Netherlands
Planning a trip to big cities and choosing the perfect hotel for your Amsterdam trip, can be a lot of work. That’s why we are more than happy to offer you a helping hand. Location is always key when searching for accommodations for our travels, so also during our recent trip to Amsterdam. We checked in to the DoubleTree by Hilton next to Amsterdam Central Station.
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Even though the Netherlands is a small country, and the fact that we have traveled all over the Netherlands the past 18 months, there are still some undiscovered places. One of the places to see in the Netherlands that we hadn't yet explored were the Northern regions of the province of North Holland. When we do travel the Netherlands, we always try to and love to stay at the Dutch hotel chain Van der Valk.
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We always try to explore new places, also when it comes to cities like Amsterdam, which we have visited many times. We try to find hidden gems and undiscovered spots, to make the trip feel like we have actually visited a new destination. In our search for our most recent Amsterdam trip we were looking for a unique place to stay and came across the Ambassade Hotel. A prime location in the heart of the city, yet a part we had never visited and explored properly.
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Sometimes you come across places that leave a lasting impression. During our most recent trip ticking of some of the best places to visit in The Netherlands, we also visited the Veluwe and the Veluwe National Park. They had been on our to do list for a long time, because of their beautiful nature and some really good opportunities to spot wildlife. Yes, even in the Netherlands you can spot wildlife.
Hotel de Sterrenberg is such a place that left a lasting impression. Our stay with them was organized very last minute, but that really doesn’t detract from our experience with them.
About Hotel de Sterrenberg
Hotel de Sterrenberg is a 4 star wellness hotel in Otterlo, in the heart of the Veluwe. The hotel is surrounded by beautiful nature. It invites you to be active and go outdoors to explore this beautiful part of the Netherlands.
The hotel has 39 rooms, divided over 6 different room types. De Sterrenberg is decorated very naturally with natural, modern and warm designs. The interior seems very basic in terms of the materials they used, but it actually gives the hotel a very luxurious look that fits right in with its surroundings. They used a lot of wooden and concrete materials, which blend in perfectly with the outdoor world, and also very sustainable.
Back in 2017 the hotel was completely renovated, and from then ready to welcome everyone to their wellness hotel on the Veluwe.
At Hotel de Sterrenberg you can taste nature, experience the Veluwe and completely relax in their adult only wellness hotel. Their slogan is: Hotel de Sterrenberg, place to wander. That is really what it is, wander away and get lost in the endless nature, or wander away in the relaxing wellness area. Whatever your preference, I’m sure you’ll find it here.
And, not to forget the top location of this hotel, because it is located in the middle of nature. The vast nature of the Veluwe is all around you, in fact, it’s only 600 meters away from the gates to the Veluwe National Park, top class location! It makes it the perfect getaway to explore the Veluwe.
Restaurant Cepes
When staying at hotel de Sterrenberg, make sure you don’t miss out on the amazing food that Restaurant Cepes has to offer. A true culinary tour de force!
At Restaurant Cepes you’ll be spoiled with a daily 4 course meal at a high level! There is no a la carte menu. Their gastronomic menu includes a variety of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes. Luxury, culinary and excellent food!
Their chefs cook for you with seasonal and local products from biological addresses from their own region, including recognized Veluwe regional products. That way they spoil you as much as possible as their guest.
Wellness
The wellness is one of the best parts of Hotel de Sterrenberg. The actual wellness with sauna, Turkish steam room, wellness pool and tepidarium is only accessible for adults and is an undressed area. Complimentary water and tea service is available here, and they also serve salads and smoothies in the wellness.
Next to the wellness there is also an indoor swimming pool, with a sauna cabin, and a professional gym, these areas are all dressed areas. Visiting in the summer? Then there’s also a wellness garden outside, very relaxed area to just lie down on one of the beds, enjoy the Veluwe nature and relax! Usage of the swimming pool, wellness and fitness facilities is included in your stay.
