X
The Walker family have left us this review of their holiday at Hof van Saksen. They had contacted us looking for a different type of holiday and wanted to be car-free. They loved the Netherlands so much they have booked to go back next year and try a different park! They said:
“Following a disastrous holiday to Portugal in 2023 (think chicken pox, quarantine, having to leave your 2 year old in another Country) we wanted a completely different type of holiday for 2024. I’d seen Little Clogs favourited by friends on Facebook and once I started reading, I knew this would be the type of holiday for us.
I emailed Laura and Jane for advice on a car free holiday and they came up with a really extensive list, plus other advice on subjects I’d not even thought about.
After much deliberation, we booked Hof van Saksen for 23-30 August for 2 adults and our 2 children aged 3 and 6. This was based on Laura and Jane’s advice that it would most likely be quieter as a lot of Dutch Schools had already returned to school. We opted to fly from Manchester with KLM (best airline EVER) to Amsterdam. The flight only took 45 minutes and was so effortless that that alone was enough to have us return. We took the train from Amsterdam to Assen which was really nice as we got to see windmills, canals and lots of lovely scenery. We arrived in Assen and took the 15 minute bus which dropped us right at the gates. It is completely doable on public transport, however it’s quite a trek from the bus stop to reception if you have a lot of luggage.
We booked a 4CE Farmhouse, however when this was renovated we were offered a 6CE which more closely matched our original booking. The property was absolutely perfect. It had everything we needed, it was clean and spacious and it was incredibly quiet, not once during the week did we hear our neighbours. We had a small park right outside too which is great for letting children play without too much supervision.
The site itself is stunning. It’s beautifully maintained throughout and little touches like the statues and artwork make things that little bit more interesting and special. The view from our patio doors was green fields and woodland.
The shop on site has everything you need, however it is expensive, if you have a car or are happy to take the bus, going into a nearby town to shop would be cheaper.
Our mornings were all pretty similar with a trip to the swimming pool. Our 3 year old loved the small pool with slides and the fountains. She also loved the swimming lessons they did in the big pool with the floor raised up to a water depth of 30cms. The Jacuzzis and small pool were a big hit but it was the lazy river we spent the majority of our time on! I don’t think I’m exaggerating if I said that in a week we went on 100 times. Our 6 year old was old enough and tall enough to go on 4 of the slides, however his build is so slight that he disappeared through the rubber ring. We managed 3 slides in a week before he admitted that they were a bit out of his league! He was more than happy on the lazy river though and he’s planning a return when he’s 9 to tackle the slides again.
Top tip – because you have to vacate by 10 on your departure day and most people leave site because they’ve driven, the pool was nearly empty, so if you wanted to ride the slides without having to queue, try and go then.
We spent time in the craft academy, took part in the football and nature academy which was really nice for little ones exploring the woods looking for bugs. Both of them thoroughly enjoyed trampolining and the soft play. We were lucky enough to have 29C weather on a couple of days so we spent long afternoons on the beach, swimming in the lake, playing in the park and bouncing on the bouncy pillows. Crazy golf was a big hit too.
One day we took the bus into Assen which is a lovely town. The square was a great place for a drink and to idle away an hour or two chatting and people watching.
We didn’t eat in any of the restaurants, however we did have a takeaway on the decking by the lake and take away pizza which were both delicious. The standard of food was excellent and far better than take away food in the UK. It felt like restaurant quality food but in relaxed surroundings. Ice cream from the supermarket was out of this world! I can highly recommend a fruit yoghurt flavour and the kids loved crazy cherry.
My only complaint would be that the site isn’t ‘car free’ and it isn’t enforced. During our stay I would suspect 25% of cars were not parked in the car park and despite security driving round, I didn’t see anyone being asked to move their car. Staff were zipping around on near silent electric buggies and people were coming and going, so it didn’t feel altogether safe allowing children out on their own too far.
Other than that I couldn’t fault it. We had a really amazing holiday and I couldn’t thank Laura and Jane enough for their help. The Netherlands is a beautiful country and everyone was so accommodating and friendly. It wasn’t somewhere I’d ever considered going to as a family, however we loved it so much we’ve booked to go to Het Vennenbos at Easter next year, where hopefully the slides will be a bit tamer!
Thanks again for all your help and keep up the excellent work”
For more info about Hof van Saksen, or to book, please see below or drop us a line:
HOF VAN SAKSEN Contact Us
