Luxury villa with jetty, at the Veerse Meer

The QR ordering system required payment upfront, which left me feeling stuck there. I waited more than 40 minutes for a cola and macchiato. That was a really bad, unsatisfying experience, and I wouldn't recommend the restaurant.

The restaurant across the way isn't somewhere I'd recommend for dinner. It felt really unprofessional: my salad looked like a child had made it, and we had to ask for dressing. It seemed to come straight from a bottle. The hotel itself was good, in a nice location, with pretty Christmas decorations. The room and breakfast were both OK.

We often stay at Fletcher hotels, and this is one of the chain's best. At 50 euros a night for two with breakfast, booked through an auction site, it was hard to complain. There's free parking, good service, plenty of breakfast choices, a balcony, very comfortable beds, excellent Wi-Fi and a Nespresso machine in the room. The location is gorgeous. But the cleanliness was a letdown. The carpet had huge stains, and the toilet bowl, curtains and showerheads were just nasty. At the full price of 120 euros or more, I'd have been disappointed.

The food wasn't much to write home about, and the local oysters were very expensive. Still, the location right by the water is great, and the fishermen-themed decor is fun. Go for a corner room if you can, they have telescopes! Even in winter, it makes for a nice change from the usual places.