Honest Reviews of Hotels, Restaurants, Museums and Attractions in the Netherlands
- tgandco2
- 3 days ago
- 8 min read
This is my third and final post about our two weeks in the Netherlands. It was a fantastic trip, and in this post you'll find all the places we stayed, visited, and experienced. I'll give you a brief overview of each, along with my completely informal ratings. Hopefully, it helps if you're planning your own trip to the Netherlands.
You can find my other two Netherlands posts here:
You can also find the four articles I wrote about the three weeks we spent in Norway as part of this vacation:
Before I get started, I have to mention Holland Bike Tours (Haarlem) – 5+ Stars.
The self-guided bike tour turned out to be our favourite part of the entire Netherlands trip, and Holland Bike Tours was a big reason why. They patiently answered my endless questions and created what felt like a completely customized tour for us. The routes, GPS navigation, accommodations, and bikes were all excellent. I can't recommend them highly enough.
Accommodations
Hotel âme – Rotterdam – 2 Stars
This was a disappointment. After finding the hotel and reading the website, we were very excited to stay here. The hotel describes itself as being "inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics." Having travelled to Japan three times, that sounded ideal.
Unfortunately, I would describe the hotel as barren rather than minimalist. The rooms were ridiculously small, and the lack of 24-hour staff service was surprising. There are better options in Rotterdam.
Airbnb – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
A cozy studio-style apartment on the main floor near one of Amsterdam's many canals. Great location and perfect for our stay.
Mother Goose Hotel – Utrecht – 5 Stars
We stayed one night during our visit to Utrecht. Beautiful room, excellent service, and a perfect location. Highly recommended.
Hotel de Vogelensangh – Vogelenzang – 5 Stars
I'm not entirely sure I'd call this a hotel. It's really a beautiful restaurant with a three guest rooms.
This was our first stop on the bike tour, and after a day of cycling we enjoyed a beer on the sunny patio. They only have three rooms, but ours was fantastic. Breakfast was included and was delicious. A wonderful place to stay.
Tulip Inn Leiden Centre – Leiden – 3 Stars
A standard chain hotel. The room was perfectly fine but nothing memorable.
The breakfast buffet, however, was outstanding. It almost made the stay worth it on its own.
Hotel de Watergeus – Noorden – 5++ Stars
A beautiful hotel in every respect.
The rooms are gorgeous, the bar and dining room are lovely, and the setting on a peat lake is stunning. We spent a beautiful afternoon sitting beside the water enjoying a beer in the sunshine.
As it turned out, we were the only guests in the hotel. After checking us in, the staff member left us a key to the front door and told us to make ourselves at home. She even insisted we not pay for the beer she had offered us.
The only disappointment was that the restaurant was closed on Sunday, the night we stayed there. Fortunately, we were treated to an amazing breakfast the next morning.
If you're visiting Noorden, stay here.
Boutiquehotel Staats – Haarlem – 5 Stars
Whenever I need a reminder that it's worth spending extra time researching hotels instead of simply using an agent or Booking.com, I think of this place.
This stunning boutique hotel occupies a former school building. Everything is beautiful: the rooms, the bar, the restaurant, and the common spaces. If possible, ask for Room 1.
Excellent breakfast as well. This is where I would stay again in Haarlem.
Restaurants
Pesca – Rotterdam – 2 Stars
The food and service were decent—better than average—but I found the whole experience annoying.
Pesca markets itself as "theatre." In reality, you walk up to a counter and choose your seafood with the help of a staff member. The same process applies to wine.
The frustrating part is that you have no idea what anything costs until the bill arrives. The final price wasn't unreasonable, but the lack of transparency bothered me.
I wouldn't return.
Takumi – Rotterdam – 4 Stars
Teresa and I always like to include some Asian food in our travels, and the ramen here was excellent.
Kura Thai – Amsterdam – 4 Stars
Located near our Airbnb. The restaurant was packed, and we got the last available table. The food was delicious.
Make a reservation.
A Beautiful Mess – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
One of the best restaurants from our entire five-week trip.
Fantastic Middle Eastern food, excellent service, and an inspiring social mission supporting newcomers to the Netherlands through housing, food, and employment.
Excellent.
The Pantry – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
Traditional Dutch comfort food done right.
Delicious food, great service, and a line of people waiting before the doors even opened.
No reservation? Good luck.
Tomo Sushi – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
Excellent sushi. Enough said.
't Achterhuus – Giethoorn – 5 Stars
The highlight of our visit to Giethoorn.
The service was relaxed, attentive, and unrushed. We started with cocktails, chatted with our server, and received a detailed explanation of the menu options.
The food was excellent and served at a pace that allowed us to enjoy both the meal and the atmosphere.
Perfect.
Moeders – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
More Dutch comfort food, and every bit as good as The Pantry.
Again, make a reservation.
Miyagi & Jones – Utrecht – 2 Stars
Teresa and I try not to visit restaurants that remind us too much of places where we've already had an exceptional experience.
This place reminded us of a Japanese street-food restaurant we loved in Australia called Mr. Miyagi. Unfortunately, the comparison didn't do it any favours.
The food was average and forgettable.
Visrestaurant Crabbetje – Leiden – 5 Stars
Another restaurant that understands the importance of the entire dining experience.
