This post is also available in:
Latest update: 30 October 2021
It still amazes me how close to home can feel so far away. I live in Amsterdam, and I can drive to any place in the province of North Holland in about an hour. So I’m back home in no time, but it is actually much more relaxed to rent a place for the weekend and slow down. So these are my tips for lovely holiday houses in North Holland.
Holiday home De Smid in Grootschermer
In the middle of the polder, at the end of a dead-end road, is a lovely holiday home for two. It is a detached house on the property of owner Janneke. On one side is the Schermerringvaart; on the other side, the Oudkerksloot. A rabbit runs by and crosses the garden, and a meadow bird flies over. You can cycle, canoe, take a dip, or, if you’re lucky, even ice skate in the winter. In front of the house is a sheltered, sunny terrace, and there is a cozy seat next to the stream —ideal for a barbecue or reading a book in the sun. Or light the fire when it gets a bit cooler.
Inside it is pleasantly warm, thanks to the woodstove. The cottage invites you to spend long evenings by the fire with a glass of red wine and playing records endlessly. The kitchen is small and requires thoughtful meal prepping, but everything you need to cook an impressive dinner is there. There is a loft upstairs to sleep. The warmth of the woodstove ensures that it’s pleasant and warm there too. You can watch the sunrise from the bedroom window. Oh, and dogs are welcome.
Dune lodge in Bloemendaal aan Zee
The lodges in Bloemendaal aan Zee are located in a holiday park, but you hardly notice that you have neighbors when staying there outside of the school holidays. The lodges are all reasonably sheltered and not along main paths. All of the lodges lie in the dunes. You only have to cross the street, and you are already on the beach of Bloemendaal aan Zee. And the North Holland dunes are, of course, also ideal for long walks. At Parnassia, your dog can go on the beach all year round.
The lodges are luxuriously and modernly furnished. Dishwasher, oven, Nespresso… you name it. The houses have huge windows, so you feel like you are surrounded by nature all the time. Your dog is also very welcome here.
Nature house Te Warskip in Barsingerhorn
Hello, hot tub! What a pleasure it is to rent this house high in North Holland. There is a huge garden with a lawn so your dog can run endlessly, and also a lovely wood-fired hot tub. From the hot tub, you look out over the meadows and watch the sunset. The nature cottage Te Warskip in Barsingerhorn is in a rural area. There is a second nature house directly behind, and it borders the property of the owners. If you want, Coby can cook something for you or take care of breakfast.
Inside you will find a wood stove that warms up the house in no time. The living kitchen area is small but wonderfully cozy. And in the kitchen, there is just about everything you need to cook a fantastic meal. If you’re missing specific utensils, don’t worry: the owners will take care of it. Upstairs there are two lovely bedrooms to sleep in after, for example, a long walk on the beach – the beach is only a fifteen-minute drive away.
