Tulip Cycling books the accommodation on your behalf and according to your particular preferences and budget. Over the years we have built up an excellent relationship with many hotels and B&B establishments in The Netherlands. Some of them are very well-known, while others are what we call our 'hidden treasures'.
While working up your appetite on your cycling adventure, you can look forward to enjoying a meal of traditional 'home-made' Dutch fare. Or experience one of the many culinary delights brought back by our Dutch forefathers to our country from all around the world.
Accommodation
There is a wide variety of accommodation in Holland including hotels and bed & breakfast establishments. And, more important for cyclists, there is always a variety of choices within one day's cycling.
We focus on accommodation that has an attractive, authentic setting in the countryside or in a historic part of a town or village and is good value for money. While business hotels are generally of good quality, Tulip Cycles tends to avoid them as they often lack the atmosphere and scenic location that we seek for our customers.
Accommodation booking information:
Tulip Cycling accommodation reservation service is free of charge;
The cost of the accommodation reserved on your behalf is not included in the tour price and
should be paid at each place of accommodation;
All reservations are confirmed by Tulip Cycling. The prices and details of your accommodation are
shown on your pre-tour specification, not on your tour invoice;
Tourist (accommodation) tax varies per region from between 3 and 8% and is not included in
the confirmed prices.
Cancellation must be made within 48 hours otherwise the accommodation must be paid for;
Breakfast (buffet) is included in the room rates;
The accommodation we reserve will have safe bicycle storage facilities;
Most hotels also have family rooms or suites;
Double rooms have either twin or double beds;
B&B accommodation is normally less suitable for larger groups;
Accommodation classifications and prices in Holland:
Hotel *
Low budget. Small rooms. Shared toilets and bathrooms. Bedrooms equipped with wash-hand basins with hot & cold water, a table and a chair.
Hotel **
Budget hotel. Approximately 50% of all rooms have private shower & toilet. Hotel amenities include residents lounge and the sale of refreshments.
Hotel ***
Middle class hotel with receptionist. All rooms have their own bathrooms as well as TV and direct-dial telephone. Hotels with more than 2 floors always have elevators.
Hotel **** / *****
Large, luxuriously furnished rooms. Radio, TV, bathrooms with high-quality equipment. A wide range of amenities including 24-hour room service, gift shop, a la carte restaurant, laundry and dry-cleaning. Occasionally also with spa or pool.
Bed & Breakfast
B&B accommodation is often provided in private homes or farmhouses where the emphasis is placed on giving their guests personal service in order to make them feel 'at home'. Unlike the generally luxurious B&B accommodation in the U.S.A. and Canada, Dutch accommodation tends to be more basic, with bathrooms and toilet facilities often being shared. Don't forget, as a guest in somebody's house you are expected to observe the house rules and blend in with your temporary environment. You are expected to arrive no earlier than late afternoon, and to depart before noon the next day.
Average price of a double room (including continental breakfast)
Hotel *
80
Hotel **
95
Hotel ***
115
Hotel **** / *****
165
Bed & Breakfast
70
Tulip Cycling arranges the accommodation required during your cycling trip, but we can also make reservations for pre and post-tour accommodation in Holland or Belgium - another aspect of our tailored tour concept.
You can also book your own European 'out-of-tour' nights using the services of "Booking.com", offering competitive rates as well as transparent conditions of sale and service.
Eating & drinking
From village to town to city, you will find inexpensive places to eat, a large variety of ethnic establishments as well as the more trendy and exclusive restaurants. Because there is such a wide variety of eating possibilities, we do not make half-board arrangements. You can so easily choose your own restaurant for lunch and dinner wherever you are, and perhaps experience an unexpected 'culinary pearl'.
You could try some original Dutch specialties, including salted herring, mussels, 'hotchpotch', pancakes, sweet pastries and great cheeses.
The Dutch drink a lot of tea and coffee, which are served at more or less fixed times. You may like to enjoy a small, but strong cup of coffee along with a piece of apple pie or Dutch pastry. As in England, afternoon tea is often served with a variety of teas and pastries on offer.
Late afternoon is usually the time for an alcoholic drink, or 'borrel' as the Dutch call it. A glass of one of the famous Dutch beers perhaps, a nip of Genever (Dutch gin), or a glass of wine or sherry, usually accompanied by cheese, nuts, or crackers. The favourite snack with the borrel is 'bitterballen', deep-fried breaded meat balls, eaten on a stick and dipped into mild mustard.
Tulip Cycling deliberately does not provide advice or make recommendations about restaurants. This is because of the frequent changes in this sector. It is therefore more advisable to ask the staff at your overnight accommodation, or to check out the Internet (e.g. www.dinnersite.com).
Tulip Cycling arranges the accommodation required during your cycling trip, but we can also make reservations for pre and post-tour accommodation in Holland or Belgium - another aspect of our tailored tour concept.
