Staying in one of the most beautiful spots in the Netherlands, uniquely and peacefully situated by the water, hidden in the greenery. Spotting birds from your bed or maybe even hearing a beaver? It is possible in the sustainable floating hotel room, including a two-person canoe: the Ecolodge, from the brand new entrepreneurs Lia and Hans Hilkmann.
It is great that you can step into the canoe right from the terrace and sail the most beautiful routes. You can really go anywhere, even by bike or on foot.
Sun terrace and watchtower
Lia and Hans took over the Ecolodge from Stayokay. They have added extra facilities such as a double bed, a stove, a fridge and a heat source to make this special place comfortable all year round. A watchtower, sun terrace, canoe and two bicycles with a luggage cart complete the stay. Lia: "The bookings are already coming in. It is also great that you can step into the canoe from the terrace and sail the most beautiful routes in the Biesbosch. You can really go anywhere, even on a bike or on foot. With a bit of luck you will come across beavers. The Ecolodge offers enough privacy when it comes to passing walkers. In the summer you can enjoy the sun on the sun terrace. A drink there, what more could you want? If people want it, they can also book a good breakfast with us, possibly with champagne."
B&B The Zuileshoeve
Only since 1 January 2021 do Lia and Hans own the Ecolodge, but also the Zuileshoeve. They want to transform the dilapidated Zuileshoeve, which has been inhabited by cows for the last forty years, into a Bed & Breakfast with four rooms, a tasting room and a multifunctional space for meetings or small-scale parties, for example. They will also live there themselves. Outside, there will be a terrace where passers-by can enjoy a cup of coffee and a snack, lunch or a drink. The orchard will become a tea garden with space for picnic areas. The couple still have a lot of renovation work to do before they get there. On 1 January 2022, they hope to open the doors of the B&B to the first guests.
Future plans: Passer-by jetty
There are also plenty of plans for the future. "Near the terrace, we would like to have a landing stage for passing boats so that they can come and have a drink or a meal with us. We would also like to have our own boat to pick up guests from the visitor centre or to organise trips, for example. Maybe in the future we would like to expand with another Ecolodge. But that is really in the future. For now, we are happy with the success of the current Ecolodge."
De Zuileshoeve, Merwelanden 39, Dordrecht.
