A night in a treehouse, waking up next to the animals on a farm, or with the ocean right outside your door: for a quick getaway or holiday with kids, you’re often looking for something a little different than usual. Check out our kid-friendly and unique accommodations and book a stay that your kids will look back on with fond memories for years to come.
Unique Places to Stay with Kids
What are some fun places for kids to stay overnight?
That depends on how old they are and what makes you both happy. With a toddler, we’d choose a cottage with few stairs, located in a park with a playground or a wading pool. Does the cottage have a second floor? If so, be sure to ask if there’s a stair gate.
Preschoolers and young schoolchildren are often happiest around animals or in the woods. A farm or a vacation park with plenty of space to play outside is a good choice. Older children often love a treehouse with its own sleeping cabin upstairs. For teenagers, a place with some privacy usually works best, preferably with something they’ll want to show their friends.
Also keep in mind what isn’t possible. In old buildings like windmills, the stairs are often steep and lack a safety gate, which makes them less suitable for small children.
Sleeping in a Treehouse with Children
For many children, sleeping in a treehouse is a grand adventure. They climb the stairs, sleep among the branches, and might even spot a squirrel or a deer from the deck. Most treehouses are located in a vacation park or on an estate in the woods, sometimes with a playground or swimming pool nearby.
Are you looking for a treehouse with all the amenities? Then check out “A Unique Overnight Stay in an XXL Treehouse at Dwingelderveld National Park,” which was featured on TV in the show “Boomhut XXL.” It sleeps 7 people, and the park features a large outdoor playground, an indoor playground, and a swimming pool in the summer.
Keep in mind that a treehouse has stairs and elevated decks, so be extra careful with small children. And book early, because the popular treehouses are often booked well in advance during holidays.
Staying Overnight on a Farm and glamping Among the Animals
Does your child want to feed the animals every morning? Then stay at a farm. You’ll usually sleep in a spacious safaritent with real beds, a kitchen, and a private bathroom, right in the middle of the farmyard. The kids can collect eggs, feed the lambs, or watch the milking. At some farms, they then make popsicles from fresh milk with the farmer’s wife.
Is your child crazy about horses? At this glamping site on a horse and pony farm near Tilburg, kids learn how to groom and saddle ponies. And they can build huts in the hayloft.
In Brabant and Zeeland, you’ll find many more farm stays. At some farms in Zeeland, you can even be on the beach within ten minutes. You’ll also find plenty of glamping options here.
Fun places for kids to sleep: haystack, box bed, or windmill
Sometimes the cabin itself is the adventure. For example, there are haystack cabins on farms and campgrounds in Overijssel and Drenthe, with a trampoline or playground right next to them. Or a bungalow with a box bed: a bed built into a cabinet with doors where two children can sleep, just like in the old days.
A night in a windmill is more suited for older children. In this windmill from 1590 in Waarland, you can look out over the polder from seven windows. The stairs are so steep that children under 6 are not allowed for safety reasons.
A Night Away with the Kids by the Sea
In a beach cottage, you and the kids can walk straight from your bed onto the sand. You’ll find them along the coast of South Holland, North Holland, and Zeeland—for example, in Kijkduin, Wijk aan Zee, and Koudekerke. They usually sleep 4 or 5 people, and sometimes the beds are already made and ready for you.
A beach cottage is quite small, though, and you often have to stay for at least a few nights. If you’re looking for more space, a farmhouse on the Zeeland coast is a good alternative. Check out the .
Overnight Getaway with Kids and a Pool
A swimming pool makes a rainy day a lot more fun. You can choose between a house with its own pool, where you swim exclusively with your own family, and a cottage in a resort with an indoor pool. Such resorts sometimes also have a wading pool or, during summer vacation, a kids’ club. Some treehouses and haystack cottages are also located in such parks.
You won’t find subtropical water parks or amusement park hotels on Vipio. Instead, you’ll find homes and resorts where kids can have a great time even without a giant slide. Check out holiday homes with a pool in the Netherlands.
Hotel with a family room for a night away with a child
Don’t want to cook or make the beds? Then a hotel with a family room is a great option. You’ll find family rooms in boutique hotels in cities like Amsterdam, Middelburg, and Ghent. Sometimes they consist of two adjoining rooms. Be sure to check the age restrictions carefully, as a sleeper sofa is sometimes only suitable for children up to 12 years old.
These hotels don’t have a kids’ club or play area. They’re small, charming hotels in cities that are easy to explore with children.
Unique Places to Stay with Kids in the Netherlands and Belgium
The family-friendly spots on this page are mainly located in the eastern and southern parts of the Netherlands. Drenthe is known for its treehouses and parks in the woods. In Overijssel, you can sleep in a haystack along the Regge River or in a safaritent at a family campground. North Brabant has several farm campgrounds. In Zeeland, you can combine a farm stay with a beach vacation.
Want to go further afield? The Belgian Ardennes also offer treehouses for the whole family, such as a family treehouse with a wood-burning stove and a hot tub on the rooftop terrace. Check out the treehouses in the Ardennes.
How much does a unique overnight stay with kids cost?
For a family-friendly spot, you’ll typically pay around €100 to €300 per night, depending on the type. A safaritent at a farm or family campground usually costs €75 to €150, while a treehouse typically costs €150 to €300. Those are the prices for the quietest nights. On weekends and during school breaks, you’ll pay more.
It’s cheaper to stay during the week and outside of holidays. Also, be sure to check the minimum number of nights, as many places require a stay of two or three nights. Still looking for a place at the last minute? Then check out the last-minute accommodations.
