Holland at Easter

[twinsmum1]

Hey guys! Happy New Year to you all! As we are now in 2015 my mind has turned to holidays! In Easter holidays March/April I am wanting to book a week's holiday to Holland, and I am looking for recommendations and advice from those that have been as this will be my first time to Holland.

We will be driving from Channel Tunnel (I don't do ferries) and wondered if anyone can recommend accommodation for a weeks holiday with 2 children. We would consider cottage/lodge/cabin rather than hotel. I have heard a lot of good things about Duinrell, but has anyone got any other suggestions? We would like to do cycling, sightseeing , beaches and tulips!

Thanks in advance, Cate X

Try looking at the centre parcs and landal websites both offer plenty of different types of accommodation and on site facilities The beaches are fab and very sandy. Keukenhof near leiden is fab to visit if you want tulips etc. I love it. Had many a happy holiday in Holland.

Thank you gardneningsarah. Is there any particular accommodation that you have stayed in that you liked? I don't want anything Butlins-ey iykwim. Just spent 2 hours trawling the net and haven't got anywhere, so any ideas greatly appreciated x

The places we have stayed, the accommodation has been more like a house (in fact I think it was someone's holiday house that they rented out). Another website to try is www.roompot.com. most people on these sites self cater and just use it as a base but the ones we stay on had a swimming pool which was always useful if the weather was poor. But the swimming pools are not quite up to centre parcs standards as in size etc.

Hi, we are going to Duinrell for the second time this Easter holidays. I looked at the Dutch Center parcs last year, but the accommodation doesn't get great reviews on tripadvisor. I think the Belgian ones sound better, although they are more expensive.

We loved Duinrell and found it had everything we needed as well as being in a great location for visiting places. This year we're hoping to take the kids to Amsterdam for the day. Also, it's right in a lovely little town, Wassenaar rather than the middle of nowhere as some of the center parcs are. There are some other hotels in Wassenaar so might be worth having a look at them if you don't fancy Duinrell itself?

Thank you for your help loopsngeorge. It does sound good. Did you stay in a Bungalow?

Yes, we were in a 3 bed duingalow in the forest area which I loved. We've had to take one nearer the theme park this year as the others were fully booked. I have to say the third bedroom (bunk beds) was tiny and we had to use it to put the suitcases in as there was no other room in the bedrooms. The living room and kitchen area is fine though and you get a really nice terrace and garden area.

Sounds great actually! Thanks for your tips. It always helps to hear from someone who has been.

No problem, holidays are my favourite topic!

Netherlands is great we went there two years ago and are going back this Summer. The museums in Amsterdam are great book in advance to avoid queuing. We travelled across the longest dike and visited the area where there are a dozen or so Windmills which was very beautiful. The North and southern geography is quite different & Amsterdam is a must stay. The bulbs will be out with tulips so that is worth a trip too!

Fab place, look on the tourist info website. Valk hotels are great and offer good sized family rooms. We stayed in several of these as well as a centerparcs.

Enjoy. X

We stayed at Duinrell for 2 consecutive years at Easter. Plenty for children to do, Wassenar lovely and beach just a cycle ride away. Visited Amsterdam by train and bulb fields. My children still talk about those holidays now and they're 21,20 and16!

Have stayed in 5 different centre parcs In Netherlands, 1 in Belgium and Duinrell even the basic accomodation is better than the Duingalow we stayed in tbh. Last few times we stayed in VIP at Cp and they are very good. I loved Duinrell though and would go back. DC adored their holidays in CP even the last time when they were 14 and 16. They do enjoy the sports avaiable.

Bruffin, do you have a favourite centre parcs in holland?

I think they met different needs at different ages.

We have been to Kempervennen, de Huttenheugte, Eemhoff, Het Meerdal, Het Heijebos and Erperheide.
If I was to go back now it would be to Kempervennen as we had a lovely holiday there with so much for my teenagers to do. We paid extra for VIP and had a lovely holiday.

Just booked a VIP cottage at Het Meerdal for the summer. It's our first ever CP visit. Do i need to book activities?

I would book some if you can.

My children are 7 and we would like to be near tulips, windmills, some beaches and for day trip to Amsterdam. Nice quiet holiday park with swimming and places to cycle ride

I think Port Zeelande is on the coast, but havent been there so dont know much about it. There are beaches near Duinrell as well.
We went to Amsterdam from De Eemhoff, they have a flowrider there but i think its 8+