Our night at the Best Western Zaan Inn in Zaandam

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After our disappointing day in Brussels, we spend one night at the Best Western Zaan Inn Hotel. We arrived at Zaandam in cold, wet and simply miserable weather. The wind was so cold, it felt like it cut right through our jackets. And it was drizzling at the same time, the most horrible weather for arriving at a new destination and still having to find where you needed to go.

The Best Western Zaan Inn in Zaandam

We thought the walk from the train station at Zaandam to the BEST WESTERN Zaan Inn was short. BUT we took a wrong turn and ended up on the opposite side of the train tracks, which meant we had to turn all the way back and head in the right direction. And all the time it was drizzling, and it was so extremely cold, but eventually we managed to find the right direction and marched towards the hotel.

Reception and checking-in

Walking into the Best Western Zaan Inn was like arriving in a warm cocoon. Inside it was cosy. The receptionist was very friendly and immediately made us feel welcome. Lucky check-in was quick and efficient and in no time we were able to go to our room.

Our room

Our room was a decent size and spotless. It had a kettle, safe, desk, chair and a bar fridge. There was also coffee and tea supplies. The bed was huge and very comfortable. The bathroom had plenty of toiletries. The shower was hot and so welcome after our walk in the cold weather. Wifi was free. We did initially struggle to connect, and the connection was a bit slow, but eventually we got it working.

We were meant to go to Amsterdam to spend some time experiencing the nightlife in Amsterdam, but since it was so cold and unpleasant outside, we decided to spend the evening in our hotel room.

Supper

There were vending machines on the ground floor with snacks, toothbrushes and adapters – very convenient, but we didn’t need any of those things. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar, but since had spent a little too much during the rest of our trip, we opted for the supermarket for supplies for supper, which, lucky for us, had recently opened opposite the hotel in the direction of the Zaandam train station.

The bad: just one tiny little lift

The next morning we decided to leave our luggage in the luggage storage facility at the hotel since we did not know what time we would be back from visiting the little town of Zaanse Schans. Getting down from our room to the reception area was a nightmare. There was only one tiny lift (think four people without luggage) in the hotel and apparently all the tourist groups had just finished breakfast and decided to check out at the same time we did. Unfortunately, we were on the 6th floor, and our suitcases were so big and heavy. But after waiting for more than 30 minutes, we decided to be brave and tackle the stairs. Lucky there was still space for our luggage in the storage facility!

Our opinion

Overall we considered this hotel value for money. Its location of a less than 10-minute walk to the Zaandam train station and only about 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam makes it an option even if you are planning on spending lots of time in Amsterdam. There is an ATM on the way to the station, and if you cross the station bridge, you get to more restaurants. The room was large, and the additional conveniences such as the kettle helped us stay warm. The bed was very comfortable and the price extremely reasonable. We will stay there again if we ever go to Amsterdam again.

Taking the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

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When we were planning our trip to Europe, I also wanted to include London as I had only been there once before and it was just a quick in-and-out for work meetings. To visit London, we had a few options from the Netherlands. One, we could fly, but this required a few hours as you need to be at the airport at least an hour before a flight, you pay extra for the amount of luggage we had and would have needed to spend a night in a hotel. Two, we could take the Eurostar train from Amsterdam to London, but it was expensive and we would still need to spend a night in a hotel. So, we considered options for taking the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK.

Reasons we decided to take the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

We decided to do the Stenaline Ferry from Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands to Harwich in the United Kingdom. There were a few reasons why this seemed like the best option for us. Firstly, it was not that expensive since it included transport, overnight accommodation, and breakfast (optional). Secondly, neither of us had ever slept on a boat/ferry so that it would be a new and exciting experience for us. Thirdly, getting to Hoek of Holland to take the ferry and to get from Harwich to London were not that expensive either. Fourthly, since it was an overnight ferry it would not reduce our sightseeing time in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom. Overall, the ferry option would save us money and give us a new experience. So, that was it! The ferry was the way to go!

Getting to Hook of Holland to board the ferry

After spending some time in Amsterdam sightseeing, we took the train from Amsterdam Centraal to Hook of Holland. We never had to change at any of the stations along the way. The whole journey took about 90 minutes, and we arrived at Hoek van Holland with time to spare.

When we arrived in the terminal, there was already a queue forming in front of the customs counter. It was another hour before we were allowed to board. Boarding was therefore 30 minutes later than what we had been informed it would be. The customs officials were the most thorough I have ever encountered – they went through my passport in detail and had questions about all the countries I was visiting on this trip.

Our cabin where we had to spend the night while taking the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

But, we finally arrived on board just to realize that we had been given a family cabin instead of a normal double cabin. This was not something to complain about! Since we had a whole day of sightseeing in Amsterdam, we were quite tired and had quick showers to freshen up before departure. We wanted to be on deck for the departure.

The bathroom was tiny, but the shower was surprisingly nice. It was small, but the water was hot. The bathroom included towels and soap.

