Bruinisse Harbour Apartments

The trouble started when we arrived as a family of five to collect the key at the agreed time. There wasn't one, and we waited an hour for the landlord to bring it. Once inside, I found someone else already staying in the apartment, which was both startling and embarrassing. The landlord then said he'd booked us a hotel about 30 km away, but we had to cover the cost first and wait for reimbursement. Sorting that out took three hours. He said he'd find another place for us the next day, but that fell through too. We spent several hours waiting outside and had to throw away perishable food we'd brought in the car. All of this took time, money and fuel out of our holiday, and it ruined our enjoyment of it. In the end, we had to set off home today, facing another four-hour drive.

We were thrilled with the place and had a lovely, very relaxing holiday. We'd happily book it again. The one problem was the dog policy. We had specifically booked a room with our dog, but the house rules say dogs can't go upstairs in the living room or downstairs in the bedrooms. So where are they meant to stay?

We loved the view of the marina from the balcony, but we won't be coming back. The nearest beach of the kind we like in the Netherlands is in Renesse, 30 km away. The little beach by the marina is tiny and seems to serve mostly as a dog toilet. We were there for a week in summer, just the two of us. The apartment is small but practical, though several basics were missing: a salad bowl, enough cutlery, kitchen storage for self-catering, and a stand for the parasol. The owners did try to sort things out. The bigger problem was upstairs, where the bedroom is on an open mezzanine under the roof with no ventilation. It was over 30°C there at night, so we had to move the mattresses into the living and dining area. The bathroom has no ventilation either.

The complex has plenty going for it, with a supermarket, playground and a nearby beach. It seems especially suited to people with dogs, and it's a nice place for a week away. The apartment needs work, though. In summer the windowless upper level gets too hot to sleep in, so the three of us had to make up the sofa bed for some air. The bathroom is also too small.