Sleeping in Strasbourg (France): Le XV

We stayed at the hotel Le XV in the 'Conseil des Quinze' quarter. We liked the location: very quiet, far from the tourist masses (and close to our friend's house).

 

Going up to our room. 

 

Deluxe room. Charming decoration.

 

Beautiful wooden beam in the bathroom.

 

Hello, it's us 😀

 

Jul 28th, 2023. 

Breakfast at Hotel Park Broekhuizen (in Leersum, Netherlands)

Going down...

 

...for breakfast.

Not really my decoration style but...

 

...a nice view...

 

...to the terrace where we had dinner the night before.

 

The bridge over the lake looks very romantic 😊 

 

Breakfast was served at the table.

 

I had egg Benedict with salmon. 

 

Bye-bye!

 

Regarding this hotel, I'm sad to say that we wouldn't go back. The building from outside is really impressive. But the room was nothing special, and the entire atmosphere was a bit stiff. Not our style. Joaninha Bacana does not recommend it.

 

Jun 16th, 2023.

Sleeping in Leersum (Netherlands): Hotel Parc Broekhuizen (from Inside)

We stayed at the Panorama Suite. The room was quite minimalist. I would have painted the wall behind the bed with another color or hang a picture. I missed the sense of luxury implied by the outside of the building (or the price of the room).

From the window, view to... 

 

...the front garden (also needing a bit of a touch 😊).

 

A long corridor leading to the bathroom. 

 

Sink with a view.

 

Jun 15th, 2023.

Sleeping in Leersum (Netherlands): Hotel Parc Broekhuizen

Arriving (again 😊) to our hotel.

 

Hotel Parc Broekhuizen - a beautiful building from the 15th century.

 

 

Majestic stairs.

 

The entrance is not on the top terrace, but here you can just seat and enjoy the view.

 

Around the manoir...

 

...several pieces... 

 

...of art.

 

On the right side, an orangery.

 

Including some curious goose 😊 

 

On the left side, the bistrot and... 

 

...a pond.

 

Time to enter the building and do our check-in.

 

Jun 15th-16th, 2023.

Swimming Pool (at Boutique Hotel Texel in Texel, Netherlands)

In the afternoon, we went again for a swim at the hotel pool.

Next to the pool, rocking chairs to relax.

 

 
If we enjoyed our swimming? I did, but...

...Roger?

 

Nop, no swimming for him 😉

 

Jun 13th, 2023.

Sleeping in Texel (Netherlands): Boutique Hotel Texel

We stayed at the Boutique Hotel Texel. 

 

Our room (Junior Polder Suite), with view...

 

...to the garden.

 

It was a nice room, with good space. But in one of the evenings, there was a wedding reception and it was right at our window. It was quite noisy, and went until late in the evening. This was very annoying, and I don't think we would go back to this hotel again. 

 

The bathroom. I like the combination of wood shelves with the tiles.

 

Jun 12th, 2023. 

Breakfast at Hotel Landgoed Het Roode Koper (in Ermelo, Netherlands)

Passing the tables from the winter garden...

...we got to sit outside on the terrace. Fresh squeezed orange juice, fried eggs and bacon, and a nice buffet choice. 

 

 Enjoying this beautiful view!

 

It reminds me of the book "The Seven Sisters"😃

 

Jun 12th, 2023.

Restaurant Session (in Ermelo, Netherlands): Het Roode Koper

Going down for dinner, beautiful lighting at the stairs.

For dinner, we stayed in the restaurant from our hotel: Het Roode Koper✨ from chef Dennis van den Beld. Such a beautiful place!

 

As we were a bit early, we went for a little walk in the garden before... 

 

...heading to our table.

 

As aperitif, a glass of champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut from Legras & Haas.

 

As Roger was taking antibiotics... 

 

...only non-alcoholic beverages for him. He got a glass of Blanc Pur from Strauch Sektmanufaktur. 

 

The first bites. 

Olive oil, butter and salt.

 

The amuse bouche.

 

Dinner was weird (not sure how to described it otherwise). When we booked the room, we opted for the Culinary Package (that included a menu for dinner). We were the only table that was having this menu, and also the only table kind of ignored by the chef. He went to all other tables, had a chat with the guests, described the dishes. Our table got kind of ignored and, actually, it felt like we were a second class guests. Also the wines came very late, and I had to keep reminding the waiter.

As a whole, it was not a nice gastronomic experience and, as I mentioned, just weird. The restaurant is so beautiful, but I would not go back. Very disappointing! 

 

As first starter, marinated mackerel fillet, sweet and sour cucumber, wasabi cream, red meat radish,  furikake crumble, various seaweed varieties, cucumber and seaweed sorbet. 

[Makrele. Mariniertes Makrelenfilet | süß-saure Gurke | Crème von Wasabi | Red Meat-Radieschen | Crumble von Furikake | verschiedene Sorten Seetang - Sorbet von Gurken und Seetang] 

 

 Cute guests arriving...

 

 ...for dinner😊 

  

The second dish: poached lobstr with pistachio, basil, broccoli and  sereh sauce.

[Hummer | pochierte Hummer | Pistazie | Basilikum | Brokkoli | Sereh-Soße]

 

With the second starter, I had a glass of Beaujolais Blanc Classic Chardonnay from Domaine Terre Dorées - Jean-Paul Brun. 

 

The main dish - Gasconne veal with rosé roasted veal cheeks, sweet potato, aubergine and pomegranate. Confit shallots, pickled mustard seeds and black garlic jus. 

[Gasconne Kalf | rosé gebratene Kalbsrücken | geschmorte Kalbsbäckchen | Süßkartoffel - Aubergine - Granatapfel | konfierte Schalotte | eingelegter Senfkernern | Jus mit schwarzem Knoblauch]

 

Pairing with the veal, I had a glass of Pinot Noir from Johanneshof Reinisch. 

 

Sweet time!

Blackberries with basil, salted caramel cream, blackberries and Timiz-pepper mousse, basil and chocolate crumble, marinated blackberries and blackberry and basil sorbet.

[Brombeeren / Basilikum. Crème von gesalzenem Karamell | Mousse von Brombeeren und Timiz-Pfeffer |Basilikum Schokoladen-Crumble - marinierte Brombeeren | Sorbet von Brombeeren und Basilikum]

 

After dinner, we went for another walk... 

 

...at the property before going back to our room.

 

Jun 11th, 2023.