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 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