Texel is a small Dutch island, at the northern tip of Netherlands. We recently decided to spend a 'lazy' autumn weekend here. Well, I expected it to be lazy but it was far from lazy and I will sharing more about it soon. For now, here's about the hotel where we stayed in Texel. If you're adventurous, you could stay in a beach shack or a camper van as there are very many grounds for camping in Texel. But with our little Atyudarini we didn't want to do that and we stayed at this very comfortable, aparthotel - Bos en Duin, one of the best Texel Hotels
BOS EN DUIN HOTEL REVIEW
Certain rooms of building A, esp., the ones in the ground floor facing the forest have a very homely feeling. They have a private sit-out area, complete with chairs and a table. Spending a sunny noon here, having the lunch outside with the sounds of the forest with your family/friends/dog (yeah, these rooms are pet friendly as well!) would be such a pleasing experience.
Building B, esp., the ones in the first floor, feels more spacious, with a lot of sunlight and breeze coming in! There is small balcony suitable for 2 people to have a coffee. It isn't big enough for a meal. Since they also come with 2 bedrooms, its perfect for families with children. We were lucky enough to have clear skies on one night and did quite a bit of star gazing and it was splendid.
The rooms are equipped with all basic stuff like TV, Coffee machine, Wifi etc. Since the reception is not 24 hrs, there is no phone in the room! However there are numbers provided for emergencies. One amazing thing here is a cupboard filled with 'anything' that you may need for the stay. It has quite a few board games suitable for various age groups, several books, movie dvds, a binocular, a fly squatter, few batteries and what not! I casually opened the cupboard expecting it to be empty and had my mind blown!
While prior to Atyudarini, we never considered aparthotel, now its a norm for us. While we don't mind eating anything anywhere, we do want the option of being able to cook if Atyudarini doesn't eat local dishes and this was perfect. While the kitchen is fully equipped, it does not come with condiments. However there is the supermarket Spar located very close by.
There is small playground complete with trampoline! There is a relatively large car park. Rental of bikes with gears as well as e-bikes are available for the guests to explore the island at a small extra cost. It is advisable to reserve them, esp., in summers. Breakfast is okay and as usual like in most European hotels, not much options for vegetarians. It is not complimentary as well.
BOSQ RESTAURANT REVIEW
We were treated with a 3 course meal that began with a fruity gelato starter in a unique combination with artichokes. The look definitely baffled me but the taste was unbelievably good! I did not expect that at all! Our next dish was 3 types of cabbages, prepared in 3 different ways and this was a mix of hit & miss. We liked 2 of those 3 types... With a perfect combination of local wines to go with the dishes, it was one perfect dinner.
Just look at the picture below and tell me what you think of it! No, its not meat. Its Aubergine! Aubergine with apples. Again a very amusing combination but tasted so so so good! Atyudarini was served with a corn bread topped with beans and asparagus. She adored it so much that we had to ask for a second serving of the same!
There is wine cellar in the hotel and Chef Robin uses the wine here at times to come up with some new dishes as well as to find perfect drink for his creations. The best part - there is a 1994 Bourgogne Pinot Noir. Its safely kept locked! I wonder what would be the perfect occasion for them to open this....
From Den Hoorn Ferry Point: 7.5 km
Call and reserve Texel Hopper Shuttle. This area is not served by the main line 28.
To Book online: Appartmentenhotel Bos en Duin
Room rates begin at €95 (for double room)
Breakfast: €14.75
Bike rental: €10 per day (works out cheaper for longer hire)
E-Bike rental: €22.50 per day (works out cheaper for longer hire)
Breakfast: €14.75
Bike rental: €10 per day (works out cheaper for longer hire)
E-Bike rental: €22.50 per day (works out cheaper for longer hire)
Hotel Ph no: +31 (0)222 315541
MY COMPLETE TEXEL TRAVELOGUE - What to do in Texel Island
Top 5 things to do in Texel, Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage, Villages of Texel Island, Cycling around Texel Island
Other day-trips from Amsterdam in Netherlands: Rotterdam, Kinderdijk, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Pampus Island, Muiderslot, The Hague
Other weekend getaways from Amsterdam within Netherlands: Giethoorn, Maastricht, Middelberg
P.S: I was invited by Texel Tourism to experience the city for review purposes, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.
