Yesterday our Bed & Breakfast has been officially classified as four tulips. This is the second highest quality category of the Dutch classification system for bed & breakfasts. Bed & Breakfast De Kandelaar received the four tulips after a visit by a mystery guest from the Foundation Bed & Breakfast The Netherlands.

Since June the Bed & Breakfast De Kandelaar has opened their doors again for visitors and guests. Fortunately, this ended a very quiet period during the lock-down due to Corona. Bed & Breakfast De Kandelaar receives many guests through Bed & Breakfast The Netherlands. A foundation that provides information and awards qualification of Bed & Breakfasts (1 to 5 tulips).

To classify the Bed & Breakfast, a mystery guest visits the B&B for assessment. The mystery guest’s report for De Kandelaar stated: “Something for everyone: there is a lot to do in the area, plenty of information about restaurants and activities. The breakfast was ample: sandwiches, all kinds of fillings and spreads, yogurt and fruit on a nicely set table. Outside there is ample place to sit, a picnic table with benches and a view of the farm. A look around the farm is also a fun activity; it all looks very neat and tidy”

“A Bed & Breakfast with four tulips will have an excellent level of quality. The interior of four tulip Bed & Breakfasts is luxurious and a lot of care has been given to the interior and the exterior of the property. You can expect high quality with many amenities and facilities plus excellent service when you stay at a four tulip B&B”, according to the Foundation Bed & Breakfast The Netherlands.

This award comes at a special time as this coincides with our 12½ anniversary of B&B De Kandelaar in September.  It shows we guarantee quality and good care of our guests.

It is already May! The month of April seemed to have passed us by without the crowds for the Tulip Route, no lunches and/or excursions, no meetings and no guests in our Bed & Breakfast. With following the guidelines and regulations of the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), such as the 1.5 metre regulation, guests are welcome again at De Kandelaar.

Despite the lack of crowds there has been plenty of activity on the farm. The potatoes are planted, corn and sugar beets have been sown. Unfortunately, it currently is very dry and despite the few showers over the past few days, the reel will start up again. The crops now really need moisture to grow.  And yes, we are delighted with the birth of goats, lambs and kitties.  In short, plenty of spring life!

Because of the quietness, we were able to enjoy the beautiful tulip fields and the beautiful weather more intensely. The tulip heart has blossomed beautifully and we are sure it will be back next year. In April 2021 we hope to let everyone enjoy the beauty of the tulips again. For now, stay healthy and look after each other. We hope to meet again soon. Check out the video on the Bed & Breakfast.

At the end of the year we look back to the past year. 2019 has been an eventful year for the agricultural sector in The Netherlands. Yes, we have also visited The Hague with our tractor.  These protests are desperately needed because current political decisions are often made on the basis of emotions instead of actually looking at the figures and listening to experts. We hope 2020 will bring more wisdom concerning the agricultural sector and not only to the politicians in The Hague but also the Dutch and the press.  We try and do our bit by providing our guests at the De Kandelaar with correct and honest information.

We will do during Tulpenroute Flevoland 2020. The opening is planned for Friday 10^th April 2020 (Good Friday).  De Kandelaar will then be open daily until 5^th May. We would like to take this opportunity to showcase our company; explain the tulip cultivation, but above else let everybody enjoy the beauty of the tulips. In the context of this year’s theme, “75 years of freedom”, we have planted a mosaic of tulips in the shape of the freedom symbol.  However, we have also planted a beautiful heart of tulips and of course the Dutch flag.

.

A special carnival in 2020. Marc and Mariska have been asked by Prince Pieter II and Princess Yvonne in ‘t Bokkenriek in St. Hubert (south of The Netherlands) to join their court; Marc as adjutant, Mariska as the court lady.  Regularly they are all on the road with the St. Hubert carnival club De Bokken.

Preparations for the 2019 Tulip route Flevoland are being finalized. The opening will take place at Bed & Breakfast De Kandelaar on Saturday 13 April. From 10:00am everybody is welcome and the official opening will be performed by representatives of the municipality of Dronten, Lelystad and Zeewolde at around 10:30am.

At the opening there will also be the Tulip Market where you can gain information on the cultivation of tulips or this year’s tulip routes (walk, bike or car) or the Floriade. As part of the Golden Age theme Batavialand will show and promote the foundation’s preservation and commercial operation of the heritage park that represents, describes and exhibits the history and characteristics of the Netherlands, living on the boundary between land and water, with old crafts. Or you can take a selfie with the Golden tractor of Team Agro, Polderzoom will showcase and sell their cheeses from the region, IJsbrouwers will cater with their homemade icecream and Vaya Con Dios perform their music. In addition, there are appealing and alluring tulip gadgets available, from tulip umbrellas to tulip shopping bags and tea made from tulips. The Tulip Market is open until 5:00pm.

From 13 April to 5 May 2019, Bed & Breakfast De Kandelaar is open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm.Whilst you are enjoying a cup of coffee, tea or a soft drink with a piece of home-made cake on our covered terrace, you can get more information about the tulip cultivation. There will also be a number of stalls selling tulip items. Also every day fresh tulips will be available directly from the tulip farmers. On 22 April, Easter Monday, there will be another large Tulip Market with even more tulip art and the male choir „Flevo’s mannenkoor“ will perform between 1:00 and 3:00pm. Bed & Breakfast De Kandelaar is located on the car route of Lelystad. More information about all routes can be found at www.tulpenrouteflevoland.nl

Due to the changing, sometimes extremely hot weather, the flowering time of the tulips was short this year and the tulip routes have now finished. Yet many people from home and abroad, even as far as from India and Thailand, have visited us. They took a look at the tulip fields, watched the film about tulip cultivation and educated themselves about 100 years of Zuiderzee law.

On the land a lot has been done, such as the corn, sugar beet and onions are sown. The potatoes have been planted and the ‘backs’ have been milled. The first cut of grass has been mowed and the grassland is manured, so hopefully we can cut the second cut of grass in 4 weeks.

Meanwhile, we continue to receive guests at our Bed & Breakfast. Either for a visit to one of the entertainment parks in the area such as Walibi, Dolfinarium (Sea World) or Aviodrome or to go shopping in Batavia Stad.  We also have guest stay, who work or train in the close vicinity of our B&B.

Finally, on 26 April, we organised a surprise party for Jos & Maria (the original owners of De Kandelaar) to celebrate 50 years of marriage. With family and many friends we had turned it into a beautiful party, which we all enjoyed leaving us with fond memories.