Efteling Bosrijk Review – Efteling Holiday Village Accommodation
We had such an enjoyable time during our press trip to Efteling Theme Park. Part of that was due to staying on-site at the Efteling Bosrijk holiday village – (check latest prices here) just a short 10 minutes walk to the Efteling special entrance for on site guests. (You can also enter half an hour before everyone else too.)
As soon as you enter the leafy holiday village you are immersed into nature with twists of fairytale magic.
An impressive looking ‘castle’ overlooks you as you walk into the main reception.
Check in
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Check in was smooth and prompt, and the staff genuine and warm. There are seats if little ones want to rest their legs, or perhaps like mine, yours will spot the child steps up to the reception counter which have a bowl of the raspberry and blackberry looking sweets in tantalising reach. This is where we met some fairytale characters the next day.
Armed with our key – we walked to our town house number 536 – past a beautiful lake with the Sandman’s castle twinkling under the night sky. As we ambled along, we saw rabbits dart away and hide from our excited children.
With the impressive trees and forest undergrowth, I could almost imagine the Big Bad Wolf about to pounce or us stumbling across Hansel and Gretel lost.
With those thoughts, it did make me laugh when we paused for directions at a bench. There was a sign in Dutch which was easy to translate. ‘” The Big Bad Wolf was here,” accompanied by a scratch mark! Efteling had read my mind!
It was quite late at night when we arrived, and we did struggle finding our townhouse. Signposts enabled us to get very close but with darkness and tired kids, it did take us a while to initially find the little square where our townhouse was. An extra signpost letting us know we needed to walk further around would have helped.
The Town House
The Town House is set in a village ‘street’, with a courtyard and well in the centre. Inside the town house, the immediate first impression is that it’s a very cosy. That’s not code for small, but the natural furnishings, comfortable sofa’s etc make it an inviting environment.
All the modern conveniences are there; including a dishwasher, microwave, fridge, coffee maker and kettle. There are plenty of plates, pots, pans etc for guests to fully self cater. A welcome pack of a few packs of tea, coffee pods, sugar and powdered milk are provided, as well as washing up liquid, 3 dishwasher tablets and a bar of soap.
There is no soap provided in the downstairs loo or shampoo/ conditioner in the upstairs bathroom. The bathroom has a bath and shower head. There are HDMI cables provided and cable TV as well as their own Efteling TV Channel. We had such action packed days – that we didn’t really have the TV on. WiFi is available. Hanging on a peg are little sleeping caps and a little book to take home – a gift from the Sandman.
There are 3 bedrooms, which sleep 6. One room is 2 bunk beds and the others are singles which are pushed together, so suitable for couples too. I found my mattress a little firmer than I am used to but I still slept well.
Up to two baby beds/travel cot can be added, as well as highchairs if required. For safety, a stair gate is located at the top of the stairs already and the stairs have a rattan runner on them.
Here is a little video I made, showing you all the facilities. Well worth a look if you are not sure where to stay. The grounds are stunning!
Video Of Efteling Bosrijk
Outside, is a further dining area with a BBQ.
The grounds at Efteling Bosrijk
The grounds are extensive and unlike a resort I’ve ever stayed in. There is space and plenty of it. Lots of wide open areas, mystical woods full of tall pines, meandering paths to each little ‘village’ of houses.
A beautiful lake where the Sandman lives provides the setting for the Lakeside Houses accommodation. Within the resort is an apartment block masquerading as a castle. Dotted throughout are wooden play areas. Walking around it is easy to spot ducks, red squirrels and at dusk – rabbits!
Located in the ‘Badhuy’s’ is an indoor swimming pool which is open from 3pm on weekdays and from 8am on weekends. You will need a €0.50 coin to use the locker.
A little train also runs at set times that can take you to the entrance of the theme park.
Restaurant
There is one on-site restaurant, Eethuys which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Alternatively, you can order a pizza, pasta or salad delivery from €11.75 (a child’s pizza is from €7) which will be delivered to your door.
For breakfast, you can visit the restaurant or make use of the breakfast delivery service. A basic breakfast delivery with spreads, gingerbread, a boiled egg, cheese, ham, a roll, bread and orange juice is €8.75 per person.
If you are in a rush, you can buy bread rolls or a treat in the Kleyn Waerenhuys (small grocer and souvenir shop) next to the reception. Nappies, wipes, and other toiletries can be purchased, as well as eggs, yoghurt, ham, cheese, fresh fruit etc.
There are also lots of options to eat in Efteling theme park itself, including vegetarian options. Should kids become fidgety at the table, there is a small area for them to watch a movie whilst you finish your meal.
Entertainment
During breakfast we saw some fairytale characters. In the early evening, watch out for the cheerful Mr Sandman who comes to tell stories in Dutch. (He is practising to include stories in English too.)
There is a Mr Sandman quest app for kids which is specific for the Bosrijk Village – you can walk around the village looking for “magic sand” via a clever GPS system and solve little activities on the way.
Verdict
We adored our stay here and found the natural setting very peaceful and relaxing. Having a fully kitted out kitchen was a great touch which we would have made more use of had we stayed longer, (although fresh milk would have been preferred over the powdered stuff in the welcome pack.)
Staying on site means you can park for free (saving €10) and gain access to Efteling 30 minutes earlier, plus entry tickets are included. I think Efteling Bosrijk is an ideal option for families and very reasonable compared to other theme park accommodation.
For latest prices at Efteling Bosrijk check here
Disclosure: Our visit to Efteling and stay at Efteling Bosrik was hosted by Efteling in return for our review. Views and opinions are my own, and not influenced in any way.
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