In search of an ideal family holiday destination which was an easy drive from their North East home, Chris and Caroline Wright (along with junior reporter Joshua) headed for the Netherlands....

Many foreign holiday destinations suffer for their over-eager welcome for British tourists. Often, national character and heritage is diluted away in favour of British-themed chip shops and "fun pubs", so that a tourist could be forgiven for wondering why they paid to leave home in the first place.

It comes as a pleasant surprise to discover that an alternative is close at hand. Roompot Vakanties' Weerterbergen holiday park in Limburg, the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, is a beautifully-designed and well executed holiday park that caters for a family holiday in a way that so many other holiday parks fail to grasp.

Beginning the trip from close to home is ideal and saves the dubious joys of travelling the length of England to begin a holiday tired out. The DFDS Seaways crossing from North Shields is as far from a cramped economy class flight as you can ever find. Instead of being a necessary and unpleasant part of your travel plans, this is really an overnight cruise, and very much a fun part of the holiday. All of DFDS's ships boast an impressive range of restaurants and bars, as well as cinemas and even swimming pools on board (there is something quite surreal about swimming aboard a ship, please do try it). Driving a car on and off the ships seems somehow much less troublesome than the same operation on a cross-Channel ferry, and of as soon as you step out of the car, your holiday has begun.

It does Weerterbergen no justice to describe it as a "holiday park" in the traditional mould. The spacious bungalows are concealed by the forest in such a way that you will never believe that there are 500 of them. An attractive lake snakes its way around the site providing opportunities for some fun boating or a spot of fishing within yards of the self-catering accommodation, or simply some time out on the purpose-built beach.

The bungalows themselves are well laid-out, with doors leading to bedrooms from the open plan living, kitchen and dining areas. The kitchen area is well-equipped enough to cook in, and your own patio facing towards the lakeside is the perfect place for a barbecue. The design of the bungalows feels a little like a good-sized flat, and is just right for this type of holiday.

At the heart of the park is a cluster of bars, restaurants, shops and sporting activities, all in large, modern buildings. Things have been done properly here. The park boasts a large and well-stocked supermarket, a large swimming pool complete with a waterslide and wave machine, and indoor tennis and squash courts that beat those found at most leisure centres.

The beauty of all of this is that there is a variety of choice, and no two days need be the same. Again, the design is clever enough to realise that a family holiday can mean a holiday that all of the family enjoy together - mum and dad can enjoy a glass of wine while the kids play nearby. Too often a family holiday means that either the adults or the children have to spend a lot of time watching while the other has a good time. Here, the theory is that everyone gets what they want.

As with all good theories, there is a flaw. The design and construction of the park is superb, and I have not yet scratched the surface of the options available for having fun there. The problem is that all of this excellence is jaded by service which does not match the quality of the operation. This is a shame, because it seems that too much money and effort has been invested into the park to let bad service spoil it. I know that serious efforts are being made to put this right, and that will turn a really good holiday into something top class.

Having said that, this is a beautiful place that offers many ways to fill your time. You can always cook in your bungalow, or try the excellent Van Horne Farm steakhouse across the road from the park, which also has a huge play area for the youngsters. A short drive will take you to the city of Maastricht (where they make the treaties), and the borders with Belgium and Germany are nearby for adventurous types.

Not all Dutch people in this part of the country speak English, as most of the tourists are from Germany, Belgium, and other parts of the Netherlands. Unless you speak Dutch or German, you will need your phrasebook to make your way through a shopping or dining experience. This is all part of being in a foreign country, of course, and those seeking something a bit different but not too far away may well find the Limburg area to be just what they are looking for. It only takes around two hours to drive from Ijmuiden, where DFDS Seaways' excellent overnight crossing from Newcastle arrives daily.

For more information see www.roompotparken.nl (and click on the British flag) and www.dfdsseaways.co.uk.

Published: 04/09/2003