Much needed nature break at Kampinastaete in Oisterwijk
Love spending time in the middle of nature, but don’t want to sacrifice the comforts of home? A cottage, lodge, or diamond suite at KampinaStaete might be the perfect hideaway for you. Every accommodation is surrounded by beautiful greenery and has all the essentials for a cozy stay!
KampinaStaete found its sweet spot among the beautiful forests of Oisterwijk. On the edge of the vast nature reserve De Kampina, here you find yourself surrounded by vibrant flora whilst being serenaded by birdsong. Perfect for those nature lovers out there!
Arrival
Kiki and I have learned the hard way that getting to a nature reserve or campsite is incredibly difficult via public transportation. However, when there is a will there is a way – and luckily this time we just happened to catch a ride! The drive there was gorgeous. It was as if we entered a fairytale land with lush trees cascading all around us. Although we were greeted warmly by the host when we arrived, I must admit I was so in awe of our surroundings it was hard for me to focus!
Location
Oisterwijk (pronounced Oo-sterwijk) is a pretty little village in one of my favorite provinces, Noord-Brabant! I don’t know what it is about this area, but I am never disappointed. The people are always so warm and the vegetation – so much green! In fact, the nature reserve Kampina is 1200 hectares and has dozens of wet heathland with fens, fragrant gale thickets, meadows, deciduous forests, and blue grasslands. It really reminds this Pacific Northwest girl of home.
The campsite can be described in one word, breathtaking. The cabins, diamond suites, and lodges at KampinaStaete are situated throughout the forest and gardens in a way that creates a gorgeous backdrop – perfect for taking photos. Furthermore, this picturesque landscape creates a magical feeling. Our recommendation? Find your inner child and try skipping through their meadow or take some time to recuperate by the water lily-filled pond.
Cottages
The navy blue cottage is definitely cozy! It has a box bed with a fluffy duvet, a coffee maker (vital for us), and a fridge to keep your wine cool. Also, don’t be fooled by its tiny house appearance. It also has its very own shower and toilet. That means no late-night tramping through the woods to get to the bathroom facilities! Furthermore, underfloor heating makes this a viable option for any season.
Diamond Suites
Unfortunately, these suites were under construction when we arrived. However, we did get a good look from the outside, and wow are they cool! Thanks to their large windows, these beautiful lodgings get a lot of light. Plus you can literally look at nature from the comfort of your bed. The suite has a cozy dining room table, refrigerator, induction hob, coffee maker, kettle, and dishwasher. Furthermore, it’s equipped with air conditioning to help with those hot summer evenings!
The Lodge
Of course, we had to go BIG and stay in the lodge. This is indeed the largest accommodation comfortably fitting 6. It has two bedrooms, one with a double bed and the other with a spacious bunk bed. The living area has a cozy sofa, dining room table, dishwasher, refrigerator, induction hob, dolce gusto, and kettle! The interior was beautifully decorated but the true gem was the deck that wraps around the entire lodge. Perfect spot to drink your morning coffee or sip your evening wine!
Back to nature
KampinaStaete’s main mission is to get you offline and tuned back into nature. They encourage you to enjoy the company you are with and their hints aren’t exactly subtle. For instance, in our lodge we found an ‘unplug your phone box’ and a stack of cards to help jump-start conversations with fun prompts. We took their advice, put our phones aside, and played! We learned a lot about each other, and it ended up being a blast.
So what other things can you do instead of being online? Why not try their fantastic cycling routes? Or maybe get lost in the forest on a nature walk or visit a delicious restaurant in Oisterwijk! The sky is the limit. Here you will find your fun in the simple pleasures of sleeping under the trees and waking up to the twittering of birds.
Next morning
We were pleasantly surprised to find out they provide breakfast! We woke up to a beautiful spread of a typical Dutch breakfast – cold cuts, cheese, eggs, fruit, yogurt, granola – all the good stuff. Once our tummies were full and we got our much-needed dose of caffeine, it was time to head out. Overall, I know this is definitely a place that I plan on visiting again in the future. The nature, the lodgings, the area.. it was all perfection.
→ This article was written in collaboration with KampinaStaete. We got to stay here for free, in exchange for content. Of course you can read our own opinion here!