On-board the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

After freshening up, we went out to explore the ferry. It had many restaurants, a cinema, a casino and so forth. We decided to have traditional Dutch apple pie and a jug of beer before venturing onto the deck. It was a bit strange when we were given ice-cold apple pie. The waiter told us that this was the way the Dutch eat it. I love hot apple pie, but when in Rome…. It was tasty, but I think it would have tasted even better warmed up! The beer was refreshing, though!

We thought of watching the departure from inside, but the ferry’s windows were quite dirty. Dirty windows and taking photos would just not have worked out.

Departing from Hook of Holland

We finally went out onto the deck, each with a glass of beer. Man, it was freezing outside. Lucky we had on warm jackets, but I suppose since the ship was so high up it was colder than outside on land. It had also become quite windy and was quite unpleasant outside.

But this was a unique experience, and we stood outside while departing. Departure was around 22:30. It is pretty amazing how big such a ferry is and how many vehicles, containers and trucks could fit on it. It was also not as noisy as I had expected and we sailed on smoothly!

After 30 minutes on deck, we could no longer handle the coldness and went back to our cabin for the night. The mattresses were comfortable, and we slept soundly.

The next morning

The next morning we got up at 4:00 for breakfast, but when we got to the breakfast buffet it looked like we had slept late – many passengers were up and about already. Some had even brought their suitcases and backpacks down already.

The breakfast spread was varied and sufficient. There was everything from fruit, cereals, fruit juices, coffee, eggs, sausages, different types of bread, croissants, cheeses, etc.

After breakfast, we hurried up to our cabin to get our suitcases. Only then did we realize why the other people had taken their suitcases down earlier. There were two lifts only – they were small, and the staircases were narrow, making it quite difficult for people to pass each other on the stairs. Something to keep in mind for the next time!

Arriving at Harwich Port

We arrived at Harwich Port around 6:30 in the morning. We were told that buses will pick us up to take us to the UK customs building. It went smoothly, and finally, we arrived in Harwich.

Since it was Sunday and the day the UK does railroad maintenance, the trains were not available. Buses were available. I was a bit disappointed about not being able to take the train, but the bus drivers were so friendly and such good drivers that the bus trip was quite comfortable.

English countryside as seen from the bus

Getting to London

It took about 2 hours from Harwich to Liverpool Street Station in London. We were ready for our London adventure to begin!

In hindsight, I still think taking the ferry was the best decision for us at the time. It was comfortable, and we didn’t need to rush to get to the airport or spend another night in a hotel in London which would have cost us much more. I would do it again if I needed to go from the UK to Amsterdam, vice versa. Going to bed in one country and waking up in another country works for me!

Experiencing the making of Dutch wooden shoes at Zaanse Schans

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After arriving at Zaanse Schans, which is less than 20 minutes from Amsterdam, we decided to first go to the Dutch wooden shoe workshop. We had never seen Dutch wooden clogs before and was interested in learning more about these shoes.

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Outside the Dutch wooden shoe workshop

Outside the Dutch wooden shoe workshop, there are a few HUGE and colorful wooden shoes or clogs outside. They are perfect for taking pictures – you can either sit in them or stand up – your choice! It was quite fun!

Zaanse Schans Dutch Wooden Shoe Workshop from Outside

Inside the Dutch wooden shoe workshop

Entrance to the workshop is free! When you enter, there is a long passage which serves as a type of a museum showing the history of Dutch wooden shoes.

Welcome sign at the entrance of the wooden shoe shop — Welcome sign at the entrance of the Dutch wooden shoe shop

The variety of Dutch wooden shoes

I never knew there was such a variety of Dutch wooden shoes. For weddings, you get the shoes decorated with elaborate carvings, very detailed and quite lovely.

There are also different types of wooden shoes for working or sports events. There are even silly ones like this pair of Heineken wooden shoes.

Dutch wooden shoes can also be used as decor inside your house. Just add a few wooden tulips and you are set to go!

Shoe-making demonstrations

The Dutch wooden shoe workshop also offers regular demonstrations of how they used to make wooden shoes in the olden days compared to now. Even with the faster methods currently used, the shoes still need a few days to dry out before decoration takes place. I was really impressed with the presenter as he could speak so many languages, even Mandarin!

Dutch wooden shoe workshop demonstration

The workshop sells a vast range of wooden shoes covering different sizes and decorations. There is a pair for everyone! We tried some on, and they felt quite comfortable but felt that it would take us a while to get used to since it feels different to regular shoes. Coming from South Africa with our really weak currency, we found the actual sized wooden shoes a bit pricey at around Euro 40 – 60.

Dutch Wooden Shoe making at the Zaanse Schans village near Amsterdam. — Dutch Wooden Shoe workshop at Zaanse Schans

Dutch wooden shoe souvenirs

The workshop also sells other types of souvenirs, such as key rings and mini wooden shoes as memorabilia. We had a difficult time choosing what we wanted to buy for friends and family.

Visiting this wooden shoe workshop is definitely worth visiting for some insight into an old Dutch tradition!