Bike rental
Bike rental is pretty normal nowadays at hotels, however, De Sterrenberg goes the extra mile here. Like many other hotels, De Sterrenberg has bikes for rent, both regular and e-bikes. The Veluwe is the perfect place to explore by bike, it’s even better to explore by bike than by car.
The front desk has composed 5 bike routes for you, 5 different routes to explore the region. From just a few kilometers to a full day of biking.
Best places to visit in Hoge Veluwe National Park
This park is one of the largest and oldest national parks in the country and which is of course mentioned in our article about the best places to visit in The Netherlands. You’ll find 5500 ha of forests, moors, sand dunes and marshes. Furthermore, it is home to red deer, roe deer, mouflon and wild boar. There is an entrance fee if you want to enter the park, which depends on your way of transportation. Entrance fee for adults is 11 euros. At every entrance to the National Park there is a large bicycle shed with free bikes to use for visitors to the National Park.
Obviously it’s all about nature when visiting the Veluwe, and the National Park is our number one must visit when coming here. However, there are many more things to do in the Veluwe area, and we would like to list our favorites here, as they are easy to visit from De Sterrenberg.
Loenense Waterfall
Yes, the Netherlands is a very flat country, but even in a flat country, there is always a highest waterfall to visit. For the Netherlands, the Loenense waterfall is the highest waterfall in the country, and when visiting the Veluwe it’s a must do, absolutely worth a stop. It’s tucked away in the forests, so you can even make it a day of hiking and exploring.
Center of the Netherlands
This one is located just a few minutes away from De Sterrenberg and Otterlo. Actually the perfect trip when renting a bike from the hotel. The exact center of the Netherlands happens to be located in Lunteren, in the middle of the forest, so be in for a bit of a search. Once you find it there is a stone marking the exact center of the country, which we think is pretty cool.
Radio Kootwijk
Radio Kootwijk is a national monument which was used as a communication facility between the Netherlands and the colony of Dutch East Indies. Its location is fantastic, open heaths, the largest active sand drifts in Western Europe and of course the monumental radio station itself, definitely worth a visit!
We truly enjoyed our stay with Hotel de Sterrenberg in every possible way. We explored the National Park using their e-bikes, and had the ultimate relaxation in their wellness. Not to forget about the amazing food that they serve in Restaurant Cepes, that alone is worth a visit!
It is a modern and contemporary wellness hotel with the perfect location. A place where gastronomy, wellness and nature come together. Ultimate relaxation, pampering and luxury in the heart of the Veluwe.
This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She stayed at the wonderful and amazing Hotel de Sterrenberg on behalf of Traveltomtom and wrote this blog about her experiences.
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Very recently we travelled through some new and undiscovered parts of the Netherlands. The city of Deventer turned out to be the perfect stop in between the Veluwe and the Achterhoek. We liked it so much that we decided to spend the night there, and we really had chosen the perfect place to stay in Deventer.
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A trip to Amsterdam is always a good idea. So whenever we can, we love to add a short trip to our capital city. Even though we love the busy and bustling city center, lately we started exploring some other suburbs of Amsterdam, with more authentic experiences. That’s how we ended up in Amsterdam-East, at the Volkshotel, to fully experience some new parts of Amsterdam.
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Just recently, Ashley a valued member of the Traveltomtom Team, visited the Dutch Bulb region for the very first time. Besides visiting all the beautiful Dutch flower fields, she was looking for a fun and unique experience. That’s when she came across Renzy, self guided tours in electric Renault Twizies. Find out her experiences discovering the Dutch tulip fields and stunning landscapes in a unique way.
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Some hotels are a true icon and have played a very important part in history. One of these hotels is Hotel de Wereld, located in Wageningen, the Netherlands. Hotel de Wereld played an important role in the Dutch liberation during the second world war. Let me take you to Hotel de Wereld, where freedom has been a guest for many years.
The fifth of May is Liberation Day in the Netherlands, the day on which we still celebrate our freedom every year. It is no coincidence that we celebrate this day on the fifth of May. I never really thought about this, until my visit to Hotel de Wereld in Wageningen.
