Etoile Aan Zee

My comments are about Room 2 only. The accommodation has several separate options: an apartment, which is a small detached house in the main house's garden, and two rooms in the side wing. Room 2 was bright, nicely lit and welcoming, with a beautifully designed interior and a great bathroom. The owners were friendly and quick to help when we asked for things. Dogs are allowed, and they gave us an extra duvet on request. Bed linen and towels were supplied. The town center and a supermarket are very close. A few practical details were awkward. Payment was cash only. The room was still at 18°C when we arrived, and its two electric towel warmers took about 24 hours on their highest setting to bring it to a comfortable 22°C. You can only enter through the patio door. The door pictured in the room is a dummy that leads to the landlords' private quarters. The patio isn't fully fenced either, since it's also the way in, which isn't clear in the pictures. There was only one single duvet by default, and the TV picked up just two German channels. The kitchen cupboard and fridge doors open in inconvenient directions. No smoke detectors were present, and we couldn't find a kitchen towel or egg cups. It also wasn't clear who was supposed to provide toilet paper and garbage bags. There was very little room to set down or unpack luggage. The wardrobe was there, but not very practical. From December 28th, fireworks were being set off at different times, day and night. Children, roughly 8-10 years old, wandered around town with backpacks full of firecrackers or hung around nearby, disturbing residents and tourists. When spoken to directly, some deliberately threw fireworks onto our terrace. It stopped only after police and local authorities intervened. Other holiday homes and apartments are close by, including some belonging to Zeeland-Belvia by OYO, where many of the children involved were staying with their parents.

Everything was spotless, and the covered bicycle storage was handy. Etoile aan Zee has a practical kitchenette and a large bathroom with a luxurious shower. The two bedrooms are small, so it worked well for just the two of us, though four people would have felt cramped. Families with a dog would appreciate the fenced garden and seating area. The guesthouse is only a few meters from Vrouwenpolder's charming street, with small shops, a bakery, several restaurants, a large grocery store and a big fish stall. There's a market once a week, too. We had a wonderful week and highly recommend the place.

The beach is broad and just a 900-meter walk away, and the old Dorpsdijk nearby has restaurants, a good bakery, charming boutiques and a supermarket. Our cottage at Etoile aan Zee had every comfort we wanted, plus its own garden and parking space. We had a sunny, relaxing weekend that felt more like spring than winter. Monique, our warm and spontaneous hostess, shared ideas for day trips around the area and gave us a lovely beauty treatment. We also had a massage from Chantal at the nearby Breezand Dune Hotel. We'll definitely be back to enjoy Vrouwenpolder again.

Shops, a good fish market and restaurants are close by, and the beach is walkable, about 2km away. The accommodation itself was excellent, with quiet, comfortable rooms, a new bathroom and parking right at the house.