First Time Visit.
Aug 10th, 2003 | 06:15 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
First Time Visit.
My partner and I will be staying in Holland for approximately 3 days, before we head off to U.S.A . We are going to visit Efteling in Brabant whilst in Holland and we are yet to decide where to stay, but will need to be near to public transport. Does anyone know how long it would take to get from Amsterdam to Efteling by train and any other public transport? We are thinking of staying in Amsterdam if it isn't to far away from Efteling.
Is the area around Efteling worth exploring. We have no idea of what it is like. We are hoping to go there in late July or early August so what will the weather be like.
Is the area around Efteling worth exploring. We have no idea of what it is like. We are hoping to go there in late July or early August so what will the weather be like.
Aug 21st, 2003 | 03:05 AM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
Hi Chriselle,
The Efteling is in Kaatsheuvel, which is well-served by buses from Tilburg and Den Bosch ('s Hertogenbosch) but is not very close to Amsterdam. The train trip from Amsterdam to Den Bosch takes about an hour, and the bus (#137 or #136) from the train station Den Bosch takes about an hour and stops at the Efteling. You could certainly stay in Amsterdam if you don't mind the 4-hour+ round trip.
Alternatively, you could stay at the Golden Tulip Efteling Hotel, which is a nice hotel right next to the park, with some theme rooms and generally an Efteling atmosphere; not quite as cheesy as Disney! Here's English info about the park & hotel:
http://www.efteling.nl/docs.en/hotel/nav/index.html
Or you could spend the night in Den Bosch, which has a very nice old town center and a huge number of cafes, restaurants & bars.
The area around Kaatsheuvel is nice for biking but does not have any other really compelling sightseeing. It's a major base for custom kitchens, of all things.
Keep in mind that the Efteling could be very, very crowded in July and August, as all schools will be out and there are many young visitors from Belgium & Germany as well. Weather: might be sunny, rainy, cloudy, windy; temps. between 72 and 86F?
The Efteling is in Kaatsheuvel, which is well-served by buses from Tilburg and Den Bosch ('s Hertogenbosch) but is not very close to Amsterdam. The train trip from Amsterdam to Den Bosch takes about an hour, and the bus (#137 or #136) from the train station Den Bosch takes about an hour and stops at the Efteling. You could certainly stay in Amsterdam if you don't mind the 4-hour+ round trip.
Alternatively, you could stay at the Golden Tulip Efteling Hotel, which is a nice hotel right next to the park, with some theme rooms and generally an Efteling atmosphere; not quite as cheesy as Disney! Here's English info about the park & hotel:
http://www.efteling.nl/docs.en/hotel/nav/index.html
Or you could spend the night in Den Bosch, which has a very nice old town center and a huge number of cafes, restaurants & bars.
The area around Kaatsheuvel is nice for biking but does not have any other really compelling sightseeing. It's a major base for custom kitchens, of all things.
Keep in mind that the Efteling could be very, very crowded in July and August, as all schools will be out and there are many young visitors from Belgium & Germany as well. Weather: might be sunny, rainy, cloudy, windy; temps. between 72 and 86F?
May 17th, 2004 | 05:54 AM
#5
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
I had a very bad experience at the Efteling Hotel.
The park I'd certainly recommend, but after having made reservations at the Efteling Hotel, which were in turn called and confirmed and a confirmation number was provided, we(wife, and 2yr old daughter) arrived at the hotel at 9:30 PM to find that the hotel was full and our reservation(let me again emphasize again that we sent three emails, called twice and had a confirmation number) was given away. We traveled arguably the furthest to reach the park and were basically shuffled to a cheapie hotel down the road. The manager drove us in the hotel van to the 'bridal suite' of a hotel in nearby waalwijk where we slept ON A WATERBED, in a room that had been converted from what appeared to be lounge area.
Which of course, we still payed for...
Thankfully, my 2 yr old handled it well, but my near stay at the Efteling Hotel ranks as the worst hotel experience in my lifetime.
The Efteling is a very poorly run hotel and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
The park I'd certainly recommend, but after having made reservations at the Efteling Hotel, which were in turn called and confirmed and a confirmation number was provided, we(wife, and 2yr old daughter) arrived at the hotel at 9:30 PM to find that the hotel was full and our reservation(let me again emphasize again that we sent three emails, called twice and had a confirmation number) was given away. We traveled arguably the furthest to reach the park and were basically shuffled to a cheapie hotel down the road. The manager drove us in the hotel van to the 'bridal suite' of a hotel in nearby waalwijk where we slept ON A WATERBED, in a room that had been converted from what appeared to be lounge area.
Which of course, we still payed for...
Thankfully, my 2 yr old handled it well, but my near stay at the Efteling Hotel ranks as the worst hotel experience in my lifetime.
The Efteling is a very poorly run hotel and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
