Reviews of Property: Country and Lake Apartment

Dear Saskia and Onny,

David and I would like to thank you both once again for your kind hospitality during our recent stay. Both apartments were more than comfortable and the facilities were excellent - it really was a home away from home. As we were staying for work purposes, the quiet and peaceful surroundings were truly appreciated.

If our work brings us to Europe in the future, both David and I have said that we would like to stay with you again - and hopefully next time it would be when the weather is warmer!

Thanks again,
Deb

This is a hard act to follow...My first experience in Europe was at the Country and Lake property and it exceeded my every expectation by far. Do not hesitate about staying here, my recommendation is book as many nights as possible. I will be back!
Thankyou Saskia and Onny for all your hospitality.
Marilyn, Matt, Asher and Lyndsey

Wir haben nur kurze 3 Tage in dem kleinen Apartment verbracht, aber es war sehr erholsam und ruhig. Die Einrichtung ist sehr liebevoll und schön und die Landschaft mit den vielen Pferden, Schafen und Kühen absolut idyllisch. Auch Edam ist ein sehr gemütliches Örtchen, die Restauranttips von Saskia haben uns sehr gut gefallen. Wir werden sehr gerne wieder kommen.
Stephanie & Volker aus Trier

We enjoyed a most relaxing 4 day weekend here the first weekend of last December as a Christmas shopping trip to Amsterdam with our 2 young children - and still have great memories of a wonderful stay. Onny & Saskia were in the States but we had a wonderful welcome from one of their friends. It was a perfect base for Amsterdam shopping by car (about 30 mins out) - I recall reflections of the garlanded white lights everywhere over the canals and Edam was a beautiful place to visit / eat out. The 3 storey villa was well heated and insulated - it was 4 degrees celcius outside - we enjoyed both the sauna and the 39 degree celcius hot-tub snuggled down below the sides with the underwater lights on drinking a glass of red wine and watching clouds racing by overhead in December was memorable fun. Everything else was well-appointed too: elegant wood / chrome / white and black tones in open plan kitchen / diner / lounge on 1st floor with a 'good for the soul' top floor enjoying views on all four sides (including the lake) from the open plan main bed / bathroom. So if you were wondering what a December trip would be like here - it's great! Hence - me returning to vrbo site to look for a villa for a trip to the amalfi coast and thinking I should post a thankyou message here.

20-23 April 2007

Dear Onny and Saskia,

We could not let the opportunity pass to tell you again how much we enjoyed our stay in your upstairs apartment outside of Edam. We thoroughly loved the quiet, peaceful and beautiful setting it provides. Our walks along the dike and beach in front of the house, the bike rides in the evening to Warder, and time spent in Edam with its cute canals, tiny bridges and quiet restaurants were the highlights of our trip to Europe. We had no idea how truly wonderful our stay with you would be, and we will never forget our visit! This is a place to discover the romantic in anyone!

Your home is an ideal base from which day trips to Alkmaar, Amsterdam, Keukenhof, and even the northern islands are pleasant. We also sincerely appreciated your advice on things to do nearby. The windmills you told us about on the way to Alkmaar were far better than any others we saw on our whole trip. There we were given a personal tour inside the windmill by the caretaker. He took us all the way to the top where we saw the wooden gears and shafts that actually drive these real, working pieces of history. Even more magnificent were the tulip fields that are so prevalent in the areas around Warder. These working fields were incredibly beautiful, rivaling those of Keukenhof, but in a much more peaceful and natural setting. We felt that we experienced some of the most beautiful gems of Holland right in your backyard.

We stayed in the larger of the two apartments. It has two floors above the ground level, with the kitchen and living room on the second floor, and a very spacious bedroom and bathroom on the top or third floor. We were immediately surprised by the cleanliness of the entire place. We loved the smell of the new, solid wood furniture and floors. It felt as if we were the first guests to ever stay in this apartment! The bed was the most comfortable we have ever experienced, and we were completely content to sleep in each morning. When we did wake up, it was a wonderful surprise to find that we were still in such a beautiful garden setting.

Because it is the tallest structure for hundreds of yards, the views from our bedroom were unimpeded and spectacular in every direction! To the north, the endless horizon over the dike of the Mittlemeer (lake). To the east, endless green fields and pastures. To the south, more beautiful pastures and canals, with cattle, horses and sheep grazing in the distance. To the west, in the distance over next door neighbors barn, the tiny town of Warder. Spectacular! We took pictures from every window!

Please accept our warmest thanks for a wonderful stay in your apartment. This has to be the best place to experience all that is most desirable to see in the Netherlands. Our time with you was the highlight of our trip, and we will definitely return!

Thank you!

Carey and Cindy Noorda
Las Vegas, Nevada

We spent a wonderful spring weekend at Onny and Saskias beautiful lakeside/seaside apartment. The setting is really lovely, the apartment fantastic and the owners very friendly. Getting around is really easy here, just get on a bike and cycle to one of the delightful nearby villages, towns or islands. Edam and Volendam are both excellent little towns with great facilities. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to someone else and would definitely like to come again.

Onze 5-daagse kennismaking met Noord-Holland was een reuze meevaller op alle gebied : prachtige streek, lieflijke steden en dorpjes, rustgevende en waterrijke natuur en ... niet te vergeten de hartelijke ontvangst.
Saskia en Ollie waren de perfecte gastvrouw en -heer en immer bereid ons nuttige wenken en tips te geven.
Het grote appartement bood ons alle mogelijke comfort en vanuit de ruime slaapkamer hadden we een prachtig zicht op het meer en de polders.
Beslist een aanrader en vatbaar voor herhaling.
Bedankt en tot ziens.
Lina & Kris - Lichtervelde - België

What an amazing time we had over the nine dayswe
spent in Edam. There was some rain but it did not
stop us from biking, shopping, eating great
cheeses and restaurants, sightseeing in Edam and
surrounding areas and of course spending some
time enjoying the nightlife in Amsterdam.

The house is so relaxing with the indoor spa room
sauna and outdoor hottub with the horses and the
cows and the vast fields as far as the eye can see.

Onny and Saskia are the consumate hosts... and we
are pleased to say now also we consider them
friends! Their attention to detail in taking take of
our every need was unparalleled.

Waking up to the outstanding views from the large
apartment bedroom makes an ideal romantic
getaway spot. There are 4 windows - once faces
the lake and the other 3 provide views of farmland
and animals as far as the eye can see.

We were able to travel with 3 people -- one stayed
on the second floor on the pullout couch and she
liked her views and accomodations as much as we
did one flight above!

We would recommend this for a family or even a
smaller group. We plan on returning to visit Onny
and Saskia again since there is so much to do and
see in the surrrounding areas!

See you in Edam!