The 6 best sites to book your holiday or beach house

Summer vacation 2020 is turning out to be a bit of a wash for many. That foreign trip, even though Rutte is now cautiously saying it might be possible, is not going to happen in many cases. And yes, even if your flight isn't canceled, is there really anything to do at the destination? Sitting there comfortably with your butt in Costa Brava, and nothing is open. Sipping your sangria completely alone. And on vacation, you naturally want to take it easy, but a bit of liveliness is nice, right? Well, that's why my campaign plan for this summer is: vacation in your own country. And that sounds a lot easier than it is, because where do you start?

Do I want to go to the Veluwe, Zeeland, the north, or a Wadden island? Beach or forest? Tiny house or beach house? With a boat, a jacuzzi, or just minimalist? So many. Choices. See. Through. Trees. Forest. No. More.

So here is the list that helped me out and also arose a bit out of frustration. Because there are so many sites with really a great offer, but some haven't opened all dates, some are only at the beach... Therefore, here is a nice overview.

1. Roompot
I genuinely think Roompot has the best offer in terms of variety. At the beach, in the Veluwe; they have something nice everywhere in the Netherlands. Beach houses, campsites, glampings... My favorite is the Water Village in Zeeland. Those bungalows by the water, I can really see myself having a good staycation there. But – and yes, of course, there is a but – in terms of availability, I don't find them optimal. Of course, a lot is fully booked, but that's logical, but at Roompot they have fixed days of the week when you can check in, so that makes it a bit less easy if you specifically want to leave on Wednesday and they only accept new guests on Tuesday and Friday. Just a bit more measuring and fitting then.

2. Natuurhuisje
The name says it all: this is the right place for a nature house. So if you want to be at the beach, then this is not quite the right site. Especially for the north of the country and the Veluwe, they have very good options. A big plus for me is the search function, which works a bit like on Booking. Very clear and you can easily click on what you are looking for. Personal favorite is this house in Vinkeveen and then rent a boat for €25 a day and head out to the Vinkeveense Plassen. Wonderful.

3. Homeaway
For beach houses, I think this is top. The offer in Zandvoort, Noordwijk, Scheveningen, Egmond... Actually, at every beach in the Netherlands, they have something. But also in the larger cities, if you prefer to do a city trip. With a group, a few days at the beach: book something here. They have many spacious chalets and bungalows, often just a few hundred meters from the beach. Top.

4. A Holiday Home
For when you want to stay far from the beach, this is a good option. And also if you are going with a little family. This site also has many tips for activities at the destinations, such as horseback riding or a trek with a covered wagon, but also exhibitions and that sort of thing. Not ideal if you mainly want to barbecue and drink with a group of friends, but perfect if you are going for a family weekend with your parents and/or uncle, aunt, and all the relatives.

5. Beach House
Well, the name here also fully says it: houses on the beach. But I mean really ON the beach. So if the houses from number 3 are still too far to walk, then you are completely right here. Here you literally only have to step out the door to stand with your feet in the sand. They have houses in North Holland, South Holland, and Zeeland. I really think this one in Hoek van Holland is awesome, especially if you rent a few of those houses with a couple of friends. Disadvantage: it's quite pricey, but yes, then you also get something.

5. Bijzonder Plekje
What are all those booking sites nice and straightforward with their names, I must say. I don't need to say much more about this because it speaks for itself. Easy. They are indeed all special accommodations, whether it's a boutique hotel, a farm, a loft, or a beach house. The offer here is very diverse. It causes some choice stress here and there, because the offer is also quite large. The only downside is that it can also be reasonably priced, but you get that when you want to stay somewhere special and not in a Van der Valk hotel by the highway. In any case, I'm going to this beach house in Funen (no, I had never heard of that either), because you just want to spend a week here.