback about various aspects of your trip. We will surely use your feedback in order to improve our services for our guests.
Warm wishes,
Nadine
PS. We have sent an extra tip to driver Albert as you requested

The entire trip was truly spectacular.
The Netherlands | May 7 - May 14, 2025

Nancy
Nancy M.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on May 15, 2025
The entire trip was truly spectacular. There was one major, glitch, but Mieke responded very quickly. And they even refunded us for the mistake. I thought that was the right thing to do and they responded immediately. That to me is very important My tip is always check the train schedule, apparently they change it without any notice. We missed our first Eurostar train, but the conductor of the second time slot was nice enough to let us on and even gave us free drinks because we were so... Read more

The entire trip was truly spectacular. There was one major, glitch, but Mieke responded very quickly. And they even refunded us for the mistake. I thought that was the right thing to do and they responded immediately. That to me is very important My tip is always check the train schedule, apparently they change it without any notice. We missed our first Eurostar train, but the conductor of the second time slot was nice enough to let us on and even gave us free drinks because we were so frazzled.
Other than that , everything went well. We love staying in Haarlem. Such a wonderful little town and everyone is so friendly and accommodating.. The Canal tour was great and the Anne Frank house was extremely interesting, very somber, but something you had to see.
We loved loved loved our grand Dutch Food Tour with Mark, he was amazing. It was so nice that it was private, just the three of us. Actually, all the tours were private, which made it really a lot better than being in a group.We tasted foods I would’ve never tried, and they were quite good,. What we love the most is he took us to places that tourists do not frequent. It was such a treat. I thought four hours would be so long, but he made it go by so quickly. That was truly a highlight of the trip.
Going to Keukenhof was also a highlight, it was so beautiful, you couldn’t help but smile.. love love love those gardens. Even though they were closing in two days, it didn’t matter we saw some absolutely stunning tulips as well as other flowers in bloom.
When we got to Bruges we had a 2 PM walking tour, but we were late because of all the mishaps along the way and the tour guide. Roland was very accommodating and pushed it back an hour for us. For us, the tour guide was a little boring as was the tour. The content was nothing we were interested in. He spoke a lot about the construction of the old buildings and the bricks and stones that they used. It just wasn’t for us. Perhaps someone else would’ve found it interesting. After we were done with that tour, we roamed around the city and had such a good time. We took a horse and buggy ride, we had a canal tour, we loved the Canal tours. We did a beer tasting and got very silly.
Sunday we went to the Choco factory museum, we found that very boring. I wouldn’t suggest going there. We skipped our day trip to Damme so that we could walk around Bruges but little did we know most of the stores are closed on Sunday, but we made the best of it.
Monday we went to Ghent, our tour guide Veerle was wonderful, she was so informative and had a lovely personality. We really liked her.
After that, we went to the Galvesteen Castle.
Part of it was interesting, but we went through it quickly, it was a little boring for us.
We really really loved the Canal boat tours, we actually took four of them during the entire trip.
I’m sure I left some things out but all in all we had an excellent time and beat the Dutch travel and Mieke we’re great. I would definitely use them again.

Activity Review
Amsterdam - Private Grand Dutch Food Tour
Amsterdam - Private Grand Dutch Food Tour
The Netherlands

This is a definite must do, a private tour is the way to go. Mark, our tour guide was amazing.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Mieke Arendsen
Mieke
Mieke Arendsen
Local specialist in The Netherlands | Replied on May 18, 2025

Dear Nancy and Nicole,
How lovely to read about the good times you had, and to see these lovely pictures of all your adventures, and especially enjoying good food with Mark.
Again, apologies for the change in train timings - gladly you have managed the stress and made your way to Bruges. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and feedback with us - that is very helpful!

It had been a pleasure hosting you here! Wishing you all the best,
Mieke

Netherlands trip
The Netherlands | May 5 - May 13, 2025

Marie
Marie D.
Canada | Reviewed on May 14, 2025
Our trip was fantastic. Our driver Robert was very helpful and informative and Lisa at the Hotel des Arts was welcoming. As well we loved the Collector Hotel Read more

Our trip was fantastic. Our driver Robert was very helpful and informative and Lisa at the Hotel des Arts was welcoming. As well we loved the Collector Hotel

Hotel Reviews
Hotel des Arts
Amsterdam-Centrum

This hotel was very well located and charming. Drawback is that we had to drag our suitcases to the hotel as the car service from the airport could not access the hotel. Big drawback is all the stairs to get to our room with suitcases Breakfast was great. The staff here were very helpful and friendly. If you have small luggage, stay here!