I love reading about places in the Netherlands other than Amsterdam. I have never heard of Texel before. The Bos en Duin hotel seems like a lovely place to stay with great views of the surrounding park and greenery. It's always nice to stay somewhere surrounded by nature. Looks like you had a great meal at the Bosq restaurant. It was so nice of the chef to put together a special meal for you!
ReplyDeleteThe Bos en Duin in Texel in the Netherlands sounds and looks like a great place to stay when visiting the area. The rooms is cozy and very big, perfect for families like our own! Too bad you had some rain bur your adorable daughter seems to be enjoying herself!
ReplyDeleteAnd how great isnt that chef from Bosq restaurant cooked you and your family some special vegetarian dishes! The menu sound really interesting!
To be honest I did not know that Netherlands had an island - so very surprised to read about Texel. I would like to visit now. Bosq would be a definite yes - the food looks amazing. Definitely a great place to spend a few days I wonder if a week would be too long?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely spot to spend a quiet weekend, it's always nice to be surrounding by greenery. That food looks amazing, they definitely seem to know what they're doing in the kitchen. I've not heard of Texel so thanks for introducing it to us.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear Netherlands, Amsterdam would always be the first thing on my mind. I would love to explore other less Touristy places. I love reading and learning about new places in Netherlands. Texel sounds like a beautiful place to visit
ReplyDeleteI love reading posts about not usual tourist destiantions. First time i heard of the place and by the looks of it its a very scenic and quaint place. I also did not expect that quaint hotel offering good food and good wine.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great place to stay! And those toiletries are so fun. It's good to have a restful weekend, but finding a new place to explore would have me on the go, too. I've only been to Amsterdam, but I'd love to head out into the countryside to see more!
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that caught my attention was the FOOD! The Aubergine with apples dish looks simply divine. I'm such a sucker for aubergine (none of my friends like it, NONE!) but I never thought about pairing it with apples, although it sounds like a good combo and gave me some great ideas for what I can try to cook next time I shop for aubergines. Thanks for the inspo!
ReplyDeleteGood to know about Texel which is a small Dutch island, and you decided to spent your lazy autumn here. Your aparthotel - Bos en Duin looks very cozy type of stay as it is surrounded by lush green surroundings and it must be very peaceful here. It is good that this hotel has 42 rooms and a Michelin recognized restaurant. Aubergine first looked like meat to me too but very unique combination of Aubergine with apples. I would try this for sure.
ReplyDeleteThe hotel looks like a nice play to stay. I loved to see all the stuff inside the wardrobe. It seems like a great gesture from the hotel. Also, the kitchen is a huge advantage as who doesn't love to eat healthy on trips!
ReplyDeleteGreat review!! Looks like a really cozy and comfortable place to spend a weekend. I haven't been to Texel yet and honestly didn't know about this town either but seems like a spot that you cannot miss if you ever travel to Netherland. I love the fact that the hotel also had a seperate spot for kids to place which is seldom the case.
ReplyDeleteOoh looks like a great long weekend getaway! That's my favorite way to make the most of limited vacation time. The property looks gorgeous and the food delectable. And you sold me at wine cellar - yum! Glad you had such a wonderful experience!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely way to spend lazy autumn weekend on a beautiful island of Texel. I would like to stay in Camper Van but cannot resist to stay in such beautiful hotel that is surrounded with acres of greenary. The Residential studio apartments must have been super cozy and with homely feeling. Aubergine looks much alike meat. Glad to know it was made with apples and vegetarian ingredients.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of staying in apartment style rooms, and that will become more importantly when we try to expand our family, and for saving money cooking as your mentioned. I like the little balcony as well to give you some outdoor space and enjoy a cup of coffee. I also, to be honest, didn't know there islands in this section of the Netherlands!
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