Bloemendaal is a lovely village near the historic city of Haarlem and the coast. Our three-store house with a small front garden and an enclosed back garden on the southside, dates from 1940. There's a cosy living room with a fireplace, wireless internet connection, a cable-connected color-tv (Netflix), a dvd-player/writer and a stereo set, cd-player (a great collection of classical cd's is at your disposal), and a well equiped kitchen. On the first floor a sunny study with a balcony on the south side, a second toilet, a bathroom and our sleeping room with a second tv and a comfortable queen size bed (160cm). On the attic a sink and shower, two spare beds, and another sleepingroom with a double bed.
I dare say that Bloemendaal is a very nice place to stay in Holland. It has the best of both worlds: the Northsea-beach is 6 km. away, the centre of Amsterdam 22 km. or 24 minutes by train. Comparable distances: from the south of Manhattan to the north of Manhattan. Bloemendaal is situated on the edge of a huge dune area of nature-protection, which offers ample opportunities for hiking, biking (we will leave you four bikes), playing and swimming. In the pleasant shopping centre of Bloemendaal (10 minutes walking or 3 minutes by bicycle) you will find all kind of shops, and some nice restaurants. Far more of the same is available in the centre of Haarlem (3 km.), which is also the site of some very fine monuments, museums, cinemas and theaters, and of course in Amsterdam.
Car-exchange is an option: a Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid (automatic transmission). Besides a car is public transport in this region also a good alternative for short excursions. From Bloemendaal station (please mind: there is no elevator to the platforms) there are trains to Haarlem (besides buslines) and Amsterdam every half an hour. It's more practical to go to Amsterdam by train than by car. From Haarlem there are easy connections with all the famous old cities like Utrecht, Leiden, Den Haag and Delft. Besides 2 bicycles, lots of maps of the environment will be at your disposal (and if we don't take our e-bikes with us, 2 e-bikes as well).