Belgium and Germany border The Netherlands, whilst the North Sea lies to the north and west. Large areas of The Netherlands have been reclaimed from the sea and consequently one-fifth of the country lies below sea level.  As the terrain is so flat, dykes had to be built to defend the countryside against the water, hence the countryside is criss-crossed by rivers and canals. 

The Delta project, a vast construction effort designed to end the threat from the sea once and for all, was launched in 1958 and largely completed in 2002.  This was to be achieved by raising outer sea-dikes and canal and river dikes to "delta" height, thus closing off the sea estuaries of the Zeeland province.  The Delta Project is considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

Away from the cities, the idyllic land of windmills and tulips still exists in the splendour of the countryside, as do a number of coastal towns and resorts, many with fine beaches. 

The Dutch are relaxed in their outlook, with nothing seeming to faze them, especially as they have been world leaders in social legislation. They never seem to get annoyed. They are tremendously hospitable, in a reserved Dutch manner.

One of the joys of touring Holland is that it is easy to get to. Another is that it is not expensive. The Dutch are very careful with their money, an attribute allowing tourists to benefit from low prices.

The Netherlands has had many well-known painters, from the age of the "Dutch Masters" such as Rembrandt, and Johannes Vermeer, to Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan in the 19th and 20th centuries.  Much of their work can be seen in museums and galleries around the country.

• EasyJet ~ from Stanstead, Luton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast, Liverpool and Gatwick to Amsterdam.
• FlyBe ~ From Exeter, Norwich and Southampton to Amsterdam.
• ThomsonFly ~ From Doncaster Sheffield, Bournemouth and Coventry to Amsterdam.
• Ryanair ~ from Stansted, Dublin and Glasgow to Eindhoven.
• BmiBaby ~ From London Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff and Nottingham to Amsterdam.

• British Airways ~ From London Heathrow to Amsterdam, daily.
• KLM ~ From several regional airports direct to Amsterdam, several times daily, including Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin (via London City), Leeds Bradford, London Heathrow, Manchester and Newcastle.  Some services are operated by KLM CityHopper.

Internal travel is highly organised in Holland with a brilliant railway system and excellent roads.

There are quite a number of options by sea from a range of departure points on the English east and south coasts, and you can also use Eurotunnel.

The Netherlands (Holland) is a lovely country to visit.  Not very large in size, it has excellent sporting facilities and is a very good destination for football, hockey and rugby. It is also a very keen cricket country although most games are played on artificial surfaces. It is stronger at adult level than at youth.

Holland has an excellent tennis set up. For ladies, the prime sport is hockey although rugby is developing. They do not play netball but a form of that sport called korfball.

Our Dutch fixtures contact has been working with us for more than 15 years, so we are confident that he knows what we want.  Experience develops expertise.

• Bathroom, with a hairdryer
• Colour television with teletext
• Tea and coffee making facilities
• Telephone and modem connection
• Air conditioning and a smoke detector.

The Restaurant Ambiance serves breakfast and dinner, and a cheerful bar in the lounge.

Close by is the Casino, the Palace Promenade with numerous boutiques, discos, and cafés on the boulevard.  The Scheveningen fishing harbour and the marina are also nearby, with The Hague city centre less than 10 minutes drive away.