The dining room is small but beautiful. You can enjoy a cocktail before hearing the specials, and the food arrives at a relaxed pace that encourages conversation.
Excellent.
WAAG – Leiden – 4 Stars
Casual dining in a beautiful heritage building.
Good food, fun atmosphere, and worth a visit.
Bistrobar 't Leeuwtje – Noorden – 4 Stars
Since our hotel's dining room was closed, we ate here instead.
The food and service were very good. Unfortunately, the restaurant was packed, and we were seated in what felt like an aisle, which took away from the overall experience.
Jopenkerk – Haarlem – 2 Stars
A craft brewery inside a beautiful former church sounds like the perfect place for a final dinner in the Netherlands.
Unfortunately, it wasn't.
Despite making our reservation weeks in advance, we were seated in an alcove where we couldn't even see the main part of the building. Service was slow and indifferent, and the food was average.
You can skip this one.
Museums, Attractions & Experiences
Royal Delft Museum – Delft – 4 Stars
One of the most surprisingly enjoyable stops of our trip.
I scheduled this visit simply because Holland is famous for Delft Blue pottery. I expected a quick walk-through and a relatively boring museum.
I was completely wrong.
You get to tour both the exhibits and the factory, learning not only about the history of Delft pottery but also how the company continues to evolve. One fascinating example was seeing how contemporary artists are invited to create modern designs using centuries-old techniques.
We also spent much more money in the gift shop than planned.
Peace Palace – The Hague – Not Rated
Unfortunately, the visitor centre was unexpectedly closed when we arrived.
It looked fascinating and would still be on my list for a future visit.
Mauritshuis – The Hague – 3 Stars
Teresa and I aren't huge museum people, but we wanted to see Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
That alone made the visit worthwhile.
Gouda – 4 Stars
We visited on a Thursday, which happens to be cheese market day.
While the actual auction is now conducted online, there are still plenty of traditional activities taking place in the square. Afterward, spend some time exploring beyond the tourist centre.
The farther you wander, the more authentic—and affordable—the shops become.
Red Light District – Amsterdam – 2 Stars
Not really our thing. We don't like gawking at how other people live. (it is why we passed on a tour of the slums in Mumbai)
We took a very short stroll through the area and quickly decided we'd seen enough.
Flower Auction – Aalsmeer – 5 Stars
An absolute must-see.
Although the auction itself is now online, you still get to witness the incredible logistics operation that moves flowers around the world every day.
We caught a bus at 5:30 a.m. to get there early enough to see everything in action.
Worth it.
Rembrandt House – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
My kind of museum.
Small enough that it doesn't take all day, with an excellent audio guide and a fascinating look into how Rembrandt lived and worked.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Van Gogh Museum – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
Possibly our favourite museum visit in the Netherlands.
We had an outstanding guide who was an art professor and Van Gogh expert. Once again, our museum strategy proved successful: take a good tour and don't stay too long.
Rijksmuseum – Amsterdam – 4 Stars
Huge.
We had to work hard to stick to our "don't stay too long" museum rule.
The collection is extraordinary, especially if you enjoy Dutch masters. We also had an excellent guided tour.
Anne Frank House – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
A sobering but essential experience.
We attended the orientation session beforehand, which added valuable context, and the audio tour is excellent.
Reserve tickets as early as possible. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. Toronto time to book ours. By later that day, our preferred date was completely sold out.
No reservation, no entry.
National Holocaust Museum – Amsterdam – 5 Stars
Another emotional but important visit.
I think this is something everyone should see while in Amsterdam.
Giethoorn – 3 Stars
I read countless articles describing Giethoorn as a must-see destination and a full-day experience.
It's certainly beautiful, but it's also extremely touristy. In my opinion, it's best as a half-day excursion.
Zaanse Schans – 2 Stars
A reconstructed Dutch village that reminded me of Toronto's Black Creek Pioneer Village.
Very touristy, although the windmills are impressive.
I'd skip it.
Urk – 3 Stars
A charming fishing village on the drive to Giethoorn.
Worth a 30-minute to one-hour stop.
Those Dam Boat Guys – Amsterdam – 4 Stars
Teresa and I aren't usually boat-tour people, but we enjoyed this one.
The guides are funny, irreverent, and entertaining, and seeing Amsterdam from the canals offers a completely different perspective. You can also bring your own drinks and snacks.
If you're going to take a canal cruise, this is a good choice.
Flower Parade Float Building – JUB Holland, Noordwijkerhout – 5+ Stars
We completely lucked out.
I had read about the famous Flower Parade, where locals decorate everything from motorcycles to giant floats with flowers. Unfortunately, we missed the parade itself.
However, Holland Bike Tours routed our first day's ride past JUB Holland, where we got to watch volunteers building the floats.
Honestly, it may have been even better than the parade itself.
Beautiful, fascinating, and unforgettable.
Services
Museumkaart Pass – 5 Stars
Although designed primarily for Dutch residents, there is a tourist version that allows entry to five participating museums.
We used ours at five different museums and easily got our money's worth.
If you're planning to visit multiple museums, it's a great value.
Well, that's a view of most of what we used in the Netherlands. I hope it helps if you are planning your own trip. Be sure to check out my other posts on the Netherlands and Norway.
If you have any questions or comments, you can email me at thethirdperiod.ca@gmail.com
Comments