Sterrenhoeve

We paid €480 and left the next morning after just one night because we were exhausted and couldn't continue the stay. The landlord called us disgruntled complainers instead of taking our criticism seriously, apologizing or making improvements. I would've liked to have a few beers with him, since he is a nice man, but he isn't suited to renting out a pleasant, cozy and clean holiday place. His response to criticism on Booking.com, including personal insults, was outrageous. I suspect he knows why the booking is absolutely non-refundable, and it's a shame we had to cancel the whole thing because €480 is a lot of money for us. The apartment was in a very run-down state and appallingly unclean. The photos made it look far better than it was. The two so-called bedrooms were like storage closets, with old hospital beds, there was practically no kitchen, and the ground-floor windows and skylights were filthy. The bathroom was so cramped that you'd need to be a yoga artist or only 1.20 meters tall to wash properly. You can't lock the door because there are no keys, so all our personal belongings are left out in the open. When we complained, the landlord said, "This isn't a palace, it's a farm." But a farm should be tidy and clean too, or it wouldn't function.

I have to write this vacation off, and the landlord's promise that we could try to get our money back was the only one he kept. When we told him we couldn't go ahead with the trip as things were, he refused to refund anything. He's unfriendly, rude and unwilling to understand. This place isn't on the beach or even close to it. You have to drive 5 km to see any water. The accommodation was a dirty construction site full of trash, with broken furniture and a bathroom so filthy it was unusable. I can imagine that the apartment on the farm might be a beautiful, relaxing place once the renovations that are apparently happening are finished, but there's still a long way to go. The ruined vacation doesn't help me now. I wish the landlord luck with the renovations, but I'd recommend changing the "on the beach" listing so other guests aren't disappointed.

We checked out this morning and drove 400 km home, really annoyed. The yard grass was up to our knees. We arrived to "check in" at 6 pm, but first had to call the landlord because he wasn't there. His daughter came 10 minutes later with everything, before we'd even inspected the place. I expected somewhere clean, but there were cobwebs, old glass in the bathroom and stained sheets. If the place isn't checked and cleaned between our 11:30 am departure and 6 pm arrival, a one-star review shouldn't come as a surprise.

They welcomed us so warmly, and let us into the room a little early because of a wedding. The four of us slept wonderfully. Well worth it!