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Recently we travelled to Haarlem as part of an extended weekend we had. We first visited the Dutch Tulip Fields in the Bulb Region (Bollenstreek), and then travel onwards to visit Haarlem. A city we had never been before, so we were very curious. We decided to spend a few days in the city and its surrounding nature and stayed at the Boutique Hotel STAATS.
There are plenty things to do in Haarlem, and close by you’ll find Zandvoort and Zuid Kennemerland National Park. In this blog I will explain why Boutique Hotel STAATS is a great place to stay when visiting Haarlem.
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The Bollenstreek (Bulb Region) and it’s tulip fields are one of the most famous and popular places to visit in the Netherlands. The Keukenhof, located within the Bulb region, attracts about 800.000 visitors each year by itself. It must be worth visiting if a few hundred thousand people do so each year, but even though we’re Dutch, visiting the Bollenstreek was on our bucket list for quite some time. For some reason we never managed to visit the flower fields.
Since travel was still on the back burner, now was the ideal time. We very recently visited the Bollenstreek and the famous Dutch flower fields and wrote this guide for Traveltomtom.
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Sometimes you see things passing by on social media, of which you can only think, who comes up with such a brilliant idea? When I saw the Clock Tower Suite on social media, that was my first thought!
A luxury hotel suite located in a former clock tower, that’s not something you see every day!
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After a wonderful Summer, where travel restrictions were lifted and travelling was possible again (within Europe for most of us), Autumn and Winter kicked in with lockdowns pretty much everywhere again. After visiting all the amazing places in the Netherlands, traveling to Rotterdam and finding out the best things to do in Heerlen and staying in a crane hotel earlier this year, we decided to focus on our own country again this Autumn and Winter. Once more looking for the most beautiful and special places the Netherlands has to offer.
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Opening a brand new hotel in the middle of a worldwide crisis? Sounds too crazy to be true right? Well, two entrepreneurs from ’s Hertogenbosch did just that. And as we’re always looking for unique and special places to stay, this former crane was right up our alley and we couldn’t be more excited.
The crane officially opened late September 2020, as the official opening was postponed due to Corona. However in the months before the official opening they were running a very busy Hotel Exceptionnel. Booking after booking came in, they haven’t really suffered from the Corona crisis.
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Located in Slenaken in the beautiful Dutch Hills of Southern Limburg, you will find the 4-star Spa & Wellness Hotel ‘Klein Zwitserland’ (Little Switzerland). With 36 luxury rooms, wellness facilities, a renowned high-quality restaurant and a beautiful environment with stunning views, this amazing hotel is a perfect and responsible place to stay when you plan a holiday in South Limburg, and more specific the Dutch Hills (Heuvelland).
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Traveling to Amsterdam is always a good idea, especially when you get to experience the city in a brand new hotel. Valk Exclusief has been building on their newest, luxury hotel in Amsterdam for the past few years. In the summer of 2020 this new and modern hotel opened its doors to the public. It was pretty special to be one of the very first guests of a recently opened hotel. Everything still smells new, looks brand new, and probably also due to the Covid-19 situation, it was very quiet.
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Back in 2016 Rotterdam was named as one of the top 10 cities in the world to visit by Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel’. The city owes its place on the coveted list to its futuristic architecture, inspiring city initiatives and a growing range of art, culture, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Rotterdam, the city of reconstruction, was also mentioned by the New York Times and Rough Guide. Both recommended the Maasstad (Rotterdam’s nickname) as one of the best cities to visit in the world.
Looking for more places to visit in the Netherlands? Click on the link for 27 other suggestions like: Giethoorn, Volendam, Parkstad Limburg and much more.
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Are you planning a trip to the Netherlands? Then this list with the most beautiful places to visit is exactly what you are looking for. Find below a map with all the tourist spots of the Netherlands and pick the ones you like for your next trip. The Netherlands has a wide variety of tourist attractions and this extensive list has some off the beaten path destinations that you won't find in any other Netherlands travel guide.
