As you might know I have explored much of the Netherlands this summer, visited almost every province and stayed in many unique accommodations; from glampings, to quaint AirBNB’s, historic (boutique) hotels and several affordable luxury hotels. Spread out through my homeland, either on the countryside or in the city, as I love to combine both, about which you can read more here: Netherlands blogs.
And last week we visited the quaint holiday resort Hof van Saksen in Drenthe for the first time. We stayed in an affordable luxury farmhouse in ultimate privacy and comfort, near to the small village Nooitgedacht, in this rural northeastern province of the Netherlands.
Whether you’re looking for a quiet weekend escape, a home away from home, or the perfect place for a workation in a beautiful nature setting, it’s all possible at Hof van Saksen.
Versatile affordable luxury mini vacation
If you want to wind down, relax and enjoy this quiet region of the Netherlands, where all corona-measures are followed, and meals are delivered at your doorstep, while staying in comfort and style. Be together with your loved ones/family in a different setting with all the comfort you might need, or change scenery while working from an atmospheric house with strong WIFI, totally corona-proof, Hof van Saksen is the perfect place.
Current corona restrictions
Unfortunately due to the new lockdown in the Netherlands most of the resort's facilities had to close until the 19th of January, but the on-site supermarket stays open and their restaurants still offer delicious meals via take-away or delivery service. All ordered easily on the Hof van Saksen app, which worked perfectly when we were there!
They also have extra re-booking flexibility up to 24 hours before arrival, and no-cancellation fees within 14 days, due to the corona-measures. Read all about it on this page of their website:
Ultimate holiday home stay 2021
But of course booking a stay for after the 19th of January is recommended if you want to enjoy everything Hof van Saksen has to offer, as we fortunately still could last week!
See all of it, and the variation of holiday homes to choose from on their own website:
Landal Greenparks group Netherlands
This authentic chic holiday resort is part of the Landal Greenparks group, with 95 holiday parks spread out over 9 European countries with over 15,000 holiday homes, most located in the Netherlands.
But also in Belgium, Germany, Denmark, UK, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria and Switzerland. The first park dates back to 1954 and each is unique, located amidst nature with different landscapes, a big variation of accommodation types, different facilities and specialties per location.
Their most important features are openness, space, tranquility, nature and sustainability, all highly valued by us as well!
Hof van Saksen is authentic and unique because of its 166 traditional Saxon farmhouses scattered throughout the 4-star resort, with 600 luxury holiday homes in total, varying in size and amenities.
In this blog I will happily tell you about our personal experience at Hof van Saksen, with of course many of our own pics, to give you a small taste of the resort, the holiday homes and things to do in the surroundings!
Couples experience at Hof van Saksen-Drenthe
We stayed in a 6-person Saxon farm house, with atmospheric and complete interior, including this beautiful wall, picturing a local nature area, a spacious lounge couch, big dinner table, well-equipped kitchen and 3 bedrooms, as you can see in this gallery:
And what made our holiday home even more cozy was the gas fireplace which provided plenty of warmth, and the spacious bathroom with private whirlpool, sauna and Rituals bath products. Perfect to come home to after a nice and wintery nature walk!
Although these well-equipped houses are a bit more expensive in high season we were amazed by the great value for money and sharp prices when booking during the week in low season, which is certainly worth it!
Hof van Saksen is located in an extensive nature area with recreational lake, right next to the village Nooitgedacht, and near several protected nature areas and heather fields.
But also in between the bigger cities Assen and Emmen.
Perfect setting to fly my drone for the first time, in low season, with the permission of the resort of course, to capture these lovely images from above, showcasing the resort even better:
Facilities & Food at Hof van Saksen
We however hardly left the resort, as they have everything you need right there, and most can be delivered to your house by ordering through the app or by phone, perfect in times like these.
Hof van Saksen has an extensive on-site supermarket with a big variation of organic and delicious food, (alcoholic) beverages and even gifts. But also 4 restaurants, of which most deliver an abundance of dishes and arrangements, like the typical Dutch gourmet package which we sampled during our stay. Always cozy, fun and also perfect for families!
And the gastronomic options go on and on, with an extensive breakfast service, delicious burgers, a range of Dutch stews, salads, pizza’s, pasta’s, sushi, Asian dishes, snacks, desserts and much more that you can order at the Noordermarkt, Noorderwok, Kookerij, Grand Café, and snackbar Rapido on site, get an impression in this gallery:
Other facilities of Hof van Saksen Resort:
Several extensive indoor kids facilities,
Laser Tag arena,
Bowling,
Bounz Arena,
a gift and fashion shop,
outdoor adventure golf,
a luxury Spa area and Wellness center with a big range of treatments,
and extensive design swimming pools with cool water slides and a wild water rapid
Unfortunately these facilities have to stay closed temporarily until the 19th of January, but will hopefully open again soon in 2021.
Get a preview by sliding through this gallery of my own, and Hof van Saksen's, pictures of the facilities:
Luckily they also have several outdoor sports facilities, extensive playgrounds, bike rental and unique artworks and sculptures displayed all around the resort and main building, which you can still enjoy right now. And of course the recreational lake and beach in the middle of the resort, and the surroundings in the heart of Drenthe, provide the perfect setting for hiking and cycling.
Surroundings of Hof van Saksen in Drenthe-the Netherlands
There's much to do around Nooitgedacht, as the quaint villages in this region of Drenthe are typical for the Dutch countryside and nice to visit.
Assen is only a 15 minutes’ drive away and houses the Drents Museum with international art exhibitions varying throughout the year. For an adventure walk among the trees you can visit nearby Treetop Path, or go back in time at the historic village: Museumdorp Orvelte.
We visited one of the oldest mystical sites in the Netherlands; dolmen D27. The biggest dolmen (hunebed) in the Netherlands with its 22,6 meters, and over 5,000 years old. These unique natural structures are typical for this area and are free to visit, spread out over several nature areas here.
For a fee you can also go into the Hunebed Centrum in Borger (now closed until 19 January), right next to D27, to learn more about the history of this local phenomenon and Drenthe’s architecture and inhabitants in prehistory.
But there are many cycling and hiking routes to follow in this region as well. We went for a walk at the lakes of Gasselterveld, located in the Hondsrug nature area.
And the Hunzevalley, Unesco GeoPark de Hondsrug, Drentsche Aa, and Balloërveld with its extensive heathlands, blooming in August and September, should be stunning as well.
Also bigger cities such as Groningen and Emmen are just a short drive away.
I hope I was able to show you why Hof van Saksen impressed us, and why we enjoyed it so much. Although we don’t stay in holiday parks often, we felt that this resort really offers the perfect combination of nature, tranquility, space, privacy and comfort. All set in a unique atmosphere and beautiful region of the Netherlands, with friendly staff, great service and an abundance of facilities for a good price, especially in times like these.
Therefore Hof van Saksen is the true definition of affordable luxury to me, and I can highly recommend it to anyone. Either for a relaxing weekend escape, midweek getaway in nature, longer vacation or staycation. But also ideal for a workation with all the amenities you might need!
Have you been to Hof van Saksen or any of the other Landal Greenparks in the Netherlands already? Do let me know here, or on social media, and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions about our stay at this resort, always happy to help!