Authenticity & Character
Charm
Location
Staff
Friendly and heloful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room and hotel in general
The Collector Hotel
The Hague

Our cab driver from the train station yelled at us because we were a small fare abd he had waited 2 hours for one. He dropped us off 5 blocks away and we had to trudge in using our phones to find the hotel. But arriving at the hotel we were charmed by its look, location and greeting. Turns out it is inaccessible by car but he could have used another access point and brought us in 1 block away.

Authenticity & Character
Super clean and makes you want to go back. Breakfast fantastic
Location
Set in a courtyard with tram a block away. Many restaurants and stores all around.
Staff
Friendliness and helpfulness
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bed comfortable
Activity Reviews
Amsterdam - Private guided historic city walk
Amsterdam - Private guided historic city walk
The Netherlands

Caroline was gracious and welcoming. Adapted her tour to our age and fact that we came in on an overnight flight. Gave us a great run through of history, the area and helpful tips for the rest of our stay

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
It was our feet 😉. Nice to stretch after being in a plane all night
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands

This was so fun! We walked everywhere at first then decided to challenge ourselves. The one issue is that signage all in Dutch. Sometimes hard to figure out where we wanted to go. We made a few mistakes but solved them and are still married

Quality of Experience
The punctuality and ease of use
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We even did tram with suitcases
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
The Netherlands

Thus was a fun trip. We learned so much about life in Amsterdam and we loved being on the canals. Our « captain «  was entertaining and after having walked 12000 steps that day, it was lovely to sit on a boat for a bit and enjoy the cruise

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
The Netherlands

This is a beautiful museum. There are amazing items and paintings on display.

Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
Amsterdam - Anne Frank House
The Netherlands

Unfortunately we made a mistake and missed our time slot. I always thought Anne Franck and the family who hid her family were super heroes and I was sad to miss

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Your survey needs a Non Applicable answer for people like us who miss their tour. Could not continue survey unless I rated so just did the middle star
Keukenhof & tulips fields by private transport
Keukenhof & tulips fields by private transport
The Netherlands

We enjoyed going out of the city and into the countryside. Then we arrived at a truly magical garden. The way the park is set up with little paths beautiful flower beds and lovely fountains Maybe go a little earlier in May than our visit which was the last few days of the tulip festival. Really enjoyed spending a good part of the day here!

Quality of Experience
The beauty of the gardens
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We had the same driver for our stay and he was pleasant and helpful
Transport
Car was very clean
Delft - Delft blue pottery
Delft - Delft blue pottery
The Netherlands

We travelled from The Hague to get here. It was a great museum to visit and seeing the way the artists paint the porcelain pieces. The most impressive item was the life size reproduction of Rembrandt The Night Watch in porcelain tiles. This was the only museum gift shop we visited and could not resist bringing souvenirs home

Quality of Experience
Daytrip to Cheese Farm, Edam and Zaanse Schans
Daytrip to Cheese Farm, Edam and Zaanse Schans
The Netherlands

Although there was an issue with the fact that the cheese place we were supposed to visit was closed on the day our visit was planned🤔 our driver was proactive and found another spot to visit. The cheese visit was interesting and we purchased cheese to take home to Canada We then made our way to the windmills. This was an eye opening experience which we really enjoyed. So interesting to see how windmills we’re important to life in Holland

Quality of Experience
Windmills
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our driver saved our cheese visit
Transport
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
The Netherlands

Beautiful museum. Always have enjoyed Van Gogh paintings so amazing to visit a museum devoted to him

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We walked and did audio tour I just pushed the middle star because otherwise the comment section does not appear
The Hague - Private guided walking tour
The Hague - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands

Our guide Tom was punctual but he mostly read his tour from papers he was carrying. He also scurried ahead of us not taking into account our age. He did not seem to be invested in spending part of his Sunday touring us around

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The Hague - Mauritshuis Museum
The Hague - Mauritshuis Museum
The Netherlands

We were delivered here at the end of our walking tour. It was all right and the main goal was to see the famous painting Girl with Pearl Earring It was interesting to see how this huge house was transformed into a museum

Quality of Experience
Delft - Vermeer Center
Delft - Vermeer Center
The Netherlands

We took a miss on this part of our tour as my husband was not feeling well so just made our way back to The Hague by train On your survey you should include a N/A option so we can refrain from giving a rating that is not right

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on May 25, 2025

Hi Marie,
Super nice to hear you appreciated all the people and places involved in your trip! We are very glad you had a great time here in the Netherlands!
All the best to you!
Warm regards,
Bas.