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We always like to travel for as long and as far away as possible, for some reason we think the best things are always found abroad. And of course we have found many beautiful spots all over our world during our travels the past few years. But with the current restrictions we felt more comfortable looking a bit closer to home to spend our holiday.
And sometimes that means you literally don’t even have to go that far. Who knew that Heerlen, only a short 5 minute drive from our place, is the Mural capital of the Netherlands?
Obviously I noticed some pretty cool murals in the past, but I never knew that Heerlen actually was the street art capital of the Netherlands.
Related: List of 24 cool and unique places to visit in Netherlands!
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Looking for a hotel in Arnhem, the fashion capital of the Netherlands? In this blog I will mention 6 reasons why Hotel Modez Arnhem is your perfect choice! Recently I’ve visited Arnhem for a photography workshop and exploring the city of Arnhem for a bit. As a travel photographer, I always want to improve my photography skills for the best results and this time I focused on editing in black and white. Curious about my travel photos? Check out my Instagram account @ourplanetinmylens.
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As I usually have an early flight out of Schiphol Airport, I always book a Schiphol hotel, to avoid the long trip from my home to the airport during the night, and to have a relaxed start of my travels. I always travel by car to the airport, so for me it’s important that the Schiphol hotel offers parking for my car as well.
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Recently I traveled to Scheveningen to attend a seminar in AFAS Circus Theater and I decided to stay in Bilderberg Europa Hotel to spend the rest of my weekend in Scheveningen, a historic fishing village that now is one of the best places to visit in the Netherlands. Looking back it wasn’t the best weekend to stay in Scheveningen since it was uncomfortably cold and Scheveningen is known as a famous coastal town to relax at the beach, soaking up some sun and enjoying a sundowner at one of the beach bars along the boardwalk.
Off course there are plenty other things to do in and around this popular destination that make it worth visiting Scheveningen all year round. In this blog I will explain 7 reasons why Bilderberg Europa Hotel is the perfect hotel to enjoy Scheveningen or The Hague for a few days.
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This new, modern and luxurious Van der Valk hotel opened its doors to the public less than a year ago, in April 2018. Opening Hotel Tilburg also meant the first Van der Valk Exclusive hotel in the province of Brabant (the Netherlands), a unique happening! I was very curious to this brand new hotel and the city of Tilburg and left this place very enthusiastic just two days later. Are you just as curious to this newest Van Der Valk Exclusive hotel? Keep reading about my experiences in this review.
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The Van der Valk Hotel Group is an international hotel business from Dutch origin. They started off as a small hotel business in the Netherlands, but over the years grew to an international hotel group. Nowadays you can find them in 9 countries all over the world, however most hotels can still be found in the Netherlands. The Van der Valk Hotel Utrecht was awarded ‘Best hotel of Utrecht’ just three days before my arrival at the hotel. I was already very curious about the hotel, but this award made me even more excited about my stay.
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Traveling to the Netherlands soon? Let me help you finding the best local sim card for your trip in my country so that you save on high roaming costs. Don't get fooled by slow overseas data roaming packages, they slow down the internet speed abroad. Buying a local sim card in The Netherlands is simple, easy, fast and there is 4G and 5G EVERYWHERE! The Netherlands has some of the most extensive mobile networks in the world. In this article you will find where to go, up to date prices as per June 2021 and who has the best 5G network.
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Traveling to Europe and flying to Amsterdam? Don't get stuck with high roaming costs or slow overseas data plans. A local sim card is mostly the best solution to stay connected. In this guide for buying a Netherlands sim card at Amsterdam Airport I show you all the options and also tell you my recommendation. Because...
Damn it! I feel ashamed for my own country! Why? The sim cards for Netherlands they sell at Amsterdam Airport are ridiculously expensive. Must add, that prices are going down finally. This article is updated as per September 2021.
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