It was time for another trip in the Netherlands. This time our destination was a place we know well, because we had stayed there before, Breukelen. Even though Breukelen is only a really small town, we didn’t know the amazing boutique hotel Flora Batava existed.

This blog is written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She stayed at Flora Batava, on behalf of Traveltomtom, and wrote this Flora Batava review blog about her experiences.

History of Flora Batava

In 1670, Agnes Block bought a farm on a large piece of land and founded the Vijverhof country estate. Agnes had an orangery, orchards, ornamental and vegetable gardens, avenues and several ponds built at the country estate. At Buitenplaats de Vijverhof, Agnes Block turned out to be a skilled grower of rare and exotic plants. Through exchange and trade with merchants and botanists, she collected hundreds of plant and flower species in her gardens and orangery from all over the world and earned the nickname “Flora Batava”.

Now we fast-forward to 2019, when the restoration of the country estate and the conversion of the estate into a hotel function started. The estate had fallen into disrepair. It had served a long period as a research institute. The national monument has now been restored to its former glory. The entire building has been restored, from chimney to cellar. Then finally in 2021 Hotel Flora Batava opened its doors!

Location

The beautiful estate Flora Batava is located just outside of Breukelen, at the Vijverhof country estate, right on the river De Vecht.
The location of this hotel is really great. So many beautiful and fun places are within a short distance. Amsterdam, Utrecht, Breukelen, the Loosdrechtse Plassen, various castles, too many places and things to do to mention.

Travelling here by car is really easy. Once you leave the main highway A2 at Breukelen, it’s just a 5 minute drive to the town to reach the hotel. Travelling by public transport could be a bit more difficult. Breukelen has a train station, but it’s located 3.5 kilometers from the hotel.

Looking for some travel inspiration when visiting Holland then check out Traveltomtom’s list of the best places to see in the Netherlands.

Rooms

The hotel has only 45 rooms and suites, so it is a rather small hotel, which we actually really like. The 45 rooms are cleverly designed to meet your needs. They come in all kinds of sizes and shapes.

Original beamed ceilings, French balconies, a bathtub, a view of the Vecht, to name just some of the features these rooms can have. All rooms have a serene interior with beautiful lamps and special art.

During our stay we had a Comfort Room Double. A fairly large room with a large bathroom. And the best part, patio doors and your own mini terrace

Restaurant Bloei

Restaurant Bloei (Bloom) is Flora Batava’s restaurant. It’s your place to go for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a lovely high tea. The kitchen works with carefully selected regional and seasonal ingredients. The menu has been put together with a passion for the flavors and versatility of Dutch products.

When the weather is nice you can sit outside on their terrace in the garden.

The founder of the country estate Agnes Blok was the first in Europe to grow a pineapple here. This is why the restaurant is called Bloei (Bloom).

These are some impressions from the breakfast.

Teahouse

The teahouse at the back of the estate, situated right at the river Vecht, is open from May to September. The best way to enjoy the passing boats on the Vecht is in the tea house or on their terrace on the water. Enjoy a delicious cup of tea or coffee with cake or go for a glass of wine with a savory snack. A place to relax during or after an active day.

Fun fact: the tea house has the unique shape of a boat.

Boat rental

There are several options at Flora Batava to explore the Vecht river and the surrounding area from the water. They have sloops available for small groups of up to 4 people, an 8-person sloop and a large sloop for up to 22 people. Unfortunately we visited in the middle of winter, during the first freezing cold weekend of the year. So taking out a boat was not a good idea.

The location of Flora Batava is simply perfect. Truly the perfect base for a weekend full of fun. We explored some new parts of Amsterdam during our stay here and we had to check out the Loosdrechtse Plassen as well.

We really appreciate these types of luxurious small-scale accommodations.

Looking for something new in the Netherlands, or something different? Or looking for an alternative to the expensive boutique hotels in Amsterdam? We can highly recommend Boutique Hotel Flora Batava.

Enjoy your trip to Breukelen!