Lowlands Travel Asessment
The Netherlands | Apr 9 - Apr 17, 2025

V
victor a.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on May 01, 2025
Overall, the trip was good. We found Mieke very responsive during the planning stage and when on the trip there was 1 hotel issue on a Sunday Kim Kim's 24 hour hotline worked well. I think the error was more on the hotel's side and was resolved reasonable quickly. We found Amsterdam extremely crowded due to its overall destination desirability, Tulip season and travel right before Easter. In hindsight would have spent 1 less day in Amsterdam and another in Belgium. Read more

Overall, the trip was good. We found Mieke very responsive during the planning stage and when on the trip there was 1 hotel issue on a Sunday Kim Kim's 24 hour hotline worked well. I think the error was more on the hotel's side and was resolved reasonable quickly. We found Amsterdam extremely crowded due to its overall destination desirability, Tulip season and travel right before Easter. In hindsight would have spent 1 less day in Amsterdam and another in Belgium.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel des Arts
Amsterdam-Centrum

Overall good. Location is nice being on a canal, however that comes with a lot more noise. Staff at the hotel were very accommodating, breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel FranQ
Antwerp

Had an issue checking in which I believe was the hotel's system issue as reservations were booked around 9 months prior. Along with responsive communication with Kim Kim's team we were able to resolve the issue without wasting too much time. Nice location, lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Pand Hotel
Bruges

Excellent location, friendly staff, nice breakfast,

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel des Galeries
Brussels

Only stayed for 1 night but was very nice. Excellent location but very poor signage meant it was difficult to find the hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Right next to the Galeries, hence the name and just a couple blocks from the main square.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts
Ghent - Gravensteen - Castle of the Counts
The Netherlands
Bruges - Hans Memling Collection at Sint-Janshospitaal
Bruges - Hans Memling Collection at Sint-Janshospitaal
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Very convenient, worked as expected.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
About a 25 minute walk from the hotel.
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
The Netherlands
Ghent - Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
Ghent - Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
The Netherlands

This was perhaps the best experience of our trip. We had the high tech experience which was simply mind blowing, it was like having a personal art expert with you.

Quality of Experience
Amsterdam - Day trip to Haarlem
Amsterdam - Day trip to Haarlem
Amsterdam

Enjoyed the city much less crowded than Amsterdam. The flower garden was massively crowded, made Disneyland feel empty by comparison. Go early!

Quality of Experience
Transport
Better signage for the bike route.
Bruges - Halve Maan brewery visit
Bruges - Halve Maan brewery visit
The Netherlands

Excellent quality beer.

Quality of Experience
Haarlem - self-guided cycling route to Keukenhof & through tulip fields
Haarlem - self-guided cycling route to Keukenhof & through tulip fields
The Netherlands

Signage was poor.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Better signage.
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Transport
Close to the tram line.
Amsterdam - Walking Dinner private guided tour
Amsterdam - Walking Dinner private guided tour
The Netherlands

Excellent experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was great we enjoyed this experience a lot.
Amsterdam - Daytrip to Marken, Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans
Amsterdam - Daytrip to Marken, Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans
Amsterdam

Enjoyed the drive and ferry crossing. Zaanse Schans was extremely crowded and felt like a tourist trap. Did enjoy the museum however.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bruges - Private guided walking tour
Bruges - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was overly focused on architecture, did not show us some of the churches.
Antwerp - Chocolate Nation
Antwerp - Chocolate Nation
The Netherlands

Pretty much as expected, nice chocolate samples. Good experience.

Quality of Experience
Antwerp - Private guided walking tour
Antwerp - Private guided walking tour
The Netherlands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was 15 minutes late.
Brussels card 48h
The Netherlands

Did not fully utilize. Actually converting the voucher to a card was somewhat difficult.

Quality of Experience
Brussels - Private guided walking tour:  food
Brussels - Private guided walking tour: food
Belgium

Expected to hit more places for beer.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Mieke Arendsen
Mieke
Mieke Arendsen
Local specialist in The Netherlands | Replied on May 05, 2025

Hi Victor
Thanks for taking the time to provide us with feedback and thoughts on the itinerary and program. It has been a pleasure organizing the trip for you and it's very valuable. Glad to hear you have enjoyed your experience at the Mystic Lamb so much!
All the best to you,
Mieke

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
Nadine
Nadine Hikisch
Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on May 01, 2025

Hi Jill

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and experiences. I totally agree with you that the smaller, lesser-known places have all the more charm. The thing is, most people want to see the main highlights, like Bruges, anyway. In your trip you have found a balance between the two and in the end your experience was better in the smaller places - which is understandable.
It was a delight organizing this trip for you, and again, thank you so much for sharing your feedback on the hotels, guides, driver and activities!

warm regards,
Nadine